Akebia, also known as chocolate vine or climbing cucumber, is very popular as a decorative climbing plant. We reveal what you should consider when planting chocolate vines and give tips on caring for the Akebie.
Are you wondering what chocolate wine is? Behind this name is a fascinating climbing plant. It owes its name to the enchanting scent of its flowers. We introduce you to this beauty and show you how soon an Akebie can also decorate your garden.
Akebie: origin and characteristics
Akebia (Akebia) is a genus of plants consisting of several species. Finger-leaved Akebia (Akebia quinata) is available as an ornamental plant in Europe. It is also called chocolate wine because of the sweet scent of its flowers, which is reminiscent of vanilla and chocolate. The fruits are similar in shape to a cucumber, giving them the name climbing cucumber. The Akebie comes from the mountain forests of East Asia and is widespread in China and Japan. The Akebia enchants with its mostly dark green foliage, which only falls off in particularly cold winters, and wonderfully fragrant flowers. The fruits of the climbing cucumber, which is usually planted as an ornamental plant, are edible and make them an exciting plant even in autumn. If you have replanted the Akebia, you should bring a little patience. The Akebia grows slowly in the first two years and only shows its dense foliage in the third year. After about five years, you will be able to enjoy the wonderful scent of the flowers for the first time from April to May. But the patience is worth it. The Akebie is a rarity and an eye-catcher in your garden. The plant climbs up to a height of ten meters on a climbing aid, such as a pergola or as a green facade.
Tip: If you look closely you can see female and male flowers, which are different colored on most strains.
The most beautiful varieties ofClimbing Cucumber
The different varieties of finger-leaved akebia, also known as climbing cucumbers, are characterized by the different colors of the flowers and leaves. Akebia quinata 'Silver Bells' presents white male flowers with dark purple stamens and pink tinged female flowers. The cultivar Akebia quinata'Alba' has white female and male flowers, while cultivar Akebia quinata 'Variegata' stands out with white spotted leaves .
Planting chocolate vine: location, time and procedure
As a climbing plant, the chocolate vine only feels at home outdoors. For the warmth-loving plant, you should choose a sunny to partially shaded location that is sheltered from the wind. Although the chocolate wine comes from the subtropical region, it is hardy. At temperatures below -10 °C, the root area should be covered with leaves or something similar.
The soil can be sandy to loamy, but it should definitely be humus-rich, as the Akebia only flowers when there is a good supply of nutrients. The Akebie is best planted in spring to ensure growth until the first winter. With little sun and occasional rain, she has the optimal conditions to grow.
If you want to use the Akebie as a green facade, you should dig the planting hole about half a meter away from the wall to give the roots enough space. Since Akebia form underground shoots for propagation, so-called rhizomes, we recommend a rhizome barrier. To do this, you can remove the bottom from a bucket or plastic pot with a diameter of about one meter and place the ring in the equally large planting hole. The top edge of the ring should remain just above the surface of the earth. For a better development of the chocolate vine, we recommend filling the planting hole with a mixture of the soil from the location and a peat-free potting compost, such as our Plantura organic potting compost. You can now plant the plant in the middle of the hole, press it down well and water it generously. Especially in the next three weeks you should pay attention to a good water supply. In order to direct the chocolate vine to your trellis or pergola, it is best to stretch several ropes to your desired location.
How to plant chocolate vine?
- sunny and sheltered location
- humus-rich soil for good nutrient supply with a peat-free potting soil, such as our Plantura organic potting soil
- Planting hole with a diameter of one meter
- Insert rhizome barrier in the planting hole
- ensure a good water supply for the first three weeks
Caring for chocolate wine: Everything for cutting, watering and fertilizing
The chocolate vine is a woody climber that tends to become bare at the bottom. To prevent this, individual shoots can be severely cut back. Avoid severely cutting back all the shoots at the same time, so as not to weaken the plant too much. Unwanted shoots can be removed immediately after flowering. In the first three weeks after planting and the following summer, care should be taken to ensure a good water supply, as the plant does not yet have deep roots. In the years that follow, the plant should do without additional watering. In order to promote flowering, we recommend supplying the Akebie with an organic fertilizer, especially with sufficient potassium. Our Plantura organic flower & balcony fertilizer is suitable for this. This strengthens and revitalizes the plant with all valuable nutrients. This makes the Akebia less susceptible to pests and diseases.
Tip: The Akebie is not very susceptible to pests or plant diseases, which makes it an easy-care eye-catcher in your garden.
Propagate Akebie
The Akebia can be propagated by sowing the seeds, which are about five millimeters in size, or by cuttings. Due to the very slow development of the seedlings, we recommend propagation via offshoots. These offshoots often form on their own. As soon as a shoot touches the ground, it begins to root at the point of contact. This can also be done in a targeted manner by bending a shoot to the ground with a stone and weighing it down. You can always check whether the shoot of the climbing cucumber has already grown firmly and has therefore pulled roots. If this is the case, you can cut the shoot to the mother plant. After a few weeks, you can dig up the offshoot and plant the climbing cucumber somewhere else.
Are Akebia bee friendly?
The flowers of the Akebie are of little interest to bees because the flowers do not contain any nectar. We therefore recommend that you sow a bed with a flower mixture around the Akebia in which bees and other beneficial insects feel comfortable. Our beneficial insect magnet is a seed mix that allows you to create such a paradise for beneficial insects in no time.
Chocolate Wine Fruits: Edible or Poisonous?
The fruits of the chocolate wine are not poisonous but edible and are considered a delicacy in Asia. Chocolate wine leaves are also non-toxic and are even used as a tea in some regions of Asia. Especially in warm regions of Germany, where wine is grown, for example, you can expect to be able to harvest fruit from your climbing cucumber in October. Depending on the variety, the cucumber-shaped fruits are five to 12 centimeters long, dark brown and covered with a layer of wax. When fully ripe, the fruits burst open on their own and reveal a whitish, slightly sweet flesh.
In addition to the exotic Akebia, there are also numerous exciting, insect-friendly climbing plants that can decorate your pergola or house facade.