Kewalo was developed at the University of Hawaii as part of Jim Gilbert’s program. Tolerance to bacterial wilt and tobacco mosaic virus—which are significant in warm growing conditions—was a key priority in its breeding.
The fruits are red, round, aromatic, and weigh 150–230 g. In our cultivation, they ripen about 70 days after the seedlings are planted.
The plant has determinate growth. However, it can grow to about 1.5 m in our climate, so staking helps keep the heavy clusters off the ground. Determinate growth means that shoot growth is limited, but it does not always result in a very low bush.
