How The Kiwiberry Might Be The Next ‘Honeycrisp’
Minnesota is known for many things, our lakes, the Honeycrisp apple, even our rich tradition of outdoor activities no matter the weather outside. But the Honeycrisp apple might just become a memory of famous fruit from Minnesota, at least if one University of Minnesota researcher has his way. Enter the Kiwiberry.
What is a Kiwiberry anyway? According to U of M researcher Seth Wannemuehler in a Washington Times piece, the Kiwiberry is a green berry that is completely hairless, unlike the kiwi cousin, and approximately the size of a ping-pong ball. It's ready to eat as well much like a grape.
But it is the taste that sets the Kiwiberry apart. It is said to have a sweet, yet tart and tropical flavor that is highly desirable by consumers. Kiwiberries are among several delicious projects underway at the university’s fruit research program.
But like all good things, we will have to have patience as creating fruit that typically grows elsewhere in limited quantities, takes around 10 years to get right for growing here in Minnesota. Here's to 10 years from now as we all sit down to enjoy our Kiwiberry pies during the holiday season.