Plant Details

Akebia quinata

Chocolate vine

Back

Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Akebia quinata.

Use this plant

Log in to add this plant to your recipes.

Log in

Common names

26 names · 21 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Chocolate vine[1]
  • Five-leaf akebia[1]
Other languages (20)
Dutch
  • Chocoladewingerd[1]
  • Klimaugurk[1]
  • Klimbes
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • Schijnaugurk
French
  • Akebia à cinq feuilles
  • Akébie à cinq feuilles[1]
Bulgarian
  • Шоколадова лоза[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 五葉木通[1]
Czech
  • akébie pětičetná[1]
Danish
  • femfingret akebia[1]
Finnish
  • rinneakebia[1]
German
  • Fingerblättrige Akebie[1]
Hungarian
  • Ötlevelű Akébia[1]
Japanese
Korean
  • 으름덩굴[1]
Lithuanian
  • Stambiavaisė akebija[1]
Polish
  • Akebia pięciolistkowa[1]
Portuguese
  • Trepadeira-chocolate[1]
Russian
  • Гландора простёртая[1]
Slovak
  • akébia päťpočetná[1]
Slovenian
  • čokoladna akebija[1]
Spanish
  • Fruta de chocolate[1]
Swedish
  • fembladig akebia[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Akebia quinata — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Five-leaf akebia — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • Chocolate Vine — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • アケビ — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • 으름덩굴 — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • Fingerblättrige Akebie — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • akébie pětičetná — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • Trepadeira-chocolate — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • Шоколадова лоза — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • Fruta de chocolate — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • 木通 — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • Klimaugurk — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • fembladig akebia — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • Гландора простёртая — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • Stambiavaisė akebija — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • Akebia pięciolistkowa — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • femfingret akebia — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • čokoladna akebija — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • Ötlevelű Akébia — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • rinneakebia — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • Akébie à cinq feuilles — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • 五葉木通 — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • akébia päťpočetná — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.
  • Chocoladewingerd — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 126249; Akebia quinata.

General information

Scientific name: Akebia quinata
Accepted name (Kew): Akebia quinata (Thunb. ex Houtt.) Decne. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [3]
Botanical family: Lardizabalaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Akebia (WCVP v16).

Sources [3]
Also known as: Chocolate vine
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Climber
Catalogue size class: Medium
Height: 12.00 m
Spread: - m
Growth rate: Fast

A typical growth category; growth varies with age, climate and growing conditions.

Sources [1] [2]
Foliage: Deciduous, Semi-evergreen
Sources [1]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [1]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist, Occasionally Dry

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [1]
Soil:
Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand
Sources [1]
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Deep shade, Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [1]

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Fruit, Tea
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Fragrant, Wickerwork

Description

Fruit - raw. Sweet in flavor but subtle. The fruit has a delicate taste and a soft, juicy texture. Sometimes lemon juice is added to enhance the fruit's flavor. The bitter skin of the fruit can be cooked and eaten. The fruit is 5 - 10 cm long and can grow up to 4 m wide. Tender young shoots are often used in salads or pickled. The leaves serve as an alternative to coffee.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/09
Harvest ends: 31/10

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Akebia quinata (Chocolate Vine, Five Leaf Akebia, Five-leaf Chocolate Vine, Raisin Vine) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: Growth rateFoliageLightSoil moistureSoil textureUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .

  2. Native Plant Trust; Go Botany Akebia quinata (chocolate-vine): Go Botany
    Supports: Growth rate
    Relevant sections
    • Growth rate: Facts and species identification characteristics

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 460927; name ID 517391; Akebia Decne.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1301734; name ID 517411; Akebia quinata (Thunb. ex Houtt.) Decne..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.