Classic kiwi fruit
It produces brown, fuzzy fruit with green flesh and the familiar kiwi flavour.
Actinidia deliciosa ‘Jenny’ organic 13cm
Normal price
€12,00
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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 deliciosa ‘Jenny’
- Fuzzy brown fruit
- Self-fertile cultivar
- Strong pergola or wires
- Mature growth 4–8m
Actinidia deliciosa ‘Jenny’ combines the generous green shade of a kiwi vine with the pleasure of an autumn harvest of your own. Broad leaves dress the support and frame the fuzzy brown fruit, whose green flesh has the familiar aromatic kiwi flavour. Its ability to crop alone gives a single planting position two rewards: a leafy summer setting and fruit for the table later in the season.
A sturdy pergola or a well-arranged wire system makes the most of its vigorous growth. It provides seasonal shade in summer, while the woody arms reveal the trained framework after leaf fall. Allow room for the canopy and convenient access to the fruit when choosing its position.
What makes it special
‘Jenny’ stands out when a large-fruited kiwi, self-fertility and strong coverage are wanted in one plant.
A self-fertile choice
Its flowers can set fruit without a separate male vine, although conditions always influence the final crop.
Natural summer shade
Large leaves cover pergolas and horizontal frameworks, bringing edible interest and cooling shade.
Why you will love it: One properly trained vine gives both impressive seasonal cover and genuine fruit.
In the garden & on the terracePositioning & plant combinationsFor a large pergola or tall wall in a sunny, sheltered position.
Ideal position
Choose a sturdy pergola, garden canopy or wall with heavy wires, away from exposed wind. Mature growth can reach 4–8m, so allow room and safe access for annual pruning.
Compatible combinations
Large green leaves make a calm background for white, soft pink and violet. Keep planting low around the base so watering and stem inspection remain easy.
- Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ — At the sunny outer edge, it adds violet colour and scent without climbing into the structure.
- Gaura lindheimeri — Fine white-pink flowering stems visually lighten the heavy summer foliage.
- Origanum vulgare ‘Compactum’ — A low aromatic mound for the drier outer edge, not directly over the kiwi's moist crown.
Care at a glance
Light
Full sun, sheltered from strong wind and late frost.
Water
Even, deep moisture, especially from flowering through fruit swelling.
Climate & hardiness
Approximately RHS H4; best in a mild, sheltered microclimate.
Safety
Eat only ripe, washed fruit; peel the fuzzy skin if preferred.
Detailed careComplete care guideSoil, watering, support, feeding and cultivar-specific prevention.
Soil
Deep, fertile, neutral to slightly acid soil that retains moisture while releasing excess water freely.
Watering
Water when the upper soil begins to dry, thoroughly wetting the root zone. Abrupt changes between drought and excess water stress developing fruit.
Structure
Use wires or a pergola capable of carrying mature foliage and fruit. Lightweight decorative trellis is not sufficient.
Feeding
Compost and a balanced spring feed support growth. Do not extend nitrogen-rich feeding into late summer.
Late frost
Avoid frost pockets. If frost is forecast at bud break or flowering, protect accessible growth with horticultural fleece without crushing shoots.
Ties
Check soft ties twice a year. Loosen them before they mark the wood and keep productive laterals separated.
From flower to basketFruiting & harvestSimple guidance on pollination, ripening, picking and protecting the crop.
Pollination
‘Jenny’ is self-fertile and can crop as a single vine. Flowering conditions, weather and insect activity still influence the final result.
When it ripens
Flowers open in late spring and fuzzy fruit develops towards late summer or early autumn. The exact window shifts with climate.
How to harvest
Fruit is ready when it yields slightly to gentle pressure. If hard frost approaches, fully developed firm fruit can be picked and allowed to finish ripening indoors.
Crop support
Guide fruiting growth beneath the wires and check the structure. Do not allow dense tangled shoots to hide or rub the fruit.
Young / unestablished plant: build the permanent trunk and arms first. Do not judge the cultivar by its first season after planting.
Clear pruning planHow to prune this fruiting plantWinter plus light summer shortening
When to prune
Winter plus light summer shortening
‘Jenny’ crops on new shoots arising from the previous year's wood. Winter organises and renews the framework, while summer pruning admits light around the fruit.
01
Build
Young vine
Action: Select one straight main shoot and remove only clear competitors. Tie it to a firm vertical support.
Retain: Keep enough healthy foliage to strengthen roots and trunk.
02
Train
Years 1–3
Action: At the upper wire form two opposing horizontal arms. Space fruiting laterals about 25–30cm apart and in summer cut 4–5 leaves beyond the last fruit.
Retain: Retain well-lit previous-year wood close to the permanent arms.
03
Renew
Year 4 onwards
Action: In winter cut fruited stems to 3–4 buds beyond the last productive lateral. Gradually replace roughly a quarter to a third of the oldest laterals from a low bud.
Retain: Keep the permanent trunk and arms together with healthy one-year wood.
New / productive — retainOlder wood / permanent frameworkCut pointRemoved growth
Clean tools
Use sharp, clean tools suited to the diameter of the wood.
Summer exception
Shorten only long shoots shading the fruit. Major removal belongs in the dormant season.
Do not do this: Do not shear the entire vine to one length or remove the previous-year wood that carries next season's flowers.
Development over timeHow the plant developsA realistic path from establishment to mature form.
Rooting
At first ‘Jenny’ invests in roots and one central shoot that will become the permanent trunk.
Horizontal growth
Once it reaches the wire, two arms extend in opposite directions and gradually fill the structure.
Productive maturity
With continual lateral renewal, the dense summer canopy remains light and manageable.
Mature habit & dimensions
Maturity 5–10 yearsHeight 4–8mSpread 2.5–4mVigorous climber
Woody arms spread along wires and carry new shoots with large leaves. An organised framework makes pruning and access to the fruit easier.
Form through the seasons
Deciduous annual cycleDeciduousLarge leavesFuzzy fruit
Fruiting seasonWoody arms spread along wires and carry new shoots with large leaves. An organised framework makes pruning and access to the fruit easier.
Winter · leaflessAfter leaf fall, the crown and woody stems remain. Pruning follows this plant’s specific fruiting cycle.
The studies show habit and seasonal development; growth varies with age, climate and cultivation.
What to expect after planting: At first ‘Jenny’ invests in roots and one central shoot that will become the permanent trunk.
History & originCultivar originThe familiar fuzzy kiwi takes a new direction in a cultivar that can produce fruit on its own.
Actinidia deliciosa ‘Jenny’ became established in European gardens as a kiwi able to crop without a separate male plant. Its precise cross, individual breeder and selection year are not known.
Its value to a home fruit garden was practical: it retained the broad leaves and familiar fuzzy fruit of a kiwi while reducing the need for a second planting position. Self-fertility did not make it dwarf; vigorous climbing growth remains an essential part of its identity.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScientific details nobody asked forBotanical detail behind the plant's appearance and behaviour
Functional hermaphrodite flowers
‘Jenny’ can combine viable pollen and receptive female structures on one plant, an unusual condition among many cultivated kiwis.
Botanically a berry
Although treated as a distinct fruit type in the kitchen, kiwi fruit is botanically a berry with many small seeds inside a fleshy ovary.
Frequently asked questions
Six practical answers for choosing, growing, harvesting and pruning this exact cultivar.
01Does it need a male kiwi?
No. ‘Jenny’ is self-fertile and can crop alone, although this cannot guarantee a particular yield.
02How large does it become?
The RHS gives a mature height of 4–8m and spread of 2.5–4m. Training and pruning determine how that growth is distributed.
03Does it produce classic fuzzy kiwi fruit?
Yes, with brown fuzzy skin and green flesh. The fruit is generally described as smaller but well flavoured.
04Can it grow in a container?
It can begin in a very large container, but vigorous mature growth and water demand make open ground or a permanent large structure more suitable.
05Why are there two pruning seasons?
Winter pruning organises and renews the wood. Light summer shortening reduces shade and tangling around the fruit.
06When is the fruit picked?
Pick when fully developed and beginning to yield slightly. Before hard frost, firm fruit can be harvested and ripened indoors.
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