Fruit without peeling
The small green fruit has smooth, edible skin and can be eaten whole once it yields slightly.
1
Actinidia arguta ‘Issai’ organic 13cm
Normal price
€10,50
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The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Actinidia arguta ‘Issai’
A bite of sweetness, straight from the pergola 🥝
- Small smooth-skinned fruit
- One vine can set fruit
- Sun · sheltered position
- Mature growth 2.5–4m
Actinidia arguta ‘Issai’ brings the pleasure of kiwi fruit to a more manageable, relatively compact climbing plant. It produces small, smooth fruit that can be eaten whole, without peeling, and one vine can set a crop on its own. Fresh foliage quickly dresses a support, while the late-summer harvest gives the garden or terrace something genuinely rewarding to anticipate each year.
It is an excellent choice for a sunny wall, wires or a sturdy pergola where edible greenery is wanted without the full scale of a typical kiwi. Training the stems in clean horizontal tiers turns it into a living architectural feature.
What makes it special
Three characteristics explain why ‘Issai’ fits so naturally into a modern edible garden.
A more controlled scale
It remains noticeably more compact than vigorous large-fruited kiwis when trained and pruned.
Fruit from one vine
‘Issai’ is self-fertile and can crop on its own. A compatible male pollinator may improve fruit set.
Why you will love it: It combines genuinely enjoyable, easy-to-eat fruit with foliage that makes good use of vertical space.
In the garden & on the terracePositioning & plant combinationsOn a strong support, with sun, shelter from wind and room for horizontal arms.
Ideal position
Plant it against a south-east or south-west wall, on tensioned wires or a sturdy pergola. Allow for 2.5–4m of trained growth and keep the root zone in free-draining soil, away from heavy root competition.
Compatible combinations
The fresh green foliage works with white, blue and violet flowers. Companions should enjoy sun, good drainage and regular watering without crowding the vine's base.
- Nepeta × faassenii — Set low in front of the support, it adds blue colour and enjoys sun without competing with the kiwi.
- Allium ‘Mount Everest’ — White flower heads rise through the lower planting and echo the clean vertical line of the trained vine.
- Fragaria vesca — A small edible groundcover at the outer edge of the watering zone, without climbing into the support.
Care at a glance
Light
Sun or a very bright position, sheltered from strong winds.
Water
Water deeply when the upper layer of soil begins to dry.
Climate & hardiness
Cold hardy, although young spring growth is vulnerable to late frost.
Safety
Eat only ripe, washed fruit; other plant parts are not presented as food.
Detailed careComplete care guideSoil, watering, support, feeding and cultivar-specific prevention.
Soil & drainage
Use fertile, deep soil that stays moist yet drains freely. Avoid heavy, persistently saturated ground because ‘Issai’ is sensitive to root rot.
Water at key stages
Maintain even moisture from bud break through fruit development. In a container, test the compost and water when the surface dries rather than following a fixed calendar.
Support from the start
Lead one main stem up a firm post, then train two horizontal arms along wires. Mature foliage and fruit need a genuinely strong structure.
Feeding
Apply mature compost or a balanced feed in spring, following its label. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which encourages long shoots at the expense of balance.
Protect the crown
Keep a small clear circle around the stem and mulch farther out without touching the bark. This retains moisture without leaving the crown wet.
Prevent problems
Air movement, clean tools and freedom from waterlogging reduce problems. Check ties and wires so they do not constrict rapidly thickening stems.
From flower to basketFruiting & harvestSimple guidance on pollination, ripening, picking and protecting the crop.
Pollination
‘Issai’ is self-fertile, so one vine can crop. A nearby compatible male A. arguta may improve fruit set, but cannot guarantee a crop.
When it ripens
It flowers in spring and the small smooth fruit usually ripens from late summer into early autumn, depending on site and weather.
How to harvest
Test one fruit: it is ready when it yields slightly to gentle pressure and tastes fully developed. Snip or twist carefully without damaging the shoot.
Protecting the fruit
Birds quickly find ripening fruit. Fit properly tensioned netting before the fruit softens and check it daily so wildlife cannot become trapped.
Young / unestablished plant: rooting and framework training come first. Meaningful cropping follows once the vine is well established.
Clear pruning planHow to prune this fruiting plantWinter for structure · summer for shoot control
When to prune
Winter for structure · summer for shoot control
‘Issai’ fruits on new shoots arising from the previous year's wood. The aim is a permanent trunk, horizontal arms and regularly renewed fruiting laterals.
01
Build
Young vine
Action: Choose the strongest shoot as the trunk and tie it loosely upright. Remove only competing or damaged shoots.
Retain: Keep the leaf area and length needed to build roots and reach the first wire.
02
Train
Years 1–3
Action: Form two horizontal arms and retain laterals roughly every 25–30cm. In summer, shorten fruiting shoots to 4–5 leaves beyond the last fruit.
Retain: Keep well-placed previous-year wood because it carries the next season's fruiting shoots.
03
Renew
Year 4 onwards
Action: In winter, shorten fruited stems to 3–4 buds beyond the last fruiting lateral and gradually renew the oldest laterals.
Retain: Keep the permanent trunk, both arms and enough healthy previous-year wood. Renew only part of the old lateral system each year.
New / productive — retainOlder wood / permanent frameworkCut pointRemoved growth
Clean tools
Use sharp, clean tools suited to the diameter of the wood.
Summer exception
After fruit set, light shortening is useful for light and control. Do not carry out heavy renewal in hot weather.
Do not do this: Do not remove all previous-year wood: it carries the new shoots that will flower and fruit.
Development over timeHow the plant developsA realistic path from establishment to mature form.
Establishment
Early energy goes into roots and one clean leader rather than covering the whole pergola immediately.
Building the framework
Horizontal arms organise growth and turn new laterals into accessible fruiting wood.
Mature balance
Annual renewal keeps the vine light, productive and distinctly smaller than an untrained kiwi.
Mature habit & dimensions
Maturity 5–10 years
Height 2.5–4mSpread 2.5–4mClimbing on wires
A woody trunk distributes lateral arms along wires. Leaves and small smooth fruit attach to younger shoots, with the support remaining visible.
Form through the seasons
Spring growth to winter dormancy
DeciduousTwining shootsSmooth green fruit
Fruiting seasonA woody trunk distributes lateral arms along wires. Leaves and small smooth fruit attach to younger shoots, with the support remaining visible.
Winter · leaflessAfter leaf fall, the crown and woody stems remain. Pruning follows this plant’s specific fruiting cycle.
The illustrations show habit and seasonal development; growth varies with age, climate and cultivation.
What to expect after planting: Early energy goes into roots and one clean leader rather than covering the whole pergola immediately.
History & originCultivar originA hardy kiwi selection combining smooth-skinned fruit with the ability to set a crop on its own.
Actinidia arguta ‘Issai’ is associated with Japanese cultivation of small-fruited kiwis. In a group usually requiring separate male and female plants, its ability to set fruit as a single vine became a defining feature.
That quality helped establish it in home gardens, alongside relatively restrained growth and small smooth fruit eaten whole. The original cross and selection year are not firmly known. Its name preserves an established cultivated identity rather than a fully documented modern breeding pedigree.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScientific details nobody asked forBotanical detail behind the plant's appearance and behaviour
Self-fertility in a usually dioecious genus
Unlike most kiwis that need separate male and female plants, ‘Issai’ can crop on its own. Compatible cross-pollen may still improve fruit set.
Fruit on new shoots
Flowers do not appear randomly on old trunks: they develop on new shoots arising from the basal part of the previous season's growth.
Frequently asked questions
Six practical answers for choosing, growing, harvesting and pruning this exact cultivar.
01Does it need a second plant?
No. ‘Issai’ is self-fertile and can crop on its own. A compatible male pollinator may improve fruit set.
02Can the skin be eaten?
Yes. The small smooth fruit is eaten whole once washed and ripe.
03Can it stay in a container?
Yes, in a large container with excellent drainage, even moisture and a very strong support. The roots must never sit in water.
04How much room does it need?
At maturity allow roughly 2.5–4m in height and spread, organised on wires or a pergola.
05Why is the fruit not ripening?
Insufficient sun, late frost, water stress or very late growth can delay ripening. A sheltered sunny position is important.
06When should it be pruned?
Framework work and renewal are done in winter. Summer pruning is limited to controlled shortening after fruit set.
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