Akebia quinata

Chocolate vine, or five leaf akebia is deciduous to semi-evergreen twining woody vine in the Lardizabalaceae family.  The genus name Akebia comes from the Japanese word for twining and qunitata is Latin for five which refers to the five parted compound leaves. It is a large very vigorous vine growing up to 40 feet with graceful palmately compound leaves.  It is very easy to grow in ordinary, well-drained soil and while it prefers full sun it can withstand deep shade conditions. 

The red-purple blooms appear in early spring with leaves and can be lost in the five parted green foliage that is similar to plants in the Schefflera genus.  Fragrant chocolate-purple flowers appear on old wood, so prune after flowering.  Large sausage-shaped purple fruit split open in the fall to reveal edible white flesh and tiny black seeds.  They will die back with a hard freeze but will remain evergreen in warmer climates.  It grows rapidly and can over-take shrubs and other vegetation in the landscape if not kept in check.   Their rampant growth requires heavy pruning and even then it is difficult to manage.

This plant tolerates drought, wet sites, deer browsing, erosion, and heavy shade.  There are some white and pale pink cultivars as well as some with variegated foliage. 

Quick ID Hints:

• Schefflera-like, palmately compound leaves
• Flowers pendulous, 3-petaloid, purple-brown
• Purplish, sausage-shaped, pulpy, seamed fruit
• Deciduous, woody, twining vine
• Leaves and flowers on dwarf shoots

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  No serious insect or disease problems. Though not designated a noxious weed by the Federal Government, several states list it on their invasive species lists and environmental groups consider this plant too invasive to plant where it can spread or reseed itself into natural areas and crowd out native plants.