Chocolate Vine

(Akebia quinata)

Chocolate Vine (Akebia quinata)

laurent houmeau

CC BY-SA 2.0

Image By: laurent houmeau

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Copyright Notice: Photo by: laurent houmeau | License Type: CC BY-SA 2.0 | License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ | Uploader: laurent7624 | Publisher: Flickr

Estimated Native Range

Summary

Akebia quinata, commonly known as Chocolate Vine, is a semi-evergreen perennial vine native to woodlands and forest margins in East Asia, particularly in China, Korea, and Japan. It can grow vigorously to 10 m (30 ft) or more in height, using twining tendrils to climb structures and other plants. The leaves are palmately compound with five elliptic or obovate leaflets, each with a distinctive notch at the tip. The woody stems are greyish-brown and display lenticels. Chocolate Vine produces clusters of fragrant, purple-brown flowers in the spring, which are often described as chocolate-scented. The flowers are not particularly showy but are interesting due to their unique color and scent. Following flowering, the plant may produce sausage-shaped pods filled with a sweet, edible pulp surrounding the seeds.

Chocolate Vine is valued for its rapid growth, which makes it an excellent choice for covering trellises, arbors, and fences. It is also used for ground cover in large areas where it can spread without constraint. In cultivation, it requires well-drained soils, preferably sandy, and can tolerate drought once established. However, it benefits from regular watering. Akebia quinata is hardy in USDA zones 4–9 and can withstand temperatures down to -15 to -20°C. It is adaptable to full sun or part shade. Gardeners should be cautious as it can become invasive outside its native range, spreading through both rhizomes and seed dispersal. It is considered invasive in some regions, such as the Eastern United States, where it can outcompete native vegetation.CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Description

Plant Type: Vine
Height: 20-40 feet
Width: 6-9 feet
Growth Rate: Rapid
Flower Color: Pink, Purple
Flowering Season: Spring
Leaf Retention: Semi-deciduous

Growth Requirements

Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Water: Medium
Drainage: Slow, Medium, Fast

Common Uses

Bee Garden, Bird Garden, Butterfly Garden, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Edible*Disclaimer: Easyscape's listed plant edibility is for informational use. Always verify the safety and proper identification of any plant before consumption., Erosion Control, Fragrant, Groundcover, Showy Flowers

Natural Habitat

Woodlands and forest margins in East Asia

Other Names

Common Names: Chocolate-Vine, Fiveleaf, Five-Leaf Akebia, Fingerblättrige Akebie, Akébie À Cinq Feuilles, Fembladig Akebia, 으름덩굴, Akebi, Eureumdeonggul, Mu Tong

Scientific Names: , Akebia quinata, Akebia quinata f. polyphylla, Akebia quinata f. viridiflora, Rajania quinata, Akebia micrantha, Akebia quinata f. diplochlamys, Akebia quinata f. albiflora, Akebia quinata subsp. yiehii, Akebia quinata var. diplochlamys

GBIF Accepted Name: Akebia quinata (Houtt.) Decne.