This year for the first time the Akebia quinata growing at the base of the large sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) at the bottom of our garden has born numerous curious looking fruits.
Also known as the Chocolate Vine, here it was in full bloom a few months ago during the spring...
I'm not sure what triggered it to produce so many fruits this year. We have three other Akebias in the garden but two are still small and have yet to produce blooms while a mature one didn't bloom this year (or perhaps it did, I couldn't remember!). It is however on this site for many years now so perhaps maturity is a big factor.
The fruits are the size of plums and ripe ones split open to reveal seeds.
Now is it edible? A quick search online suggested it is and I have given the inner pulp a little taste and it was sweet, reminding me of custard.
It is very pretty in it's own right and perhaps best left to be admired as an ornamental plant curiosity rather than for consumption.
After a few days the core of seeds fall off as a whole. Will we be weeding out hundreds of Akebia seedlings next year? We'll just have to wait and see!
Pretty isn't it?
