Growing Inspiration
Inspiration for future Agardeni growing environments.
edibleFamily: ActinidiaceaeGenus: ActinidiaSpecies: arguta
Cultivar
Issai Hardy Kiwi
Actinidia arguta 'Issai'
Cultivar: Issai
Actinidia arguta 'Issai' is a compact, self-fertile variety of hardy kiwi that produces smooth-skinned, edible fruit in late summer. This vigorous deciduous vine features attractive green foliage and produces small, fragrant white flowers in the spring. It is perfectly suited for trellising along fences, arbors, or pergolas, providing both ornamental appeal and a delicious homegrown harvest.
The Issai Hardy Kiwi is a vigorous, deciduous vining plant known for producing sweet, hairless, grape-sized fruit. It is prized for its unique self-fertile nature, making it an ideal choice for home gardens with limited space.
Marketplace packs coming soon
Current nursery inventory and 18 / 36 / 72 pricing will appear here when available.
Cultivar Story
Start with Inspiration. Grow Your Aspiration.
Marketplace Plant
A realistic representation of the starter plants offered in 18, 36, and 72 plant quantities.
Aspirational Garden
Grow your aspirational plan into an inspirational garden.
Plant Detail
A closer look at the fruit, flower, foliage, or mature defining characteristics of this cultivar.
Repotting / Start Growing
Begin with a starter plant and establish it in a larger pot using quality potting soil with beneficials and fertilizer.
Start · Plan · Grow
Start with real plants. Plan with current marketplace availability. Grow your aspirational garden.
Cultivar Video
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Cultivar Video Coming Soon
See this cultivar from starter plant to aspirational garden.
Plant Profile
Grow Issai Hardy Kiwi with confidence
Key growing information first, with the complete reviewed cultivar profile available when you want it.
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Sun
Full sun to partial shade; best fruit production occurs in full sun.
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Water
Consistent moisture is required, especially during the fruit-developing months; avoid waterlogged soils.
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Mature size
15-20 feet long with pruning management.
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Hardiness
5-8
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Growth habit
Vigorous woody twining vine.
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Plant type
Vine
View Plant Data
Care, size, flowering, climate, soil, health, and additional reviewed data.
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View Plant Data
Care, size, flowering, climate, soil, health, and additional reviewed data.
Good to know
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Growing note
Requires a sturdy support system such as a trellis, arbor, or fence to manage its vigorous vining habit. While self-fertile, consistent watering and a sunny location are essential for fruit production.
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Climate note
Hardy in zones 5-8; late spring frosts may damage emerging flower buds.
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Flower / fruit
Blooms in spring; fruit ripens in late summer or early autumn. Requires 3-4 years to reach fruiting maturity.
Growing & Care
Everyday care, growth, feeding, and pruning guidance.
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Growing & Care
Everyday care, growth, feeding, and pruning guidance.
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Sun / light
Full sun to partial shade; best fruit production occurs in full sun.
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Growth rate
Moderate to fast once established.
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Fertilizer
Apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring as new growth begins; avoid over-fertilizing with nitrogen to ensure plant health.
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Pruning
Prune annually in late winter or early spring to remove dead wood and maintain the desired shape on the trellis.
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Care notes
Requires a sturdy support system such as a trellis, arbor, or fence to manage its vigorous vining habit. While self-fertile, consistent watering and a sunny location are essential for fruit production.
Size & Habit
How the plant grows and the space it needs at maturity.
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Size & Habit
How the plant grows and the space it needs at maturity.
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Mature size
15-20 feet long with pruning management.
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Growth habit
Vigorous woody twining vine.
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Spacing
8-12 feet apart along a support structure.
Flower / Fruit
Flowering, fruiting, pollination, bloom, and harvest behavior.
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Flower / Fruit
Flowering, fruiting, pollination, bloom, and harvest behavior.
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Flowering / fruiting
Blooms in spring; fruit ripens in late summer or early autumn. Requires 3-4 years to reach fruiting maturity.
Climate & Hardiness
Cold, heat, chill, and regional growing considerations.
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Climate & Hardiness
Cold, heat, chill, and regional growing considerations.
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Hardiness zones
5-8
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Temperature
Hardy in zones 5-8; late spring frosts may damage emerging flower buds.
Soil & Water
Moisture, drainage, soil, and pH preferences.
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Soil & Water
Moisture, drainage, soil, and pH preferences.
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Watering
Consistent moisture is required, especially during the fruit-developing months; avoid waterlogged soils.
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Soil
Deep, well-draining, fertile, loamy soil with high organic matter content.
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Soil pH
6.0-7.0
More Plant Data
19 additional reviewed fields from this Plant.id.
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More Plant Data
19 additional reviewed fields from this Plant.id.
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Container Growing
Can be grown in very large containers with heavy-duty trellising, though it performs best when planted in the ground.
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Family
Actinidiaceae
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Foliage Look
Lush, dark green, ovate foliage with serrated edges.
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Foliage Rules
Leaves are alternate, simple, and ovate with serrated edges and reddish petioles.
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Fruit Flower Look
Small, star-like white flowers with visible yellow anthers; smooth, grape-sized green berries.
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Fruit Flower Rules
Flowers are cup-shaped and white; fruit is hairless, unlike fuzzy supermarket kiwi. Starter plants do not have fruit.
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Growth Habit Rules
Does not grow as a shrub; must show evidence of vining behavior and twining around support structures.
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Mature Plant Look
Dense, vining mass covering an arbor or fence with smooth, bite-sized green fruit.
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Mature Stage Morphology
Twining woody stems with dense foliage; clusters of small, fragrant white flowers followed by smooth, oval-shaped green fruit.
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Morphology Rules
Ensure foliage is depicted as broad, heart-shaped or ovate with clean green coloration; vines should appear flexible and climbing.
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Plant Faqs
Does the Issai Kiwi need another plant to produce fruit? No, it is self-fertile, though yields can be better with another kiwi nearby. How fast does the vine grow? It is a vigorous grower that can reach 15-20 feet with proper support. When do I prune my kiwi vine? Prune in late winter while the plant is dormant.
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Root Look
Fibrous, well-developed root system typical of nursery-grown vine starts.
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Soil Look
Rich, dark, well-draining garden loam or professional nursery potting mix.
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Starter Stage
Appears as a leafy, herbaceous vine with green, thin stems.
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Starter Stage Morphology
Oval, alternate leaves with serrated margins; may show reddish tint on stems when young.
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Video Voiceover Script
Welcome to Agardeni, where inspiration for gardening helps us imagine how and where we will grow Issai Hardy Kiwi. This is Issai Hardy Kiwi, available as 18, 36, and 72 plant starter trays through the Agardeni Marketplace. Let this vigorous vine become part of your aspirational plan, helping you imagine the future fruit-bearing trellis you want to create in your landscape. Issai produces smooth, hairless, grape-sized fruit that is sweet and bite-sized, offering a unique, fuss-free harvest right from your garden. Establish your starter by moving the plug into a four-inch pot with well-draining mix, then later transition it to a permanent trellis or sunny in-ground location. Find your inspiration with Agardeni. Explore real plants and real availability. Start. Plan. Grow.
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Youtube Tags
Actinidia arguta Issai Kiwi Hardy Kiwi Self-Fertile Kiwi Fruiting Vine Edible Landscape Garden Trellis Agardeni Perennial Vine Fruit Gardening
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Youtube Video Summary
Discover the Issai Hardy Kiwi, a vigorous, self-fertile vine perfect for edible landscapes. Enjoy growing your own smooth-skinned, grape-sized fruit on a backyard trellis.
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Youtube Video Title
Growing Issai Hardy Kiwi: A Self-Fertile Fruiting Vine
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Future Buyer Brand Sellers
Possible future seller options for 2.5-inch, 4-inch, and 1-gallon finished plants.