Five-Leaf Chocolate Vine (Akebia quinata)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Shrub Vine
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun Full Sun to Partial Shade Partial or Dappled Shade Partial Shade to Full Shade
Water Preferences:	Mesic
Soil pH Preferences:	Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5) Neutral (6.6 – 7.3) Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F)
Plant Height:	20-40 feet
Plant Spread:	6-9 feet
Leaves:	Semi-evergreen Broadleaf
Fruit:	Showy Edible to birds Dehiscent Other: 2 - 4 inch, sausage-shaped violet-purple pods containing small black seeds that are imbedded in a whitish flesh.
Fruiting Time:	Late summer or early fall Fall
Flowers:	Showy Fragrant
Flower Color:	Purple Other: Deep chocolate-purple
Bloom Size:	Under 1" 1"-2"
Flower Time:	Late winter or early spring Spring
Suitable Locations:	Espalier
Uses:	Provides winter interest Erosion control Groundcover Culinary Herb Medicinal Herb Vegetable Will Naturalize
Edible Parts:	Leaves Fruit
Eating Methods:	Tea Culinary Herb/Spice Raw Cooked
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Birds
Resistances:	Deer Resistant Flood Resistant Tolerates dry shade Humidity tolerant Drought tolerant
Pollinators:	Hoverflies Bees Wind
Containers:	Suitable in 3 gallon or larger Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous:	Monoecious

Common names

Five-Leaf Chocolate Vine
Five-Leaf Akebia
Akebi
Raisin Vine

Photo Gallery

Location: RHS Hyde Hall, Essex, UK.
Date: 2023-04-16

Uploaded by RachaelHunter

Location: Mount Ibuki, Shiga prefecture, Japan
Date: 10-2013
author--Alpsdake

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: My garden in Gent, Belgium
Date: 2012-05-10
Male flowers

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: Western Kentucky
Date: March 2011
Chocolate scented blooms appear in late March.

Uploaded by Sharon

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Date: 2019-05-04

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Location: In my Northern California garden
Date: 2006-04-05

Uploaded by zuzu

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Berlin, Germany
Date: 2023-04-30

Uploaded by D3LL

Uploaded by robertduval14

Uploaded by kosk0025

Location: my garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2011-04-28

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: Riverview, Robson, B.C.
Date: 2010-05-08
- Lovely green leaves, with vines emerging.

Uploaded by HemNorth

Location: Botanical garden of Madeira
Date: 2023-04-11

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: My garden in N E Pa.
Date: 2011-05-30

Uploaded by treehugger

Uploaded by kosk0025

Uploaded by kosk0025

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Toronto, Ontario
Date: 2023-07-27
Five-Leaf Chocolate Vine (Akebia quinata).

Uploaded by janelp_lee

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: My garden in Gent, Belgium
Date: 2012-05-10
Female flower

Uploaded by bonitin

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: My garden in Gent, Belgium
Date: 2012-05-10

Uploaded by bonitin

Uploaded by admin

Location: West Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2019-03-09

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Location: In my Northern California garden
Date: 2010-03-20

Uploaded by zuzu

Location: Western Kentucky
Date: March 2010
A strong and tenacious plant

Uploaded by Sharon

Uploaded by robertduval14

Uploaded by rakami

Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2015-08-11

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: Mount Ibuki, Maibara, Shiga prefecture, Japan
Date: 7-2014
author--Alpsdake

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by pitimpinai

Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2015-04-27

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: my garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2011-04-20

Uploaded by bonitin

Uploaded by Patty

Uploaded by robertduval14

Uploaded by robertduval14

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by tabbycat (Youngsville, LA - Zone 9b) on Jun 20, 2018 3:20 PM concerning plant:

My 10-year-old plant stays evergreen on the south side of my house, where I've trained it on a string to trail from post to post on my porch. I've woven the new growth in a lacelike fashion, back and forth through the years. Everyone wants to know what it is. It makes insignificant small maroon flowers. I've been told they should smell like vanilla, but I find them pretty much odorless. Each year I plant a different vining flowered annual to give it color. This year it's 'Ruby Moon' Hyacinth Bean.

Reply to this comment
Posted by Sharon (Calvert City, KY - Zone 7a) on Sep 26, 2011 5:15 PM concerning plant:

Akebia, chocolate vine, is considered invasive in some states, and is not a native plant to the US. It does not invade by either seed or root here in western Kentucky, but it is a fast grower and its vines rapidly reach upward and to each side claiming anything in their way. It will strangle whatever grows nearby. It's beautiful if trained to a stand alone trellis and its delicate tiny blooms provide that amazing chocolate scent in the very early part of March and April.

Reply to this comment

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Akebia Five-Leaf Chocolate Vine (Akebia quinata)

Akebia
Five-Leaf Chocolate Vine (Akebia quinata)