Akebia, a delightful climbing vine is a member of the family Lardizabalaceae. Native to eastern Asia, the genus Akebia consists of five species. Akebia Trifoliata is a deciduous, woody vine that it has both edible fruit and ornamental sweet-scented flowers! The flowers are appearing from April to May and they are purple or reddish purple in color with a slight chocolate scent. The bottom two flowers are male and the remaining is female.


The fruits develop to about 10cm and have a sweet flavor. They have been employed in wine-making besides eaten fresh. Fruit breaks up open, when mature, displaying dark, and brownish, flat seeds. Oil expressed from the seeds is employed in soap-making. The leaves are used to make a tea. Roots, vines, and fruits have all been employed in China for medicinal purposes since ancient times.

Akebia makes a beautiful decorative and edible addition to any garden. This fruit vine is similar to the Chocolate Vine and the two are frequently grown together as they cross-pollinate and develop more fruits. The two species have been cultivated into numerous varieties and some of which have white rather than dark maroon flowers.

The vine is hardy to 20C° and will grow in most climates. It likes sun to part shade and tolerates many soils, as long as drainage is good. Both Three Leaf Akebia (A. Trifoliata) and Five Leaf Akebia (A. quinata) are very much alike. Propagation is by seeds. Cover the seeds with a mixture of loamy soil and coarse-grained sand. Keep lightly moist. Sprouting could take from one to three months.

three leaf akebia

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