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Actinidia: description of the plant and its varieties
Actinidia grows in the countries of Southeast Asia and the Far East. There are many varieties of the plant, let’s get acquainted with the description of the actinidia itself and its species. Among them there are plants with edible fruits – gourmet actinidia, the fruit of which is kiwi.
A brief description and history of the actinidia plant
In Europe, the fruits of actinidia appeared in 1958, they were brought from China. Today, frost-resistant varieties and gourmet plant varieties have been bred, the fruits of which are not much smaller than kiwi.
The description of actinidia talks about the benefits of its fruits
Actinidia belongs to perennial vines that shed their leaves during the cold season. The leaves of the plant are dense, leathery, in autumn they change color to variegated. There are varieties with thin leaves. The shoots of the bush are heavy and require strong support. Flowers are odorless, emerge from the axils of the leaves, collected in groups of 3 pieces. The color of the petals is white, but there are other colors.
Actinidia is a dioecious plant. Some bushes have female flowers, while others have male flowers. You can find out about this only during the flowering period. Bees are needed to pollinate plants. After flowering, fruits are formed on the female bushes. They are edible, a dietary product, and contain many vitamins and nutrients. Berries are consumed fresh or processed.
Description of varieties and varieties of actinidia
Of the large variety of plant species, only 3 cultivars are grown:
- actinidia arguta;
- actinidia purpurea;
- actinidia kolomikta.
And their interspecific hybrids. There are about 70 varieties in total.
Actinidia arguta is found in the Far East. This is a dioecious shrub, the shoots of which reach 30 m. Its leaves are pointed with small teeth at the edges. The flowers are fragrant, white. The berries are dark green, they are used as a laxative. Ripen by the end of September. 3 winter-hardy varieties with tasty fruits are cultivated: self-fertile, large-fruited and seaside. Fruits of the latter with apple flavor and aroma.
Actinidia kolomikta is a liana, the shoots of which reach 10 m. The leaves of the male plant do not lose their decorative effect throughout the season, in autumn they acquire a purple color. Fruits on female plants ripen in August, acquire a reddish tint, and can be eaten. They grow varieties with pineapple fruit flavor – pineapple actinidia, “Lakomka”, “Doctor Shimanovsky”.
Purple actinidia does not tolerate frost well, but blooms profusely and bears fruit. Her berries have a marmalade flavor, ripen by September
If you are lucky enough to get hold of actinidia seedlings, then by all means plant this plant in the garden. It is not only beautiful, but also useful.