Chocolate vine 'Quinata' green-purple - Hardy plant

Make sure the root ball of the chocolate vine is really moist by placing in a bucket of lukewarm water. Prepare a large hole and loosen the soil. Plant the root ball at the correct height. The top of the root ball should be just slightly below the ground level. Fill the hole with soil and press firmly. Water immediately after planting. The chocolate vine grows well in any fertile, water-retentive soil. Improve garden soil with some compost and garden fertiliser. This vine will enjoy a warm and sheltered spot out of direct sunlight. Chocolate as a climber Akebia is a striking vine. In the spring the branches can decorate a wall or pergola with its distinctive flowers. The branches do not automatically form self clinging roots to aid support so it is recommended that at the beginning it is given help when climbing. The branches can be tethered along a wall or over a pergola. Because of its strong growth Akebia quinata is best used as a specimen. The shrub grows quickly and will soon cover a pergola creating a wonderful sight.

Akebia is also known as the chocolate vine. Make sure it is watered sufficiently to allow it to develop well. Although it is quite drought tolerant it is recommended to water more often in dry periods. It is only the young shrubs that are sensitive to frost. The more mature shrubs are fully hardy. Protect the base of young shrubs from frost with a layer of fallen leaves or straw and place a straw mat around the stem. Although some branches die off, the chocolate vine will always shoot from the roots. In early spring add a mulch of compost and granulated cow manure. Chocolate vine pruning As the chocolate vine blooms on old wood it can be pruned after flowering. This can be done by cutting well back on a ‘skeleton’ of older bearing side branches. The shrub grows very quickly. Pruning is necessary to avoid it being overcrowded by any large branches.

In spring, this exotic, flowering creeper will be a real show stopper with its large, lovely vanilla scented pink flowers. There are both female and male flowers on a vine. The flowers have diversity – some shrubs have very deep purple flowers, which can sometimes be almost chocolate brown. Hence the name ‘Chocolate Vine’. The branches do not form self clinging roots and need help. In a warm place the chocolate vine can grow to a height of 5 metres. The leathery leaves are palmate with 5 part leaves which have a beautiful purple edge – very decorative! The five-part is in the name ‘quinata’ which means ‘every five’. In cross-pollination (2 plants together) a special fruit will grow. These fruits are gorgeous and even edible. They are cucumber-shaped (length 5-10 cm) in a purplish-blue colour. The taste is not obvious. In Northern Europe, they grow only in warm long summers.