Description
Rossana is a large-fruited kiwi berry selection valued for impressive berry size and heavy cropping once established. The smooth, green fruit sizes up generously for a hardy kiwi, and many growers notice a pleasing blush as berries mature—an easy visual cue that harvest is getting close.
Kiwi berries—also known as hardy kiwi—are smooth-skinned, bite-size kiwis that you eat whole, skin and all. Unlike fuzzy kiwis from the grocery store, these grape-sized fruits require no peeling and soften slightly as they ripen, developing a sweet, tropical kiwi flavor that’s easy to enjoy fresh. The vines themselves are vigorous climbers well suited to trellises, pergolas, and arbors, and once established they can produce heavy crops.
Overview
- Fruit type: Kiwi berry (hardy kiwi) with smooth, edible skin
- Fruit size: Large for kiwi berries; commonly reported up to about 1/2 oz
- Flavor: Sweet, classic kiwi flavor
- Color: Green skin and green flesh; often develops a red blush as it matures
- Growth habit: Vigorous climbing vine; easily maintained at 10–12 ft with training and pruning
- Pollination: Female; requires a compatible male hardy kiwi vine for fruiting
- Productivity: Strong production potential once mature and well managed
Growing Details
Latin Name: Actinidia arguta ’Rossana’
Site and Soil: 1/2 day to full day of sun; well-drained soil
Hardiness: USDA Zones 4–9
Rootstock: Own-root (propagated from cuttings)
Bearing Age: Typically 3–4 years after planting once vines are well established and properly trained
Size at Maturity: Vigorous climbing vine; easily maintained at 10–12 ft with regular pruning and training
Bloom Time: Mid-season (varies by region)
Ripening Time: Mid to late season within kiwi berries; typically September into October (varies by region)
Fruit Size: Large for kiwi berries; commonly reported up to about 1/2 oz
Pollination: Female; requires a compatible male hardy kiwi vine planted within 20–30 feet for fruiting. A proven option is our Male Hardy Kiwi (Meader).
Pests & Diseases: Generally low disease pressure with good airflow and proper pruning
Yield: Commonly 50–80 lbs per mature vine under good growing conditions
Additional Notes
- Grower’s Insight: Rossana can set heavy crops—good pruning and training help the vine put energy into finishing berry size and quality rather than just making a wall of growth.
- Regional Insight: Rossana is a strong fit for growers who want a productive green kiwi berry that sizes up well, especially where hardy kiwis are already thriving on trellises and arbors.
- Harvest Tip: When vines load up, harvesting in multiple passes helps you pick fruit at its best stage as berries soften and flavor sweetens.
- Explore more kiwi berry and hardy kiwi vines in our collection: Kiwi & Hardy Kiwi Vines
