Akebia quinata
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- a-KEE-bee-uh kwi-NAY-tuh
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
-
A deciduous to semi-evergreen twining woody vine with graceful palmately compound leaves. They have five elliptic to oblong-ellptic leaflets that are bright green above and glaucous below. It is very easy to grow in ordinary, well-drained soil. Male and female vines produce fragrant chocolate-purple flowers on old wood, so prune after flowering. Flowers are followed by a large sausage shaped purple fruit which split open in the fall to reveal edible white flesh and tiny black seeds. It may be cut to the ground to rejuvenate a leggy plant. It grows rapidly and can over take other shrubs and other vegetation in the landscape in not kept in check.
Seed: Pod
Insects, Diseseses, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. Though not designated a noxious weed by the Federal Government, environmental groups consider this plant too invasive to plant where it can spread or reseed itself into natural areas and crowd out native plants.
Habit: Deciduous to semi-evergreen
Texture: Fine to medium
Exposure: Sun to moderate shade
- Cultivars:
-
- 'Alba'
- 'Compacta'
- 'Rosea'
- 'Shirobara'
- 'Variegata'
- 'Alba'
- Tags:
- Cultivars:
-
- 'Alba'
- 'Compacta'
- 'Rosea'
- 'Shirobara'
- 'Variegata'
- 'Alba'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Akebia
- Species:
- quinata
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Wildlife Value:
- Birds eat the fruits.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Enhancement
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- pests, diseases,
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
- Edibility:
- The inner white flesh of the fruit.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Vine
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- White
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Description:
- The inner white flesh of the fruit is edible. Seed is in a pod. Flowers are followed by a large sausage shaped purple fruit which split open in the fall to reveal edible white flesh and tiny black seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Small, reddish to purple, spicy, fragrant flowers in mid-spring. Male and female vines produce fragrant chocolate-purple flowers on old wood, so prune after flowering.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Palmately compound leaves that have five elliptic to oblong-ellptic leaflets that are bright green above and glaucous below.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- It may be cut to the ground to rejuvenate a leggy plant.
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Design Feature:
- Edible
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Diseases
- Insect Pests
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Similar plants:
-
Actinidia kolomikta
-
Chionanthus retusus
- Actinidia melanandra
