Determining Sex of Kiwi Vines for Fruit Production

Kiwi vines are dioecious—you need both male and female plants for fruit. If your vine has flowered for six years without fruit, it's likely a solitary male or female without a partner.

How to Tell Male from Female Flowers

Examine the flowers when they bloom in spring:

• Male flowers: Have numerous prominent yellow anthers (pollen-bearing) in the center. No visible stigma.
• Female flowers: Have a central cluster of white, sticky stigmas. Anthers are absent or sterile. The base of the flower is swollen (the ovary).

What to Do

If you have only one vine, plant a partner of the opposite sex. For fuzzy kiwi (Actinidia chinensis), one male can pollinate up to 8 females. For hardy kiwi (Actinidia arguta), ratios are similar. Ensure bloom periods overlap.

Photos

Female kiwi flower

Male kiwi flower

Fuzzy kiwi, Actinidia chinensis

With a compatible partner, you'll be harvesting kiwis within a few years.