A vigorous, woody, twining vine (liana) or climbing shrub cover an area 10 to 15 feet wide, 18 to 24 feet long and 9 to 12 feet high. The large, deep green, leathery leaves are oval to nearly circular and 7 to 10 inches in diameter. Young leaves and shoots are coated with red hairs, while mature leaves are dark green and hairless on the upper surface, downy-white with prominent, light colored veins beneath. The large (1 to 2 inch diameter), white to cream colored flowers are somewhat fragrant and produced as singlets to triplets in the leaf axiles. The oval, ovoid or oblong fruit is up to 2-1/2 inches long, with russet-brown skin densely covered with short, stiff brown hairs.

Diuretic, febrifuge and sedative (fruits, stems and roots)

Plants for a Future
Kiwi fruit

Ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin, folacin, lutein, niacin, riboflavin, tannin, tocopherol (fruit); beta-sitosterol, delphinidin, p-coumaric acid, quercetin, succinic acid (plant)

In the treatment of stones in the urinary tract, rheumatoid arthralgia, cancers of the liver and oesophagus (fruits, stems and roots)