Akebia quinata

A deciduous to semi-evergreen twining woody vine to 40 feet. with graceful palmately compound leaves. They have five elliptic to oblong-elliptic 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 if not kept in check.

Blooms appear in early spring with leaves and can be lost in foliage; staminate and pistillate flowers bloom at different times to prevent selfing; leaves are schefflera-like and die off green with a hard freeze; rampant growth requires heavy pruning; there are some white and pale pink cultivars as well as some with variegated foliage. 

Fruit resembles a purple cucumber and is edible; fruit dehisces along one suture exposing a central purplish column within; fruit wall non edible, extremely bitter; central core has color of bread mold and is gelatinous when handled; core is edible and sweet, taste a combination of watermelon crossed with a canteloupe, however, many have negative attitude toward putting a slimy mold-like tissue into one's mouth; loaded with large, hard seeds that can crack a tooth; decaying fruit on ground can provide a nasty ground litter, but flowers must be hand polinated to produce fruit. 

Tolerates drought and moisture, sun or shade; vigorous, rapid growth; transplants easily; no serious pests/disease problems.

Seed:  Pod

Insects, Diseases, 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

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