Prolific Hardy Kiwi (Self-Pollinating)
Prolific Hardy Kiwi (Self-Pollinating)
Species: Actinidia arguta
History: Prolific was created by the USDA and was formerly known as '119-40B.'
Why We Grow It: Prolific stands out amongst its peers for several reasons! First off, it is a self-pollinating variety which means you do not need to plant a second male plant with Prolific in order to get fruit. Second, the medium fruit sports a unique red blush. And last but not least, the vine itself tends to stay more compact than some other varieties, making it a good option for those with limited space or who want an easier plant to manage.
Fruit Specs
Fruit Specs
Recommended Use: Fresh eating, juice, cooking, baking
Fruit Size: Medium
Storage: Keeps up to two months in the fridge if picked before ripe
Harvest: Late September
Growing Specs
Growing Specs
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 5
Soil Preference: Prefers well-drained soil, and average to moist conditions. Does not tolerate wet conditions, but is drought tolerant.
Flowering Time: Early summer
Bloom Colour: White
Pollination Requirements: Self-pollinating, this variety will produce fruit without a male plant like Meader but will produce more and better fruit if one is present. Hardy kiwis and Arctic kiwis do not cross-pollinate.
Sun/Shade Requirements:
Full Sun or Partial Shade (approx. 6-10 hours of sun daily)
General Growth Habits:
Vine, reaches 10-12ft long, vigorous. Generally pest and disease resistant.
Shipping vs. Pick Up
Shipping vs. Pick Up
CLICK HERE to see how shipping compares to pick up.
Shipping: Every year we ship thousands of trees across Canada (except BC due to CFIA regulations). We carefully bag roots in damp sawdust, then box them and send them out via courrier. CLICK HERE to see our shipping policy.
Pick-up: We also have thousands of trees picked up from our nursery each year. The pick-up options is free, though you must wait until you have been emailed a confirmation that your order is ready to pick up, which will have further information such as hours, locations, etc. We really appreciate if you can make an appointment to pick up, then we can be as organized as possible during our busy season.
Size at Purchase
Size at Purchase
Arctic and Hardy Kiwis are divided into the following grades:
- 1 year plant - pruned to ~15cm
- 2 year plant - pruned to ~30cm, extensive roots
- 3 year plant - pruned to ~45cm, extensive roots
There is some overlap in size since we are also taking the age of the plants into account. Some older plants may not have put on quite as much vegetative growth but will have larger root systems.
Unless specified, heights exclude the roots since seedlings and some berries will often have a lot of root growth but relatively little vegetative growth (ex. our Shagbark Hickories seedlings are often 5-15cm above the soil but will have roots that reach 20cm+ in length).
Not all of our berries and seedlings will be available in all of these grades since growth rate can vary significantly across species and even varieties. While we remain competitive in our plant size, it's also worth noting we don't use synthetic chemicals to push vegetative growth, therefore you may find conventional nursery stock larger in some instances comparatively.