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Large fruited Female Hardy Kiwi, Rossana produces richly flavored sweet, smooth skinned fruit, up to a half ounce each. Elongated fruit is green with a red blush if grown in sun. An Italian selection.
ZONE: 4-9
POLLINATION/BLOOM TIME: Male will provide hundreds of showy white blooms with fluffy yellow stamens over 2-3 weeks in April/May; female flowers have thin white stamens (no pollen on them) by comparison.
RECOMMENDED GROWING AND CARE:
Full to 1/3 sun (in hottest areas), balanced regular moisture A MUST, and soils with high organic matter. Reduce grass competition in root zone. Top dress with compost yearly, and supplement with timed-release organic fertilizer with high nitrogen. Needs very sharp drainage. Dormant prune in February for airflow and ease of harvest. Spur bearer. Prune like grapes. Provide very sturdy trellis especially for female vines - males can be kept tightly pruned or allowed to ramble up tall trees. Mid-late season ripening, about 1 month before fuzzy kiwis. Unripe, they will hold for 2 months in cooler; when ripened, 3 weeks. Check vines starting early Sept for soft fruit - when you find one soft, pick all fruit to avoid wild animals harvesting your yield. Fruit will continue to ripen after being picked off vine.
CHILL HOURS: 800 hours below 45F. Needs 210 frost-free days to ripen.
DISEASE RESISTANCE: Very good. If cold kills the vines, they can re-sprout from their own roots the following year.
SIZE AT MATURITY: 24' x 15' unpruned
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