Yangqu Kiwifruit

Yangqu Kiwifruit

　　Venturing into the Zhongtiao Mountain area of Yangqu County, situated at elevations between 700 and 2,000 meters, you’ll be delighted to come across a climbing vine plant that winds its way among the trees. Its tender new vines bear clusters of date-shaped fruits, their colors as vibrant as pears. When you slice one open, the flesh reveals a jade-like green hue adorned with beautiful light-colored patterns, surrounded by many small seeds arranged radially around a white central core. The locals call this fruit “gen zao.” Because it is juicy, fragrant, sweet yet pleasantly tart—and especially loved by macaques—it came to be known as kiwifruit. Kiwifruit is mentioned in Li Shizhen’s Compendium of Materia Medica: “Its shape resembles a pear, its color that of a peach, and it is beloved by monkeys—hence its name.” Tang Dynasty poet Cen Shen wrote about its cultivation in Taibai County, Shaanxi, dating back 1,200 years. By the Qing Dynasty, it was already being sold as a commercial product. Botanically, it belongs to the Actinidiaceae family, genus Actinidia, and is a deciduous climbing fruit tree. Amidst the vast forests, kiwifruit stands out with its charming form. In spring, its paper-like leaves—green on top with white undersides, round, oval, or heart-shaped—unfold, their backs covered in dense grayish-brown stellate hairs, as endearing as chick down. Come May and June, white flowers bloom in full, exuding a rich fragrance. The fruit ripens in September and October, appearing not only in pear tones but also in light green, reddish-brown, and brown hues. Kiwifruit is rich in vitamin C, B vitamins, various amino acids, proteolytic enzymes, carbohydrates, as well as minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium. Especially notable is its vitamin C content, ranging from 100 to 421 mg per 100 grams—six to eight times higher than citrus fruits and nineteen to eighty-three times higher than apples. It can be eaten fresh, or processed into juice, jam, canned syrup, or even wine. These products retain high levels of vitamin C, making them ideal nutritional supplements for sailors, pilots, miners, and those in weakened health. It has tonic, heat-clearing, diuretic, and throat-moistening benefits. Recent clinical studies have also shown that it aids postpartum recovery, helps suppress cancer, and benefits those with hypertension. Due to these many benefits, some countries refer to it as the “king of fruits.” China is the homeland of kiwifruit. New Zealand introduced it from China in 1906, expanding cultivation to 10,000 acres by 1976, while the United States developed 500,000 acres. In 1955, Chinese educational and research institutions began efforts in introduction and resource surveys. Provinces and regions including Beijing, Henan, Hubei, Shaanxi, Jiangxi, and Guangxi conducted research on variety breeding, cultivation, and processing. According to trials at Beijing Botanical Garden, mature trees can yield as much as 80 jin (approximately 40 kg) or as little as 20 jin (approximately 10 kg) per plant. In the wild resources of Yangqu County, individual plants have yielded over 200 jin (approximately 100 kg). In 1979, kiwifruit exported to Japan fetched one US dollar per fresh fruit. Kiwifruit thrives in well-drained, loose sandy soil but is quite adaptable and can be cultivated anywhere peaches or grapes grow. Propagation methods include cuttings, layering, grafting, and seed sowing. As the plant is dioecious, planting should include a ratio of roughly eight female to one male plant for pollination, or male flowering branches can be grafted onto female plants. Supports must be erected after planting so the vines can climb. Typically, fruiting begins 4–5 years after planting, reaching peak production at 7–8 years, with a tree lifespan of up to 40+ years. During peak production, yields can exceed 3,000 jin (approximately 1,500 kg) per acre. Yangqu County boasts abundant kiwifruit resources, including three varieties: purple fruit, soft date kiwi, and ingot kiwi. Their main vines can reach over ten meters in length and diameters exceeding ten centimeters, yet they remain in the wild. In 1979, local authorities selected superior individual plants, researched high-yield techniques, and began artificial cultivation using collected seeds and cuttings—many of which have since taken root successfully and are growing robustly. This marks the first step toward rapidly developing this emerging fruit species. (Fenyang)