Akebia

Akebia is a genus of ve species of owering plant, within

the family Lardizabalaceae. The scientic name, akebia,
is a Latinization of the Japanese name for species Akebia
quinata: akebi ().

people recollect in idyllic terms how they foraged for it in

the hills as children.* [5]
The purple-colored, slightly bitter rind has been used
as vegetable in Yamagata Prefecture* [5]* [6] or in those
northern areas, where the typical recipe calls for stuing the rind with minced chicken (or pork) avored with
miso.* [6] Minor quantities of akebia are shipped to the
urban market as novelty vegetable.

Species

There are ve species including:* [1]

In Japan, the leaves are made into a tea infusion.* [3] Also,
Akebia vines are used for basket-weaving crafts. An old
Akebia chingshuiensis T. Shimizu, native to Taiwan
source lists Minakuchi, Shiga and Tsugaru (now Aomori
Prefecture) as localities that produced baskets from the
Akebia longeracemosa Matsumura, native to China vines of trifoliate variety.* [7]
and Taiwan
Akebia quinata (Houttuyn) Decaisne Chocolate Vine
or Five-leaf Akebia, native to China, Korea and
Japan

4 Gallery

Akebia trifoliata (Thunberg) Koidzumi Three-leaf

Akebia, native to China, Korea and Japan
Akebia trifoliata subsp.

australis (Diels) T.

Shimizu

Akebia trifoliata subsp. longisepala H. N. Qin

Akebia trifoliata subsp. trifoliata

Akebia quinata leaves and owers

Invasive plant

Akebia quinata is listed under the National Pest Plant Accord as anunwanted organismin New Zealand since it
is considered to be an invasive plant.* [2] It is also considered invasive in several states in the eastern United States,
according to the Plant Conservation Alliance.

Akebia in Japan

Female owers of Akebia Mitsuba

(large) and male (small)

Akebia is often mentioned in Japanese literature, where

it is evocative of pastoral settings.* [3] Although the akebi
commonly refers to the ve-leafed species, the threeleafed species is used in much the same way for novelty
food, medicine, and for vine material.
It is something of minor food source that was foraged in
the past when other more conventional food sources were
scarce. The pods contain a white, semi-translucent gelatinous pulp that is mildly sweet and full of seeds.* [4] The
taste is described as sweet but ratherinsipid.* [4] Some

Mitsuba early fruit of Akebia

Akebia ower

Early fruit of Akebia

References

[1] "Akebia". Flora of China. Retrieved 2009-04-05.

[2] Akebia. Biosecurity New Zealand. Archived from the
original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
[3] Davidson, Alan, and Tom Jaine. The Oxford companion
to food. Oxford University Press, USA, 2006. 805. Print.
Retrieved Aug. 09, 2010, from
[4] Sargent, Charles Sprague (March 25, 1891), Plant
Notes-The Fruit of Akebia quinata (With Figure.)"
(google), Garden and Forest, 4 (161): 136
[5] Nimura, Kazuo()r (2006-07-22). "
(Self-history on food)". . Retrieved
April 2012. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
[6] Yamagata City Health Center (2011-01-31). "
(stued akebia)". Retrieved April 2012. Check
date values in: |access-date= (help), photograph shows trifoliate variety (twig, fresh purple plant, and prepared dish)
[7] Agricultural Society of Japan; Dai Nihon Nkai(author
alia) (1895). Useful plants of Japan: described and illustrated (google). 1. Agricultural Society of Japan. p. 92.

Further reading
Bailey, L. H. (2005). Manual of Gardening (Second
Edition). Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.

External links
Akebia: Three Varieties including photographs by
Paghat's Garden
Akebia: Edible Fruits including photographs by
Paghat's Garden

EXTERNAL LINKS

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

8.1

Text

Akebia Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akebia?oldid=750565740 Contributors: Bueller 007, Alan Liefting, DocWatson42, Andycjp, Phe, Ary29, Sten, Hesperian, Wouterstomp, Stemonitis, Tabletop, TheAlphaWolf, Ricardo Carneiro Pires, Eubot, Gdrbot, YurikBot,
Asarelah, Edward Waverley, Rkitko, Berton, Melburnian, Lisasmall, Kahuroa, Tawkerbot2, Alaibot, Thijs!bot, Headbomb, Teoul, JAnDbot, Peter coxhead, Ebizur, Idioma-bot, Chrishibbard7, Niceguyedc, Boneyard90, Staticshakedown, MystBot, Addbot, Flakinho, Lightbot,
Yobot, AnomieBOT, Xqbot, Daryona, Micromesistius, Trappist the monk, Kiyoweap, DASHBot, EmausBot, GoingBatty, LWenz, H3llBot,
Sminthopsis84, Makecat-bot, GreenC bot, Bender the Bot and Anonymous: 16

8.2

Images

File:Akebia_quinata02.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Akebia_quinata02.jpg License: CC-BYSA-3.0 Contributors: ? Original artist: ?

File:Akebia_quinata03.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Akebia_quinata03.JPG License: CC-BYSA-3.0 Contributors: Self-photographed Original artist: Apple2000
File:Akebia_quinata031.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Akebia_quinata031.jpg License: CC-BYSA-3.0 Contributors: Self-photographed Original artist: Apple2000
File:Akebia_quinata07.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Akebia_quinata07.jpg License: CC-BYSA-3.0 Contributors: Self-photographed Original artist: Apple2000
File: .jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/%E7%B5%90%E5%AE%9F%E7%9B%
B4%E5%BE%8C%E3%81%AE%E3%82%A2%E3%82%B1%E3%83%93.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: RAQ_0008_s.jpg
Original artist: (Tatsuhiko Sugiyama)

8.3

Content license

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0