The Fingerleaf Akebia - Evergreen ranker, intensely fragrant flowers and exotic fruits. You too can cultivate this exotic species.
Hand on heart, dear hobby gardeners, do you feel the same way? In your own garden, some plants or shrubs should already be growing that are not necessarily in the neighbor's garden. In addition, these plants should bring along endearing characteristics: evergreen and climbing, have a beautiful leaf structure, produce enticingly fragrant flowers or bear exotic-looking fruits.
The finger-leaved Akebie can come up with these outstanding criteria. As a climbing deciduous tree, it is often used for greening housing estates. In the garden, however, it is only rarely cultivated as a fruit plant. What's up with this climbing plant?
An undemanding plant for the orchard
Originally, the finger-leaved akebia comes from Asia. It is at home in Japan, Korea and East China, where it grows as a wild plant in mountainous forest regions. This ranker is known by other names. It is also called climbing cucumber, blue cucumber vine or chocolate wine. The latter is derived from English because of its intense fragrance.
The best location for the Fingerleaf Akebie
The climbing Akebie makes only few demands on its location. That is why it is very popular as an ornamental plant in public green spaces for facade greening. It thrives on any medium-heavy to heavy soil, provided sufficient water and nutrients are provided. The plant feels comfortable in full sun as well as in partial shade. In our latitudes it is hardy to -20°C. The plant has green foliage in mild winters and loses only part of the dainty, five-lobed leaves.
Easy Care & Disease Resistant
Care for this strongly climbing Akebia is largely unproblematic. Diseases and pests on the climbing plant hardly ever occur in our region. It is even resistant to honey fungus, which afflicts many climbing trees.
The climbing plant needs a supporting structure. A trellis on the house facade or onthe garage wall is very useful for this. But you can also create a framework, as for blackberries, or a pergola, as for the vine plant. Ultimately, an annual rejuvenation or clearing cut is sufficient as care. Then, like with wine, the fast-growing tendrils have to be put in their place with a cut every now and then in summer.
Different varieties guarantee the fruit
Akebia produces both male and female flowers on the same plant. However, the individual plant is sterile because it is not self-pollinating. As a result, a second plant is required for fruit set. However, these must not be of the same type. This means that two different varieties must be planted. A planting distance of about two meters is recommended.
Selection of Akebia
No problem! It is best to contact specialized nurseries. There you will also find varieties that differ mainly in the color of the flowers and the fruit skin, such as Alba, Shiro Bana, Purple Incense.
Once the female flowers have been fertilized, elongated fruits grow from them. This is where the name climbing cucumber comes from. However, it is not a vegetable, as one or the other might assume. Blue Climbing Banana might have been a better fit because of the fruit's sweet pulp. The fruits grow individually or in fanned clusters with up to ten fruits.
They are a well-known fruit in rural Japan. The size of the fruits is different. The single fruit can grow up to 20 cm long and 5 cm in diameter.
Ripening period from September to October
Depending on the location, ripening begins in September and lasts until mid-October. At first the fruits are still green. As it matures, the skin takes on its typical colour. Depending on the variety, this can vary from white-grey, yellowish to blue-violet. The fruit is fully ripe as soon as it shows a dark longitudinal line. Finally, the Akebia fruit can be opened lengthwise. The edible sweet fruit pulp is almost transparent and jelly-like. It contains many small black seeds that have a vanilla-like aroma. These seeds can be spooned out and eaten directly from the fruit. It is best to suck around the fruit stones. Because when you bite them, they give off a bitter taste and cause a burning sensation in your throat.