Herb latin name: Akebia x pentaphylla


Family: Lardizabalaceae (Lardizabala Family)



Edible parts of Akebia x pentaphylla:

Fruit - raw. Sweet but insipid. The fruit has a delicate flavour and a soft juicy texture. The flavour can be enhanced by the addition of a little lemon juice. Valued as a novelty, it looks somewhat like a deep-purple coloured sausage. The dried young leaves are a tea substitute.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Climber

Height:
9 m
(30 feet)

Flowering:
April

Habitat of the herb:

Woods and thickets. A naturally occurring hybrid, A. quinata x A. trifoliata.

Other uses of Akebia x pentaphylla:

The peeled stems are very pliable. They can be bleached and used in basket making.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Surface sow in a light position. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°C. Stored seed should be given 1 month cold stratification and can be very difficult to germinate. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. This is a hybrid species and so it will not breed true from seed. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. The cuttings can be slow to root. Cuttings can also be taken of soft wood in spring. Root cuttings, December in a warm greenhouse. Layering in early spring. Very easy, the plants usually self-layer and so all you need to do is dig up the new plants and plant them out directly into their permanent positions.

Cultivation of Akebia x pentaphylla:

Woods and thickets. A naturally occurring hybrid, A. quinata x A. trifoliata.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Akebia x pentaphylla:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.