Gender of Hardy Kiwi Flower

Question

About 7 years ago I planted a hardy kiwi, and my next door neighbor did the same. We made sure we had one of each sex, but I can’t remember who had what sex. A couple of years ago my new next door neighbor wiped out their kiwi. However, my kiwi hadn’t flowered yet, so I didn’t know what sex it was. Well, this year it did flower, and I wonder if anyone can identify it from my photo, so I can buy one of the opposite gender. Then I guess I will have to be patient for another 7 years for it to flower… Thank you.

Answer 1

Ok, this is an interesting flower here. It is a female, and those “pollen anthers” that are circling the center are false male organs. They help attract pollinators that are looking for the male flowers to help pollinate themselves.

You can purchase fully mature kiwi plants, or a rooted cutting from a mature male, and it can flower within a year or two.

Alternatively, if you have any experience with grafting, you can graft a flowering age male branch onto your existing female. This will serve as a pollinator.

Answer 2

thank you so much bush. I have read descriptions about the difference between the flowers, but couldn’t find photos of the two anywhere on the net, which is why I asked. by the description it did sound like a female, but I wanted to make sure before I purchased one. this other one has taken up a lot of my back yard, even with severe pruning, so I barely have room for a male… I have never grafted before, so think I will go with the second plant option to be safe. my father had a very green thumb, but I didn’t inherit much of it…