Recently we carried out a winter prune of a Actinidia chinensis in Haslemere, Surrey. Both the male and female plants are well established. The female plants had fruited abundantly and we think that this could be one of the oldest plants in the country. We sent some pictures to the RHS and got the following reply:
According to an article in The Planstman in 1984, Some Notes on Actinidias and their Propagation, by Philip McMillan Browse, Actinidia deliciosa (syn. A.chinensis) was only introduced into the British Isles in 1900 (from China by E H Wilson). Virtually all early plants were males, and it was not until 1911/1912 that a female was identified and introduced into cultivation. The article goes on to say that the popularity of the plant declined between the two world wars, but that as it tolerates neglect, mature plants have survived since early introduction, although no specific sites or ages are listed. I also checked in the book Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles by W.J. Bean, which often gives such data, but unfortunately nothing is listed for this species. The Plantsman article does, however, suggest that kiwi plants will live to be of considerable age. Dr Dawn Edwards, Botanist.
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