The varieties of kiwifruit are Hayward, gold, hardy, and kolomikta.
- Hayward: The most common type of kiwi in the markets is green-fleshed and covered with brown fuzz.
- Gold: Gold kiwis have bronze skin and a pointed cap at one end. Inside, the flesh is mustard-colored. The texture, when firm-ripe, is similar to a green kiwi, but when fully ripe becomes almost custard-like. The flavor is multilayered and complex, blending lemon, strawberry, and banana.
- Hardy: This is one of several varieties of kiwi designed to withstand colder temperatures. Once only available to home gardeners, these small, smooth-skinned, grape-sized kiwis are becoming more commercially available. This variety is sold in the market as baby kiwis or grape kiwis. The flavor is similar to other kiwis, with an intriguing blend of tart and sweet.
- Kolomikta: Another type of kiwi designed to withstand colder temperatures; this variety is also called Arctic kiwifruit. It is smaller than Hayward. Ounce for ounce, Kolomikta kiwi’s vitamin C content is 10 times higher than that of Hayward kiwis.