Actinidia venosa

Actinidia venosa is a deciduous vine in the Actinidiaceae family. Kew records its native range from Assam into China. This range includes Sichuan and northern Yunnan. Plants For A Future also lists eastern Tibet. The species grows in a temperate climate. Its wild habitats include thickets and mountain forests. Records place it at elevations of 3,281–11,975 feet [1,000–3,650 metres]. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This climber can reach about 30 feet [9 metres]. It loses its leaves during the year. The supplied sources give no species-level detail on leaf shape. They also give no account of its bark or stems. The RHS lists its name as unresolved. Plants For A Future notes close ties with several other species. That source also stresses how little cultivation information is available. Its garden performance therefore remains less certain than the basic plant description.

Flowers appear from June to July, according to Plants For A Future. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants. A lone plant cannot fertilise itself. Grow both sexes if seed production is the aim. Bees and other insects pollinate the flowers. Seeds ripen in October. The fruit is cylindrical and becomes hairless when fully ripe. It measures about 0.05–0.08 feet [0.015–0.025 metres] long. Each fruit holds several small seeds. People can eat the fruit fresh or cook it. The small seeds can be eaten with the flesh.

Plants For A Future lists moist soil as its preference. Its species profile allows sun or partial shade. It lists sandy, loamy, and clay soils as suitable. The stated pH range runs from mildly acid to mildly alkaline. Woodland edges and dappled shade are suggested garden settings. However, the source says its detailed cultivation notes reflect general genus needs. Treat these as guidance, rather than proven species-specific results. It describes the plant as frost tender. Its ability to survive British winters remains uncertain.

Plants For A Future recommends spring seed sowing under glass. Fresh seed may sprout within two to three months at 10°C. Stored seed may take longer. Keep young plants protected through their first winter. Seedlings can suffer from damping off. The source records no known hazards, but this does not establish complete safety. It lists no medicinal or other uses beyond food. It also does not flag the species as a weed.