Akebia, or chocolate vine, belongs to the Lardizabal family. This family is part of the Ranunculaceae order. People know it better by that name.
The Akebia genus has about nine types of plants. This climbing vine comes from East Asia. It's edible, and almost all parts are used as food. This includes the shoots, seeds, and buds.
The leaves make a fragrant drink. It has a mild stimulating effect. Other countries grow it as a pretty plant. It's called chocolate because of its nice smell. It smells like chocolate.
Akebia can grow up to 7 meters tall. It can reach 10 meters with good conditions and no pruning. Growing this vine in central Russia is easy. It's like growing clematis. So, it's becoming popular with landscape designers and gardeners.
Akebia grows up to three meters each year. It's cut to the right level. This prevents needing to replant it. Its root system is strong.
Here are some things to know about this plant:
It's considered evergreen, but not really. In cold southern areas, it loses leaves in winter. It blooms from mid-summer. Some say May-June, but it depends on the area. It can produce fruit. But, it rarely does in mild climates.
The fruits are tasty and healthy. They help with digestion. They taste like raspberries. There are two types: quinquefoliate and trifoliate. Only the first one grows well in Russia. Southern gardeners get purple flowers. Those in the middle zone get red flowers.
Some think it's a vegetable, others a fruit. It has a double taste. The fruit looks like small, lilac bananas. The pulp near the seeds tastes like raspberries. The part closer to the skin tastes like cucumber. It's very fertile. One flower makes many fruits that crack when ripe.