All the secrets of actinidia: types, varieties and cultivation features for different regions. Actinidia: characteristics of varieties, planting, care and cultivation of Actinidia Chinese jenny in the black earth region

In the photo, actinidia can be mistaken for large grapes, although in fact, this tree is a relative of kiwi, as you can see by cutting the fruits of actinidia and tasting them. grow up given plant in industrial and decorative purposes. Agree, it is very nice when you can not only admire the flowering and lush foliage, but also taste sweet delicious berries.

Species and varieties

Actinidia is a perennial creeper, with somewhat stiff branches and bright leaves. The flowers resemble stars (actinidia in Greek is a star).

There are female and male actinidia. For the appearance of fruits in the garden, there must be a couple. In principle, one male is enough for pollination for 5-6 female trees.

The actinidia genus contains about 36 species that originally grew only in the Far East, but through the efforts of breeders (in Russia, this is primarily Michurin) settled throughout central Europe and Asia.

Let us dwell in more detail on three of the four types of actinidia naturally growing in the eastern part of Russia.

Arguta. Has a dark green leaves devoid of fragrance flowers(up to 3 cm in diameter) and green berries. The fruits ripen in September and reach a weight of 12 g. There are a lot of them on the tree, which allows you to collect a decent harvest.

Growing in their homeland, in Primorye and Sakhalin, argut actinidia stretch up to 15 m in length.

The most common varieties are Primorskaya, Geneva, Golden Spit, Balsamnaya, Mikhnevskaya. The largest fruits promising variety called Relay (up to 17 g).

Kolomikta. Kolomikta has very unusual leaves that change their color throughout the year. So, in actinidia, Dr. Shimanovsky, they appear green, then turn white and then turn pink. In autumn, they acquire thick crimson and purple shades.

Decorative features are complemented by high frost resistance, greater than that of arguta and other species. Some trees begin to bear fruit from the second year, and live for about 50 years.

It is not surprising that there are a lot of varieties of actinidia of this species: Stranger, Homestead, Early dawn, Slastena, Narodnaya, etc. They differ in size and taste of berries.

If you like sweet fruits, pay attention to the varieties Moma, Slastena, Holiday, Magpie. Sourness is present in actinidia Vinogradnaya, Lakomka, Fantasy gardens

Polygam. This species is used in places with a milder climate, since such trees are afraid of severe frosts. Actinidia polygamy has long leaves and fragrant flowers. The fruits ripen late. So, in the most popular Apricot variety, they can be eaten only after frost, when the berries lose their bitterness.

Planting and caring for actinidia have a number of features, knowing which, you can get plenty of fruits and skillfully decorate the garden.

Before planting, you need to pick up actinidia seedlings and take care of the place of their future growth.

Seedling preparation

It is better to purchase seedlings in a special nursery or at a fair, in which case you do not have to guess what gender they are.

Advice! Choose seedlings obtained as a result of propagation of actinidia by cuttings: they retain the quality of the variety better than those obtained from seeds.

The seedling must be less than three years old, otherwise it will not be accepted well.

And most importantly, buy trees in containers that protect the roots of the plant from environmental influences.

Landing site and support

The choice of a place for planting actinidia should be taken carefully. Consider a number of points:

Based on the number of seedlings purchased, and, as we have already determined, there should be at least two, it is necessary to calculate the area of \u200b\u200bthe territory allocated for planting. It is desirable that a distance of five meters remain between the trees, since the roots of actinidia are at the surface and grow horizontally. Leaves and fruits need free access to the sun. light. You can plant seedlings closer, but not more often than 1.5 m.

Actinidia grows well only in fertile soils.
Humidity and acidity should be moderate.
Being under the sun, the fruits will ripen faster. Although in general, the plant also tolerates shade.
The liana needs to trail, so it will not be possible to do without support (the tree will begin to braid itself). As a prop, you can use T-shaped posts, grid or yard elements - gazebo or fence .

Landing

There are many tips on how to properly plant and care for actinidia. Let's try to summarize them.

The landing process looks like this:

Pit preparation, 50 cm deep, 40 cm wide;
Drainage. Broken bricks or small pebbles are laid at the bottom of the pit;

Soil preparation. Mineral fertilizers, 10 kg of humus and 0.5 kg of ash must be added to the fertile land;
Falling asleep half of the pit with the prepared mixture;
Watering. You will need a bucket of water;
The placement of the seedling along with a clod of earth. The root neck should be in line with the ground. It cannot be covered;

Growing from seeds

To accelerate germination, stratification of selected high-grade seeds is carried out. They are kept in the water room temperature 5-7 days before swelling. Wrapped in nylon and moved to the sand. The first two months the temperature should be 15-20°C, the next two - 3-5°C. Then return to germinate in heat. Sprouted seeds are planted in small containers with fertile soil. 2-3 leaves become a signal for picking. Seedlings are planted in the beds in the spring. They are watered, thinned, mulched and wrapped for the winter. Two years later they sit on permanent place.

layering

Perhaps the simplest method. The earth under the bush is plowed, a groove is prepared. The selected shoot is tilted to the ground and pinned. The top is pinched off. After a ten-centimeter shoot grows from the tap buds, it is sprinkled with earth. After two or three weeks, the procedure is repeated.

cuttings

Propagation of actinidia by cuttings is convenient for quick receipt a large number of seedlings.

Greener cuttings are carried out in early summer. Cut annual branches (50 - 100 cm) are divided into sections with two or three buds. The lower oblique cut is carried out directly under the kidney. Upper - 4-5 cm higher. Planted in a greenhouse. The soil should consist of earth, humus and sand (2/2/1). For each m², 100 g of mineral fertilizer without chlorine is consumed.

The cuttings are placed at an angle of 60 °, retreating 5 cm. 3-4 times a day they are sprayed with water. Before you remove the shelter for good, it is removed for two weeks in the evenings and mornings. For the winter, the cuttings are hidden under the foliage. Planted in early spring before buds appear.

Lignified cuttings are harvested in autumn, tied into bundles and placed in sand. Planted in spring greenhouse and cared for in the same way as the greens.

Actinidia is a woody vine of the Actinidia family. The name of the plant is translated as a ray. AT natural environment found in Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, the Far East. China is considered the homeland.

It has been cultivated in European countries since 1958. Actinidia deli is a plant whose fruit is the well-known kiwi. In temperate gardens climate zone grow species that produce smaller fruits and are not so hairy.

Botanical description

These are perennial deciduous. The stems need support. The leaves are whole, smooth or leathery, have a variegated color - the main reason for the decorativeness of the plant. In the axils of the leaves, flowers of white, golden yellow, orange color appear, they are arranged in 1-3 pieces. Flowers are fragrant only in some species.

Actinidia kolomikta Dr. Szymanowski Actinidia kolomikta ‘Dr Szymanowski’ in bloom photo

The fruit of actinidia is valuable food product. It is rich in sugars ascorbic acid, other biologically active substances. They are used in fresh, they make jam, wine, dried berries are similar to raisins. Actinidia is gaining more and more popularity in gardening.

Male and female actinidia

The plant is dioecious, therefore, in order to obtain fruits, it is necessary to have male and female actinidia on the site. Sex is determined by the structure of the flower: males have many stamens, and the pistil is absent; female flowers have a large pistil surrounded by stamens with sterile pollen (not participating in pollination). Pollen from male plants to female plants gets with the help of insects, wind.

How does actinidia reproduce?

Possibly vegetative and seed propagation. Actinidia grown from seeds are more hardy, but varietal characteristics are most often not transmitted, and you will only know the sex of the plant during flowering, which occurs in the 7th year of life. With vegetative propagation, flowering will occur in the 3-4th year.

layering

Reproduction by layering is a simple and reliable method.

In the spring, when young leaves are already opening, you should choose a long, well-developed shoot.
Tilt it to the ground, pin it and sprinkle it with a layer of soil 10-15 cm thick, the top of the shoot should be above the ground.
Mulch the mound with sawdust and humus.
Water regularly, remove weeds, when a young shoot appears, spray it.
In autumn, or at least next spring, the young sprout will be ready to be separated from the mother plant and planted in a permanent place.

Reproduction of actinidia cuttings

Reproduction is the fastest and easiest way to reproduce.

Green cuttings

Root green cuttings in June. Select several annual branches 0.5-1 m long, cut them into segments 10-15 cm long. Each cutting should contain 2 internodes and 3 growth buds.
The cut under the lower kidney should be at an angle of 45º, the upper one should be straight, 4-5 cm above the kidney.
lower leaves remove along with the petioles, and shorten the upper ones by half the length.
Root in water, greenhouse, greenhouse or directly in the garden.
In the latter case, the cuttings are covered with gauze in 2 layers: spray daily 3-5 times a day, in cloudy weather remove gauze in the morning and evening, completely get rid of it after a couple of weeks.
The soil needs a neutral or slightly acidic reaction, in which humus, river sand and complex mineral fertilizer (100 g per m²) should be added.
Position the cutting at a 60º angle, the middle bud should remain at ground level. compact the soil, water well.
Cover with fallen leaves for the winter. With the onset of spring (before bud break), transplant to a permanent place of growth.

lignified cuttings

Can be rooted. Cut them in late autumn, tie them in bunches, place them vertically in a box and store until spring at an air temperature of 1-5 ºC. Plant in spring for rooting.

Rooting lignified cuttings look at the video:

Rooting combined cuttings is possible: at the beginning of summer, select the shoot of the current year and separate it together with the heel (part of the annual branch adjacent to it). Root in open ground or greenhouse. Water daily, shade out of direct sunlight. These cuttings develop rapidly root system and next spring it is already possible to transplant to a permanent place of growth.

Actinidia from seeds at home

Consider propagation by seeds. Seedlings should be grown.

Collect seeds from ripe fruits: mash the berries, place in a mesh bag and rinse under running water. Then take the seeds out of the bag, lay them out on paper and dry in the shade.
Store until the first decade of December, and then soak the seeds for 4 days, change the water every day.
Next, place the seeds in a nylon cloth and lower them into a box with wet sand, keep at an air temperature of 18-20 ºC.
Every week, remove the bag from the sand and ventilate for several minutes, rinse the seeds under running water directly in the bag and return to the box again.
The seeds must not dry out.
In January, wrap the box with a cloth and move it to the garden, burying it deep in the snow for a couple of months. If there is no snow, store in the vegetable section of the refrigerator.
After stratification, return to the room and keep at a temperature of 10-12 ºC. At the same time, air and wash the seeds weekly.
When the seeds are pecked, it's time to carefully plant them, trying not to break the sprouts. Fill the containers with a mixture of soddy soil and river sand, spread the seeds on the surface less often and lightly sprinkle with sand.
It will be necessary to moisten the crops from the spray gun and cover with a film to create a greenhouse effect. When the plants sprout, it is better to remove the film.
Spray seedlings regularly, protect from direct sunlight.
With the advent of 3-4 true leaves, plant seedlings of actinidia in separate containers.
in open ground in the 3rd year of life in the spring.

Planting actinidia in open ground

Actinidia grows well in one place for more than 30 years, but it is necessary to choose a suitable site and observe agricultural practices.

Selecting a landing site

Actinidia is shade tolerant, but the fruits will only fully ripen when sunlight is available: pick up a site in the bright sun with shading in the midday hours. It is not recommended to plant next to apple trees. Currant bushes will be suitable neighbors.

Priming

The soil requires moist, loose, drained. Does not tolerate clay and alkaline soils. Avoid close proximity ground water(in this case, you will need to fill the hill). It is best planted on hills or slopes - the water will drain naturally without stagnation in the roots.

Support preparation

Support is necessary for actinidia, otherwise the stems will become tangled, it will become problematic to care for the plant, and the fruits in this case ripen unevenly.

The creeper does not have aerial roots, so calmly plant it near buildings, fences, frame gazebos.
As a support, use classic-shaped arches, pergolas (wooden, metal, concrete).
Can be stretched between two concrete columns galvanized wire (3-4 rows) according to the principle of a grape trellis: actinidia will grow vertically, tie up the shoots during growth.
In areas with severe winters, it is better to use removable trellises in order to remove the vine for the winter, lay it on the ground with the construction of a shelter.

When and how to plant

Plant actinidia in early spring (before sap flow) or in autumn (2-3 weeks before frost). It should be noted that in the fall it is better to plant creepers aged 2-3 years, since older specimens painfully endure autumn planting.

Prepare the planting hole 2 weeks before planting. Length, width and depth - 50 cm each.
At the bottom, lay a drainage layer of small pebbles or broken bricks.
Move fertile soil with peat and compost, add fertilizer (250 g of superphosphate, 120 g of ammonium nitrate, 35 g each wood ash and potassium sulfate) and backfill the hole.
On seedlings, cut off dry and broken roots, treat the cuts with a fungicide, hold the seedlings in a clay mash.
Pour a hill of soil without fertilizer into the planting hole, place the seedling in such a way that root collar was level with the soil surface.
Cover the roots with earth, press the earth a little.
Pour 10-15 liters of water under the bush, mulch with a layer of compost or peat 4-5 cm thick.

Keep a distance between plantings of 1.5-2 m. To decorate the wall of the building, plant seedlings in a trench, retreating between plants 0.5 m.

The fragrance of the creeper is attractive to cats - so protect the seedlings from their encroachment. Dig a metal mesh around the plant at least 0.5 meters high.

How to care for Actinidia outdoors

Watering and loosening the soil

Water the plant generously. During a severe drought, apply 6-8 buckets of water under each bush once a week. Also spray actinidia in the morning and evening. This must be done so that leaves are not shed. Young leaves do not have time to get stronger in the cold and freeze in winter.

Loosen the soil, remove weeds.

top dressing

It is important to fertilize regularly. In early spring, apply 20 g of potassium and 35 g nitrogen fertilizers for every m². During the formation of the ovary, add 10-12 g of phosphorus and potash fertilizers and 15-20 g of nitrogen per the same area unit. After harvesting (approximately the second decade of September), add 20 g of potassium and phosphorus. Fertilize as follows: plant the fertilizer granules into the soil around the plant to a depth of 10-12 cm, water abundantly.

pruning

Sanitary pruning spend in mid-September: shorten the shoots by 1/3 of the length, remove the branches that thicken the crown.

With the achievement of the age of 3-4 years, it is necessary to carry out forming pruning creepers. Do this throughout the summer. Form a two-shoulder cordon along a horizontal trellis: direct two shoots of the same level in the same plane in opposite directions and fasten, cut off the rest of the shoots. Next year, second-order shoots will appear on them - it is on them that fruits are formed, they should be tied to a vertical guide.

anti-aging pruning spend at the age of 8-10 years. Do it in the summer. Completely cut off the shoots, leaving a 30-40 cm high stump.

How to distinguish male and female actinidia, look at the video:

Diseases and pests

Diseases and pests rarely bother actinidia.

Possible diseases: fungal diseases ( powdery mildew, phyllosticosis, etc.), green and gray mold, fruit rot. For prevention, treat the plant with Bordeaux liquid after the appearance of the kidneys and 2 weeks after the first treatment. When a disease appears, the affected areas should be removed and treated with a fungicide.

Pests: leaf beetles, moth caterpillar, lacewings, bark beetles. In spring and autumn, treat the vines and soil with Bordeaux liquid.

Harvesting

Fruiting begins at the age of 3-4 years. Full crops it will be possible to collect from actinidia aged from 7 years: about 60 kg of berries from one plant with proper care. Fruit ripening is uneven, but they do not crumble for a long time. Harvest time starts from mid-August and lasts almost until mid-October.

Wintering Actinidia

Young plants (2-3 years of growth in the open field) will need shelter for the winter. Remove the branches from the supports, lay on the ground, cover with peat, dry leaves, spruce branches (layer at least 20 cm thick). Mice can make nests there - use poison. Adult specimens hibernate without shelter.

Types and varieties of actinidia with photos and names

In the natural environment, there are 70 plant species, 3 of them are cultivated culturally with numerous varieties bred.

Actinidia arguta or acute Actinidia arguta

The most powerful plant among cultivated species. The length of the vine reaches 25-30 m, the diameter of the trunk is 15 cm. Leaf plates ovoid with finely serrated edges, their length is 15 cm. The flowers are fragrant, arranged singly or collected in racemose inflorescences of 3 pcs. The fruits are spherical in shape (diameter 1.5-3 cm), dark green in color, have a slight laxative effect, ripen at the end of September.

Varieties:

Actinidia self-fertile photo

Actinidia Self-fertile - fruiting begins in the second half of September. The weight of an elongated cylindrical berry is about 18 g, it is painted in a bright green color. Winter-hardy plant;

Primorskaya - leaves of medium size, soft, oblong, green in color. The fruits are elliptical in shape, have an olive color, weight is 6-8 g. Average winter hardiness;

Actinidia large-fruited - an elliptical fruit, painted dark green with a blush, weighing 10-18 g. A frost-resistant plant.

Other popular varieties: Mikhneevskaya, Relay, Golden Spit, Ilona, Vera, Lunnaya, September.

Actinidia kolomikta Actinidia kolomikta varieties for the Moscow region and the Leningrad region

Very resistant to severe winter frosts. Plant height is 5-10 m, trunk diameter is 20 mm. The obovate leaves are elongated by 7-16 cm. They have sharply serrated edges, the veins are covered with orange pubescence. in males, the leaves are variegated: in autumn they become yellow-pink, red-violet. Female flowers are arranged singly, male - 3-5 pcs. The fruits are green in color, becoming a bronze, reddish hue in the sun.

Varieties:

Actinidia Pineapple- a very productive variety. Oblong berries 3 cm long have a pineapple flavor;

Actinidia Doctor Shimanovsky variety description- Curly liana, lashes reach a length of 3 m. Annual growth is about 1.5 m. Young leaves have light green spots, but quickly become pink in color. Liana loves warm, sunny, wind-sheltered places. Double look. The flowers are white, fragrant, bloom in June. Fruits are edible, sweet, ripen in August.

Gourmand- has fruits 30 mm long and weighing 4-5 g, taste: sweet and sour with a hint of pineapple.

Other varieties: Festive, Slastena, Waffle, Folk, Moma, Homestead.

Actinidia polygama Actinidia polygama

Liana 4-5 m high. Elliptical leaf plates with pointed tops and serrated edges, painted green with silvery spots, leaves turn yellow in autumn. Fruit weight - 3 g.

Varieties:

Actinidia polygama Apricot- winter hardiness is moderate, the fruits ripen late. The berries are slightly flattened, weighing about 6 g, have a sweet and sour taste;

Beauty is a winter-hardy plant. Fruits of a yellow-green color, taste sour;

Patterned - the fruits are cylindrical in shape, painted orange with longitudinal stripes. It has a fig-pepper taste.

Actinidia Giraldi Actinidia giraldii

Species listed in the Red Book. It looks like actinidia arguta, but has larger fruits.

Varieties:

Juliania - berries weigh 10-15 g, taste sweet;

Alevtina - berries weighing 12-20 g, sweet;

Native - berry weight 7-10 g.

Actinidia purpurea Actinidia purpurea

Actinidia purple Actinidia arguta variety ‘Ken’s Red’ photo

Shade-tolerant vine, low cold resistance. The fruits are purple. Their weight is 5.5 g. They taste sweetish.

Actinidia hybrida

The work of the breeder I.M. Satan. This is a cross between actinidia arguta and actinidia purpurea. The fruits are large, purple in color.

Varieties:

Kyiv Large-fruited - oval green berries, weight - 10 g, taste - sweetish;

Candy - fruits ripen late, have a sweet taste and candy-fruity aroma;

Souvenir - greenish-red fruits weighing about 8 g, sweet.

Useful properties of actinidia

The fruits of the plant are excellent remedies for belching, heartburn, and other digestive disorders. They are also recommended for anemia, rheumatism, lumbago, gonorrhea, colitis.

Other parts of the plant also have medicinal properties. From them prepare infusions, decoctions, ointments.

Polygamol is a drug based on actinidia, which has a tonic effect.

A contraindication to the use of drugs is varicose veins, thrombophlebitis.

15.07.2017

The genus Actinidia is a member of the Actinidia family. In the wild, these plants are distributed mainly in Japan, China and Southeast Asia in general. Most known species genus - actinidia chinensis, the fruits of which we call kiwi, but it cannot grow in conditions Middle lane. But actinidia kolomikta can, and its fruits are not too inferior in taste to kiwi.

Landing and care

Description of actinidia

perennial vines - a plant can live for several decades;
deciduous - sheds leaves in winter and goes into a state of physiological dormancy. This state is necessary for them for the full maturation of the kidneys;
long enough - the length of the arguta can reach 30 meters. Other species are shorter - kolomikta rarely grows more than 7 meters;
leaves are entire, petiolate, may have a variegated color. White spots on the leaves of the kolomikta often look like it is doused with white paint or sick, but this is its normal physiological state;
the plant is dioecious: there are female and male actinidia, which look a little different. When planting, it is important to be able to distinguish between them in order to plant both;
flowers solitary up to 3 cm in diameter, depending on the type of white, yellow or Pink colour;
the flowers are honey-bearing, produce a lot of nectar and have a strong pleasant aroma, which is similar to the aroma of lemon, linden and lily of the valley at the same time;
the fruit is an oblong berry up to 3 cm long. The color of the integument and pulp is from yellow-green to dark green;
productivity is highly dependent on age, species and variety. Kolomikta is considered the most productive: mature plant capable of producing up to 30 kilograms of berries;
Actinidia fruits contain a large number of vitamin C, a lot of antioxidants (the benefits of which, however, have not been proven) and many other useful substances.

The difference between male actinidia and female

As noted above, actinidia is a dioecious plant. This means that female flowers develop on one plant, and male flowers on another. Pollination and fruit formation is only possible if both grow side by side: it is therefore important to be able to tell them apart.

Unfortunately, it is possible to distinguish a male actinidia plant from a female one only during flowering. Male flowers have many large stamens, but no pistil. The female flowers have a developed pistil and a small number of stamens with sterile pollen. It is unsuitable for pollination: therefore, a male plant is indispensable.

Types and varieties of actinidia

According to various estimates, the genus Actinidia includes from 64 to 75 species. This difference is due to the fact that some species are almost indistinguishable from each other, and therefore many botanists consider them as subspecies. This is generally typical for many plants - for example, for hydrangea, which has very similar to each other and.

Actinidia kolomikta

The most winter-hardy and therefore the most common in our gardens. It is found in the wild in the Far East, in Japan and China, in culture - everywhere.

Description

perennial liana about 4 ... .7 meters high;
the trunk is smooth, up to 5 cm in diameter, the bark is brown or reddish-brown, slightly flaky;
young shoots are smooth, shiny, dark Brown color;
the stem is able to wrap around a support with a diameter of up to 10 cm. The wrapping always occurs in a counterclockwise direction;
the arrangement of the leaves is alternate;
leaves are entire, elliptical or ovate with a double-serrate margin. The ability of actinidia to change the color of the leaf with age is very interesting: at first it is bronze, then it acquires the usual green color, before flowering, the ends or part of the leaf becomes white, and the white spot looks as if the leaf is doused with paint. After flowering, the white part of the leaf first turns pink and then reddens;
dioecious plant;
pistillate or bisexual (this is rare) flowers are located one at a time in the axils of the leaves;
the diameter of the female flower is up to 15 mm, the petals are white;
staminate flowers are collected in corymbs of 3 pieces, the diameter of the male flower is about 10 mm;
all flowers produce nectar and have a pleasant aroma;
fruits are dark green berries with longitudinal darker stripes. Each berry contains 50-90 seeds.

The most popular varieties are: Lakomka, Pineapple Michurina, Homestead, Fantasy Gardens, Slastena, Waffle, Doctor Shimanovsky.

Actinidia chinensis (Actinidia gourmet)

This is exactly the plant that produces fruits called kiwi. Unfortunately, A. chinese is not winter-hardy and cannot grow in most regions of Russia.

Two specific names indicated not by chance. Botanists do not yet have a consensus on whether they should be considered as two different species or are they subspecies of one. Most often, kiwi is spoken of as the fruit of A. delicacy. In the wild, both species (or one?) Are common in the mountain forests of China.

Description:

large liana or climbing shrub;
plant height up to 9 meters;
young shoots are green;
leaves on long (up to 12 cm petioles), ovate or almost round with a double-serrated edge and a notch at the base; Green colour;
young leaves have red pubescence;
flowers are predominantly bisexual, but there are also unisexual, arrangement as in A. kolomikta;
flowers are white before blooming, then yellowish;
you have seen the fruits.

A. delicacy was first introduced to New Zealand, where its fruits, due to their resemblance to a local bird, began to be called kiwi. Now the main producer of kiwi is China, in second place is Italy.

Actinidia arguta (acute actinidia)

Contrary to popular belief, this is a fairly winter-hardy species. True, he finishes the growing season rather late: therefore, in the conditions of the Moscow Region, part of the young shoots freezes out. In the wild, arguta is found mainly in Japan, Korea, China, and also in the Far East of Russia.

Description

the tallest (or longest) of the actinidia: the height of the plant reaches 30 meters, and the diameter of the trunk is 15 cm;
the bark on perennial wood is light brown, exfoliates in longitudinal stripes, from narrow oval to almost round in shape, with a pointed end, smooth. The length of the leaf is up to 16 cm, the length of the petiole is about the same. The green leaf sometimes turns yellow around the edge. The edge of the sheet is finely serrated;
dioecious plant;
male flowers are collected in an umbrella. Flower diameter up to 20 mm, stamens up to 50 pieces, anthers black;
female flowers are located in the axils one or three. Flower diameter about 16 mm, corolla white;
the fruit is a berry up to 40 mm long and up to 27 mm in diameter, green. The pulp is juicy, sourish or sweet in taste, the aroma is harmonious, pleasant.

The main varieties: Relay, Mikhnevskaya, Balsamnaya, Taiga Emerald, Zvezdnaya.

actinidia giraldi

Often considered as a subspecies of arguta. Named after the Italian botanist and missionary Giuseppe Giraldi. It occurs in the same place as arguta.

Description

tall perennial liana; plant height up to 25 meters;
leaves are ovate, dense, on petioles, with a serrated edge;
the plant is self-fertile, for pollination, male argut plants or a special male form are used;
the fruits are large, weighing up to 26 grams, the color is dark green or brownish-green, the pulp is very juicy.

The most popular varieties: "Native", "Juliania".

Actinidia polygamous (polygamous)

Description

liana up to 5 meters long;
young shoots are gray-brown, old shoots are reddish-brown;
leaves are elongated-ovoid with a pointed apex, change color several times during the season;
dioecious plant;
blooms in June-July. The total duration of flowering is about a month;
the fruit is a berry, yellow when ripe. Unripe fruits are inedible, have a burning taste. Ripe are suitable for human consumption, have a taste that is vaguely reminiscent of the taste of sweet pepper.

Main varieties: "Forest", "Zlata", "Apricot", "Yellow Spindle". There is a breeding male form for pollination - "Brunet".

Actinidia purpurea

This is a relatively rare species. Found wild in central China. It was introduced into culture by the Soviet breeder I.M. Shaitan, who created the Purple Garden variety.

Description

liana up to 3 meters long;
stems with brown exfoliating bark;
leaves oblong-elliptical with a pointed tip, green. On the underside of the leaf there is a rare white pubescence;
dioecious plant;
anthers of stamens are black;
flowering in June-July, fruit ripening in September;
the fruit is a cylindrical berry about 2.2 cm long and weighing about 5.5 grams. The color of ripe fruits is purple-purple. The pulp is juicy, soft, also purple. The taste is sweet, the aroma is weak. The fruits do not crumble even when fully ripe.

The main varieties: "Purple garden", "Candy", "Kyiv large-fruited".

Planting and caring for actinidia

Actinidia can be planted both in spring and autumn, but early spring plantings are preferred. Small seedlings grown in a container can be carefully handled with a clod of earth and during the growing season, if the clod must remain intact.

Since the plant is dioecious, both female and male should be planted, and if possible nearby. One male plant is enough to pollinate 5-8 female plants.

Site and soil requirements

Actinidia needs a well-lit, but at the same time protected from the wind area. The plant prefers well-cultivated and drained light soils with a pH of about 6-7 (neutral and slightly acidic). It grows poorly and can die at high groundwater levels.

If your site has heavy floating soil, you need to prepare a pillow for planting actinidia. For this:

dig a hole measuring 70 x 70 x 70 cm (70 deep).
a layer of drainage about 10 cm thick is poured at the bottom of the pit. Broken ceramic bricks, small gravel, expanded clay, a mixture of pebbles and gravel are suitable.
the landing pit is filled with a mixture of loose garden soil with humus (about 10 kg per pit), you can add a little coarse river sand.
the mixture is additionally seasoned with mineral fertilizers: simple superphosphate - about 150 grams (or 75 double), potassium chloride - about 40 grams, ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate - 20 ... .40 grams. Fertilizers must be thoroughly mixed.
fresh manure cannot be added.

If the soil is light and fertile, the pit can be prepared according to all the rules, or you can not bother and just mix the earth with humus.

Landing

Planting actinidia is simple:

carefully transfer the seedling into the pit and place it so that the root collar is located just above "zero"
fill the hole with the prepared soil mixture and tamp it down;
water abundantly;
we add soil so that there is no hole around the trunk, and moisture cannot accumulate around the trunk.

Actinidia Care

Actinidia has a superficial root system: therefore, it is impossible to dig up tree trunks. In the first couple of years after planting, the soil in the trunk circle is loosened very finely - to a depth of only 2-3 cm, then it can be a little deeper.
In the first year after planting, soil is poured under the trunk several times to fill the resulting hole.
Like any vine, actinidia grows best if it has the ability to curl along a support. A trellis or a high stake securely driven into the ground will do. You can also "lead" the plant along the wall of the building.

Top dressing actinidia

In the first two years after planting, it is not necessary to feed anemones. In the future, for young plantings annually make:

superphosphate: double - about 10 grams per 1 m2, simple - 25 grams per 1 m2 (not both together, but one of);
ammonium sulfate - 22 ... 23 grams per 1 m2 or ammonium nitrate 13 ... 14 grams per 1 m2;
potassium chloride - 8 ... .9 grams per 1 m2.

When feeding young plants, fertilizers are applied to the soil of the trunk circle and planted to a depth of 2 ... 3 cm. If the soil is dry, the trunk circle is watered.

Adult actinidia is fed at a higher dosage. Ideally, three top dressings per year should be carried out: before the start of the growing season (in March), at the end of May and at the beginning of active fruiting (in mid-August). Each time they enter:

ammonium sulfate - 120 ... 170 grams per plant;
double superphosphate - about 40 grams per plant;
potassium chloride - about 50 grams per plant.

In addition, actinidia responds well to magnesium supplements. Magnesium fertilizers should be applied in the same dosage as for berry bushes.

Mineral fertilizers are applied under plants in a dry form and buried to a depth of 2-3 cm.

pruning actinidia

The first pruning is carried out in the third year after planting and then annually.

In no case should you trim the anemone during active sap flow. It releases just a huge amount of juice through damage and can die. It is best to prune it after the end of leaf fall or, in extreme cases, at the end of May.

As part of the annual pruning, shoots that thicken the crown are removed and the rest are shortened by about 3. Plants aged 8–10 years old are rejuvenated pruned, that is, they are cut down, leaving a stump 30–40 cm high.

Preparing actinidia for winter

Adult plants do not need shelter for the winter: for a successful wintering, it will be enough to feed them in September according to the scheme described above and sprinkle a little around the trunk circle with peat or leaves. Young plants in the conditions of the Moscow region and colder regions are carefully removed from the trellis, covered with peat or dry leaves and covered with lutrasil or its equivalent. In this form, they can winter until March.

Diseases and pests of actinidia

In our latitudes, actinidia is almost not affected by diseases and is not damaged by insects. Rare spots and rots of mushroom etymology can in principle be treated (actually Bordeaux).

Oddly enough, cats pose a danger to plants, which are happy to gnaw on young shoots and gnaw on the roots of the plant. Therefore, if you or your neighbors have a cat, the roots should be protected in some way.

Reproduction of actinidia

Vegetative - preserves the sex of the plant and varietal characteristics.

Reproduction by arc layers

A long green shoot is pressed to the ground with a wire clamp and covered with soil so that the top of the shoot remains free. The mound is regularly watered. In autumn, the root system of the layering is sufficiently developed to be separated from the mother plant. If the shoot is long, several layers can be made from it at once, pressing the shoot in several places and bending it in a gentle arc in between.

Reproduction by green cuttings

Cuttings are harvested in June, in the morning or in the morning. To do this, cut off a long growth shoot, and then quickly cut it into pieces, each of which must have at least 3 buds. The lower cut is made oblique, the upper cut is straight. The distance from the upper cut to the upper bud is at least 4 ... 5 cm. The lower leaves are carefully removed completely, the upper one is cut in half to reduce aspiration, but leave a little for photosynthesis. Immediately after cutting, the cuttings are lowered with the lower end into the water, because they dry out very quickly.

Root cuttings at high humidity air in a greenhouse or greenhouse. To do this, prepare a soil mixture consisting of garden soil, humus and coarse river sand in a ratio of 2:2:1. Mineral fertilizers are added to the mixture at the rate of 10 grams of active substance per 1 m2. Instead of potassium chloride, it is recommended to use sulfate.

The resulting mixture can be poured into containers or simply made from the soil in the greenhouse. In any case, it is leveled, watered, then a layer of coarse river sand about 4 cm thick is poured on top and watered again. Then cuttings are planted.

The cuttings are placed obliquely at an angle of about 60 degrees and deepened so that the second kidney is at ground level. The distance between the cuttings is not less than 5 cm, between the rows - not less than 8-10 cm.

After planting, the soil around the cuttings is compacted, watered again and covered with any moisture-permeable materials. In the future, in the greenhouse support high humidity air. Nurseries use special misting installations for this purpose, and an amateur gardener has to spray plantings several times a day.

About a month after rooting, the fabric covering the soil is first removed in wet and cloudy weather, and then removed altogether.

In the year of rooting, the cuttings are left to winter in the same greenhouse. Actinidia is planted on next year: care for plants is the same as for those bought in the store.

Propagation by woody cuttings

Lignified cuttings are harvested in autumn, tied into bundles and stored at a temperature of 1 ... 5 degrees, placing them in a box with sand. You can also harvest them at the end of winter, before the start of sap flow. Planting and caring for cuttings is carried out in the same way as in the case of green ones.

Reproduction by seeds

When propagated by seeds, you will get plants of different sexes, and not necessarily with parental varietal characteristics. Therefore, such reproduction is used mainly in breeding.

Seeds are taken from ripe fruits, which are kneaded by hands, after which the seeds are quite easily separated from the pulp. After collection, they are washed with water and dried on a piece of paper. The seeds of actinidia germinate quite hard: the process of their stratification of growing seedlings is described in detail in the article "Reproduction of actinidia".

Schisandra chinensis is a decorative and fruit liana that never became popular in Russia. Meanwhile, lemongrass fruits contain vitamin C, tonic substances and essential oils which, although they do not play an important physiological role in the human body, but they smell pleasant. Lemongrass is relatively unpretentious and easy to grow - so you should definitely pay attention to it.

Actinidia "Doctor Shimanovsky"

"Doctor Shimanovsky" is one of the few self-pollinating varieties of actinidia: both male and female flowers develop on the same plant. And he also has extremely colorful leaves, and the taste of the berries is just excellent. I don’t know if it is possible to buy seedlings of this variety in Russia, but Polish nurseries definitely sell them. Planting and caring for plants is exactly the same as for any other kolomikta - the only difference is that you do not need to plant both female and male plants.

If you are tired of homegrown species berry bushes, such as gooseberries and currants, or tired of messing with insulation for the winter vine, you can take the risk of settling a branchy liana, Actinidia, in a summer cottage. Its juicy berries will more than replace the fruits of the listed plants, create a cozy shade on the veranda or in garden gazebo, will bring an exotic element to a measured country life.

Popular varieties

* Actinidia sinensis(Actinidia chinensis) is an ornamental climbing vine with dark green, heart-shaped leaves. The fast-growing branches turn the plant into real thickets, growing up to 9 meters in height and width, and therefore pruning is required to maintain the desired shape. AT natural conditions likes to settle on slopes, in ravines. In summer, creamy white rounded flowers bloom, which are divided into female and male, located on different bushes. Fruits appear only on females if there is a worthy pollinator nearby. Edible fruits grow to the size of Walnut.

* Actinidia gourmet(Actinidia deliciosa) - this is the same Actinidia, which is called " Kiwi". She owes her birth to Chinese Actinidia and New Zealand breeders, who managed not only to significantly increase the size of the berry, but also improve its taste. Now the whole world enjoys fragrant fruits that give heavenly pleasure.

Liana grows up to 9 meters. On its strong stems on long petioles sit dark green, oval, almost round, leaves with a heart-shaped base. The top of the leaves is smooth and shiny, while the underside is covered with white fluff.

Five or six white flower petals gradually turn yellow. In the center of the flower there is a large number of stamens, which are not viable on female flowers, and therefore a bush with male flowers must grow nearby.

Kiwi berries grow up to 6.5 cm in length. Their superficial skin is covered with tough, short brown hairs that make the fruit look like a kiwi bird that lives only in New Zealand. The most valuable substances of the berry are concentrated in the skin, although not all people dare to eat the berry without cleaning it from the “feathering”.

* Actinidia kolomikta(Actinidia kolomikta) - characterized by foliage that changes color several times during the season, confusing gardeners who are not aware of such plant quirks. Those in the know simply admire the multi-colored palette (the bronze color turns into green; the flowering period sometimes discolors the leaves, and they become variegated; after flowering, the leaves turn pink or turn crimson), admiring natural creativity.

* Actinidia polygamous(Actinidia polygama) - the name itself suggests that such a vine does not always need a companion of the opposite sex for the ovary of fruits, since both female and male flowers can coexist on the same vine. But, options are possible when flowers choose different plants.

The ends of the leaves of the creeper are decorated with a silver-white pattern, and the berries are brightly yellow color.

cultivation

Actinidia belongs to rare vines resistant to low temperatures. We successfully grow it in various regions of the country, from Black Sea coast to St. Petersburg and Murmansk, from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok.

Pergolas, arbors, terraces are decorated with branched vines; drape walls and fences.

The place for the plant is suitable both in the open sun and in partial shade. To make the plant more comfortable, it is desirable to protect it from wind and cold. For the winter, it is worth mulching the roots with fallen healthy foliage.

Any is suitable for Actinidia slightly acidic soil generously flavored with organic matter. The first years of life, the plant needs top dressing with a complete complex fertilizer.

To give the plant the desired shape, resort to pruning shoots. It should be remembered that flowers (and, therefore, fruits) give shoots of the current year. Scourges, on which there were fruits in autumn, are shortened in winter.

Watering is required only during the dry season.

reproduction

It can be propagated by sowing seeds, but such a plant will please with fruits in nine years (9).

Most commonly propagated in culture by cuttings.

Enemies

Delicious plants are loved not only by people. The worms and aphids love to suck out the juices of the vine, weakening the forces of Actinidia. Foliage can be spoiled by mites.