The kiwi, the proper name of which is kiwifruit, originated in China and arrived in the United States in the 1960s by way of New Zealand. The kiwifruit was named after the kiwi, the national bird of New Zealand. The fat-fee, nutrient-rich kiwi is high in vitamin C, with about 273 percent of the recommended daily values, and also has vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, antioxidants and zinc. The fruit the California Kiwifruit Commission calls "funny looking" has a strange appearance compared to the usual fruits in the orchard or grocery store.
Step 1
Look for kiwi to grow on vines like berries. The original name of kiwifruit was gooseberry in China. Kiwifruit vines grow heavy with foliage and, in late May, the vines are covered with flowers that turn into kiwifruit.
Step 2
Examine the fruit to confirm that is small, brown and oval-shaped. The Hayward is one of 40 kiwi varieties and is the largest and highest in sugar content.
Step 3
Feel the fuzzy, hairlike covering on the fruit. The kiwi resembles a tiny coconut with its brown, hairy skin.
Step 4
Slice open the fruit to look for the bright green-colored flesh, which contains hundred of tiny black seeds and a white center.
Tips and Warnings
- The skin of the kiwifruit is edible and contains fiber. The gold kiwi also has brown skin, but with very little fuzz, and has gold-colored flesh, black seeds and a taste similar to a mango. The kiwifruit requires hundreds of honeybees for pollination. More than 98 percent of kiwifruit in the U.S. is grown in California, where the fruit's growing season is November through May.
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