Actinidia chinensis is a fruit-producing vine, one of some 40 related species of the genus Actinidia, native to China. The species is a variety closely related to Actinidia deliciosa, and is the source of the common commercial kiwifruit. The plant is a vigorous climbing shrub native to China where it grows in thick oak forests, particularly on slopes and the sides of ravines. Kiwifruit were originally gathered from the wild in China for local consumption and first grown commercially in New Zealand. They are now the subject of international trade.
This picture shows a few A. chinensis kiwifruit growing on a branch in Austins Ferry, in the Australian state of Tasmania. The fruit colour may vary from green to lime green or gold, depending on breeding.Photograph credit: John Harrison