| Actinidia kolomikta | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Actinidiaceae |
| Genus: | Actinidia |
| Species: | A. kolomikta |
| Binomial name | |
| Actinidia kolomikta | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Actinidia kolomikta, thekolomikta,[2]miyamatatabi,[3]super-hardy kiwi,[4] orvariegated-leaf hardy kiwi,[5] is a species offlowering plant in thefamilyActinidiaceae,native totemperatemixed forests of the Russian Far East, Korea, Japan and China (Eastern Asiatic Region).[1]
The plant is a very long-lived,deciduous woody scramblingvine and creeper,[6] which ultimately grows to 8–10 m (26–33 ft). It is the hardiest species in thegenusActinidia, at least down to about −40 °C (−40 °F) in winter, albeit somewhat susceptible to late spring frosts. Its most curious feature is the apparently random patches of pinkvariegation on the leaves of most plants of this species;[7] variegation of this nature has been connected with reduced attractiveness to herbivores.[8] It isdioecious, with separate male and female plants.
Actinidia kolomikta is anornamental plant for gardens and ahouseplant. The plant was collected byCharles Maries inSapporo, on the northern Japanese island ofHokkaido, where the plant was locally calledmiyamatatabi,[9] in 1878, and sent to his patrons,Veitch Nurseries, who introduced it into Western horticulture.[10]
Actinidia kolomikta is cultivated in cold temperate regions as anornamental plant, largely for the striking randomvariegation in pink and white of some its leaves but also because of the relatively small (2-5 g) berries it produces, resembling smallkiwifruit. There are a number of named cultivars bred for the latter purpose in Russia and Poland, though it takes years for a plant to start yielding, and becauseA. kolomikta isdioecious, a malepollenizer plant is required for the wild vines and most of the cultivars.
This plant has gained theRoyal Horticultural Society'sAward of Garden Merit.[2]
The plant is attractive tocats, which find it more attractive thancatnip orvalerian and can severely damage the vine. An early propagator in Boston found all his pots of the newly introduced plant bitten to stubs in his greenhouse, before his cat was discovered to be the culprit.[10]
Actinidia is derived fromGreek and means ‘rayed’, which is a reference to the rayed styles of the flowers.[11]
Kolomikta is a vernacular name from Amur in easternRussia, and is probably in reference to the multifarious color of the leaves.[11]
