Akebia quinata is a very attractive climber with interesting and pleasantly smelling flowers.Growing five-leaf akebiais quite easy as long as you choose the right species and variety, and provide the right cut for a nice plant habit. There is also a good reason to plant at least two garden plants in the garden. Here are thesecrets of growing the chocolate vine !
Five-leaf akebia - Akebia quinata
Fig. Katarzyna Bańcerowska
Creepers are planted practically in every home garden.Mostly, we like proven plants, so our flower beds and walls are often dominated by clematis, honeysuckles, ivy, vine and other known climbers. In this thicket of various plants, akebia should certainly be found. It is a creeper that has won the hearts of many gardeners with its uniqueness. It belongs to interesting garden plants with beautiful and unusual flowers.
Akebia is especially suitable as a cover plantIt can be used for arbors, pergolas and other supports for vines. Akebia can also be used as a ground cover. It will work well on large areas.
Five-leaf akebia - cultivation
Akebia belongs to the stiffeners family and it came to our country from Japan, China and Korea.Akebia is an easy-to-grow climberThere are no special soil requirements. It will cope with virtually any soil, even average. It tolerates drying out and periodic flooding well.However, it grows much better on permeable and well-drained soils than on heavy and clay soils. As for theposition for akebiait grows well in any place, except very shady and excessively hot
Two species of this plant are grown in our country,five-leaf akebia(Akebia quinata) andthree-leaf akebia(Akebia trifoliata). Akebia quinata is more frost-resistant (it belongs to the frost resistance zone of plants 6A), therefore it is usually recommended for planting in home gardens.
Akebia quinata tolerates our winters well , but in those sharp and extremely frosty it can freeze to the edge of the snow. Fortunately, there is nothing to worry about, because in spring it starts to shoot out new shoots right from the base. Only young plants require frost protection.
The five-leaf akebia grows very quicklyIt can grow from one to three meters during the season depending on the conditions.Ultimately, however, it grows up to five to ten meters in height. It is a semi-evergreen climber, it completely sheds its leaves when the temperature drops below -15 ° C.The leaves of the five-leaf akebiaare fingerlike composed of five leathery, oval leaves. When they are young, they are green with a purple-purple tinge, and when they are older, they are dark green.
Five-leaf akebia - Akebia quinataFig. pixabay.com
How does akebia bloom?
The five-leaf akebia is dioecious and monoecious. This means that the male and female flowers are on the same plant.Akebia flowers appear in late April or early MayThey have a very pleasant and unusual cinnamon-spicy scent. Female flowers hang on long stalks, about 3 cm in diameter. In the United States, this climber is often referred to aschocolate vinebecause of the color of its flowers, which when opened have purple sepals.
Male flowers are much smaller, but there are many more. They are light pink and grow on short stalks. Apart from flowers, akebia also has very attractive fruits and they are edible.Akebia fruits ripen in the fall , in October. They are purple-purple in color and covered with a waxy coating. Their flesh tastes like a melon. However, for the creeper to have fruit, at least two copies of this plant should grow in the garden.
Five-leaf akebia - cutting
The five-leaf akebia needs pruning for compactionAfter planting in the garden, it is trimmed to 30-40 cm high. Then we select 5-7 strong shoots and tie them systematically to the support until they start to wrap themselves. Further cutting of the akebia is not necessary. We limit ourselves to removing damaged and frozen shoots in spring. We can alsoshorten akebia shootswhen it grows too much.
Akebia after 4-5 years begins to strip from the bottom and then it needs to be rejuvenated by performing the so-calledrejuvenating cut akebiiWe then make a strong cut, which is best done in March. We prune the plant either to a strong skeleton or even, if necessary, 30-50 cm above the ground. This treatment will stimulate the plant to produce new young shoots.
Five-leaf akebia - varieties
Recommended varieties of the five-leaf akebia:
Five-leaf akebia 'Alba'(aka 'Shirobana') - has both male and female flowers in white, and the fruit is white and green. Akebia variety 'Alba' grows slower than the species, growing only 1 to 2 m annually and reaching a maximum of 5 to 6 m in height.
Five-leaf akebia 'Rosea'- has white and pink flowers.
Five-leaf Akebia 'Silver Bells'- male flowers are white with a pink-purple stamen, and female flowers are light pink-purple with a dark chocolate pistil.
Five-leaf akebia 'Variegata'- this variety has characteristic leaves covered with white spots. The flowers are light pink. This variety tends to revert to its mother form, so when it starts to produce shoots with only green leaves, remove them, otherwise they will dominate the plant.
Five-leaf akebia and three-leaf akebia - differences
The trifoliate akebia does not differ much from the five-leafed akebiaIt also has finger-like leaves, but composed of three leaflets. The leaves of the trifoliate akebia are slightly larger, thinner and lighter than those of the five-leaf akebia. The trifoliate akebia also has larger fruits. This akebia is also more sensitive to frost, therefore it is much less recommended than the five-leaf akebia. Requires planting in sheltered places, only in gardens located in the warmest regions of the country. In addition, it is carried andcared for in the same way as the five-leaf akebia
MSc Eng. Katarzyna Bańcerowska
