Chocolate Vine

Chocolate Vine Care

Akebia Quinata

What is the plant

The five-leaf akebia vine, or chocolate vine, is a perennial vine that is sometimes vigorous to a fault. The chocolate vine gets its moniker from the rich purplish-brown blooms that smother the vine and from the delicate chocolate scent of the flowers. Chocolate-scented flowers are unusual among hardy perennials, so this one attribute may endear this flowering vine to you, despite its ill-behaved growth habits.The vine produces glossy dark green leaves that are oval-shaped and grow in clusters of five. The vines produce many dangling purple flowers with three petals in the spring (March to May) soon after it is planted, sometimes followed by fruits that resemble eggplants late in the summer. The fruit it produces is edible, but not very palatable. If you choose to harvest the fruit, you may recognize that the akebia is related to the kiwi and has tiny black seeds embedded in the pulp.Plant the chocolate vine in the spring or fall, in average well-drained soil. Expect this vine to grow quickly; as much as 20 feet a year is possible. This plant has no serious pest or disease issues, which is one reason for its reputation as a rampant grower.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

min -23°C

Hardiness zone

4 - 8

Difficulty

Medium

Hibernation

Cold Period

Invasive

Weed

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Provide weekly watering until vines are established, then water during periods of drought so that plants get at least one inch of water per week.
Pruning
The chocolate vine will climb on supports or scramble up to 40 feet. Because of its vigorous growth habit, many gardeners prune chocolate vine back to ground level in late winter to keep it in check. You can also lightly prune the vine to help it look tidy after flowering
Fertilizer
The chocolate vine is a light feeder and doesn’t require supplemental flower fertilizer. You can provide trace nutrients for vines growing in poor soil by mulching with compost or well-rotted manure.

Disease diagnosis

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Sunlight
Flowers and fruits are best in full sun, but the vine is very shade tolerant and will grow in woodland settings.
Soil
The ideal soil for growing chocolate vine should be sandy loam with a high percentage of organic matter. The soil needs to have proper drainage.
Temperature
Chocolate vine does best in temperatures between 55 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. In the harsh winter weather, it may lose its leaves but will regrow in the spring.