Chocolate vine (Akebia quinata)
Chocolate vine (Akebia quinata) is a climber that can grow 8m – 15m tall and wider than 8 metres wide. In this growing guide we’ll learn the cultivation details and how to plant Chocolate vine (Akebia quinata).
This plant has several common names including: chocolate vine or akebia.
This is a semi-evergreen plant that takes 5-10 years to reach full maturity.
In this article
Plant profile
Common name: chocolate vine, akebia
Scientific name: Akebia quinata
Plant type: Climbers
Habit: Climbing
Height: 8m – 15m
Spread: Wider than 8 metres
Foliage: Semi-evergreen
Sunlight: Full Sun, Partial shade
Soil: Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Moist but well drained
Planting type: Wall-side Borders
Seasonal colors
| Season | Stem | Foliage | Flower | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | ||||
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
How to plant Chocolate vine (Akebia quinata) – H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Versatile and decorative, climbing plants can make great contributions to creative garden designs.
Their rambunctious branches complement other plants and adorn structures with flowers and foliage.
Climbers are often used as a backdrop for other plants or are grown on pergolas to provide shade and height for the garden.
You can also create focal points by interweaving them through trees, pyramids and pillars, or train them on a trellis to form partitions between different areas of the garden.
Other types of Akebia to consider:
See all Akebia
How to plant
In this section we will learn how to plant Chocolate vine (Akebia quinata), know its needs in terms of soil, watering and sun exposure.
Soil
Chocolate vine (Akebia quinata) is a plant that adapts to all types of soils, chalk, clay, loam or sand.
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The chalky soil is pale and contains chunks of calcium-rich rock. It is a fertile and well-draining soil, almost always alkaline.
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Clay soil is composed of more than 25 percent clay particles. These particles have a high moisture holding capacity and the soil is heavy to dig and can be waterlogged in winter (dry in summer).
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The loam soil is dark, rich in organic matter but balanced in minerals. It offers the best of all worlds, retaining enough water for the plants, but allowing excess moisture to drain away. This is the most desired type of garden soil, perfect for most plants.
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Sandy soil is light, porous and very easy to drain. It is a soil poor in organic matter and nutrients. It is composed of relatively large mineral particles that allow water to drain quickly.
It is not very sensitive to soil acidity or alkalinity and grows well in soils with pH acid, alkaline or neutral.
Regarding drainage, Akebia quinata likes to grow in moist but well drained soil.
Sunlight
Chocolate vine (Akebia quinata) is a plant that should be grown in full sun or partial shade positions.
Cultivation profiles – Growing Chocolate vine (Akebia quinata) – Alpsdake, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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