Introducing Akebia quinata, also known as the Chocolate Vine or Five-leaf Akebia, is a fast-growing shrub native to Japan, China and Korea boasts fragrant purplish flowers and curious sausage-shaped fruits with a delicate flavor and juicy texture. The plant's handsome compound leaves and fast growth make for an excellent screening plant. The peeled stems can even be used for basket making. Akebia quinata is an antifertility plant and the flowers have a spicy fragrance reminiscent of vanilla. While the plant is invasive in certain parts of the US, it is a graceful vine that grows as a groundcover and climbs shrubs and trees by twining. This efficient plant is shade and drought tolerant and can grow up to 40 feet in a single season. Overall, Akebia quinata is a unique and useful plant that stands out among other ornamentals.
