Hardy Kiwi

What

Hardy kiwi (Actinidia arguta) aka tara vine is a woody vine that can grow more than 20 feet per year. Its fruits are green, smooth, and grape-shaped, and its mature bark is grey and flaky. Its leaves have red petioles (stalks). It was introduced from eastern Asia for landscaping and cultivation.

The Problem

It can germinate and grow in a closed-canopy forest, climb surrounding trees, and overwhelm vegetation. Ice and snow weighing on the vines can cause trees to snap.

The Solution

Hardy kiwi seedlings and small vines can be controlled by hand pulling. Larger plants can be controlled through the use of a systemic herbicide, applied either as a foliar spray or directly to the freshly cut stump of the vine. For plants growing high into trees, cutting the vine after leaf fall and treating the stump with herbicide and leaving the vine to decay in the tree minimizes damage to the tree.

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