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New to site and relatively new to property owning.
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starrfish
1 Posts
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November 16, 2019 - 8:47 am

What are some hardy kiwi varieties that are easy to grow in the willamette valley oregon and produce different tasting/looking fruit? I am a recent property owner and am looking to get some edible and different fruits that don't take up a ton of space. I am just looking for recommendations and the only ones I have tried are Ken's red and Issai. Thanks

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John S
PDX OR
2824 Posts
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November 18, 2019 - 7:40 pm

Welcome to the HOS forum, starrfish.

Most any variety you get should do well. Annansnaija was the most popular years ago. I don't know if it's still true.  Be careful about the level that you plant it.  Probably the best strategy is to go to the scion exchange/FPF in March and pick up some free ones.

John S
PDX OR

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sweepbjames
NE Portland, OR Cully Neighborhood
234 Posts
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November 19, 2019 - 4:48 pm

If you find yourself in the Northern reaches of the Willamette Valley, the Oregon City area; the HOS Arboretum on the Clackamas Community College grounds (open most Tuesdays and Saturdays, 9-3) has an established female specimen of Issai and Ananasnaja (Anna), freshly trellised two growing seasons ago, along with a Hayward F&M that you might take a look at for spacial needs comparison. At least there, under the particular placement inputs, the Issai (reportedly self-fertile) is a lot less space needy than Anna or of course the fuzzys.

Or if you find yourself joining the HOS, you might get close to a plethora of hardy source material via volunteering to help collect genetic material, for the Fruit Propagation Fair. When the volunteers travel to the Germ Plasm Repository in Corvallis to collect Pear, Asian Pear, Quince and yes, Hardy Kiwi propagation wood, you would be able to request/get something from the vines there that might otherwise be overlooked. Include that the now-retired Pear Curator might have some insights as to what might be good or interesting in that line. Most likely will be around for a while in transition to share experience/expertise. And you can take a look at how they trellis their 'stems'.

You will find some discussion of Feijoa, a.k.a. Pineapple Guava on this forum. I believe it won't overwhelm a space.  

I'd suggest looking into Haskap, sometimes a.k.a. Honeyberry. 

I don't know how much land you have or the exposures, but I favor Pawpaws. My two named varieties seemed to get larger than other mature trees I've seen. Whether it was more than adequate runoff moisture from nearby structures during the initial 10 or so years. These got to around 18' and 15' in height x 15' around. Taller than seedling trials from the repository planted in the '90's, those maxing around 12', similar caliper, if memory serves, but not taller than the available documentation.

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John S
PDX OR
2824 Posts
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November 19, 2019 - 6:37 pm

I agree with James that if you hand pollinate your pawpaws, you can get astonishing amounts of North America's largest native fruit.

John S
PDX OR

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Viron
1400 Posts
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November 22, 2019 - 3:12 pm

...just saw Jame's post.. while composing mine.  Good suggestions Smile

There are many more Hardy kiwi varieties than available in most catalogs.  Some with gigantic fruit!  

I’d only recommend avoiding “Issai” hardy kiwi, as I’d grown it.  It’s advertised as not needing a male plant for a pollinator. May be, but it’s fruit were short keeping, insipid, and when compared to a pollinated kiwi, not worth having.

With that, do plan to get a male plant.  And from my experience, a male ‘Fuzzy’ can and will pollinate both a Fuzzy or Hardy kiwi.  Fuzzy’s need lots of trellis space, though; so you may want to get a hardy male instead.  

At an HOS Fall Fruit Show, someone brought in numerous varieties of Hardy kiwi.  As mentioned above. Many had only ‘numbered names.’ If I were to do Hardy kiwi again, I’d do some serious research to find ‘the perfect specimen’  

As for another fruit suggestion, you might consider an Asian plum.  Fast growing, not too difficult to control, and relatively easy to graft additional varieties to for pollination & extended harvests on one tree.  Determine a base variety, like a Shiro, take a learners class on grafting with the HOS, then grab some scions that sound good from the HOS Spring scion exchange to place on several young branches.  ...I like Satsuma’s, too. Choose a third Laugh

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