Kiwi Plant Monty (female) - Actinidia deliciosa

The Kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa) Monty is a vigorous and productive female variety, with a height of no more than 3m (10ft), making it useful for small gardens. The plant produces brown and fuzzy fruits, juicy and tart, small and elongated in shape, but in large quantities. Each weighs 40 to 50g and keeps well. This female variety requires the proximity of a male plant to bear fruit. This lovely liana will be trained along a pergola or on a trellis. Planting is ideally done in autumn or throughout the year if frost-free, for a harvest around November, from the 4th or 5th year. The male variety of 'Minkimale' Yellow Kiwi will be a good pollinator.

The Kiwi (Actinidia chinensis or deliciosa), also called Chinese gooseberry, or yang tao, is the fruit of the Actinidia. It belongs to the Actinidiaceae family, just like its cousin the Kiwai (Actinidia arguta). Native to China, the kiwi is a vigorous climber, capable of growing 3m (10ft) per year under favourable conditions. This climbing plant should be trained on a solid support, such as a wall with sturdy wires, a trellis, a pergola, a tree trunk or a fence. It can reach a height of 6m (20ft) and a width of 4m (13ft) and needs to be pruned to control its growth.

Some varieties are self-fertile (both male and female flowers on the same plant) and can be planted alone. Other varieties bear either male or female flowers and require the presence of a plant of the opposite sex for pollination. One male plant can pollinate about 5 to 6 female plants. Only female plants produce fruits. The Monty cultivar only bears female flowers.

The Monty Kiwi is hardy down to -15°C (5°F) but is sensitive to late frosts, as the buds freeze at -5°C (23°F). Its foliage is deciduous. The branches bear large ovate and entire leaves, dark matte green on the top, lighter underneath, covered with small red hairs, just like the stems. In May-June, clusters of fragrant flowers appear on the previous year's shoots from the third or fourth year of cultivation. These flowers have wide cream-white petals, about 4cm (2in) wide. Female flowers have white stigmas.

Flowering is followed by the formation of large fleshy ovoid berries, weighing about 45 grams. The thin skin is light brown and velvety for varieties derived from Actinidia deliciosa. The flesh is green, juicy, slightly sweet but deliciously tart, and contains numerous small black seeds. Kiwi is rich in vitamin C, fibre, and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Harvesting takes place around November, before the frosts. The fruits can be picked even when they are still green as they continue to ripen after harvest. They keep well in a cool place at 5°C (41°F), in a cellar, for over a month. Kiwi is ripe when it is soft to the touch. Place kiwis next to apples or bananas to speed up their ripening. Once peeled, kiwi can be enjoyed plain or mixed with other autumn fruits, in jams, or used to decorate pies and some savoury dishes.

To save space, plant a male plant at the base of a pole or pylon: it will climb and elongate without taking up too much ground space.