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Lardizabalaceae FAMILY

Akebia × pentaphylla

Akebia × pentaphylla

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitSemi-deciduous Climber
Growth—

Dormant plants are hardy to about -15°c but they can be somewhat tender when young and are best given some protection at this time[1]. Requires a well-drained moisture retentive soil[1]. Succeeds in acid or alkaline soils[1]. Prefers partial shade but succeeds in full sun[1]. Succeeds on a north facing wall[2]. The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun[PFAF]. Resentful of root disturbance, either grow plants in containers prior to planting them out or plant them out whilst very young[2]. A naturally occurring hybrid, Akebia quinata x Akebia trifoliata[1]. Plants are fast growing and need careful siting in the garden or they can quickly outgrow their welcome and invade other areas. They grows well on deciduous trees[3]. Plants are not normally pruned, if they are growing too large they can be cut back by trimming them with shears in early spring[4]. Shy to fruit, it possibly requires some protection in the flowering season - hand pollination is advisable. Plants are also possibly self-sterile. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[1].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Surface sow in a light position[5]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°c[5]. Stored seed should be given 1 month cold stratification[6, 5] and can be very difficult to germinate. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. This is a hybrid species and so it will not breed true from seed. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame[7, 6]. The cuttings can be slow to root[1]. Cuttings can also be taken of soft wood in spring[6]. Root cuttings, December in a warm greenhouse[6]. Layering in early spring[8]. Very easy, the plants usually self-layer and so all you need to do is dig up the new plants and plant them out directly into their permanent positions. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Akebia+%C3%97+pentaphylla>

Pollinators

Flies, Insects

References

  1. [1]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  2. [2]Gardening on Walls — Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. · Collins · 1983 · ISBN 0-00-219220-0 ↩︎A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.
  3. [3]Plants for Shade. — Knight. F. P. · Royal Horticultural Society. · 1980 · ISBN 0-900629-78-9 ↩︎A small but informative booklet listing plants that can be grown in shady positions with a few cultivation details.
  4. [4]Climbers and Wall Shrubs. — Davis. B. · Viking. · 1990 · ISBN 0-670-82929-3 ↩︎Contains information on 2,000 species and cultivars, giving details of cultivation requirements. The text is terse but informative.
  5. [5]Growing from Seed. Volume 1. — Rice. G. (Editor) · Thompson and Morgan. · 1987 · ISBN - ↩︎Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.
  6. [6]The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. — Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. · Athens Ga. Varsity Press · 1987 · ISBN 0942375009 ↩︎A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
  7. [7]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
  8. [8]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  9. [9]An Overview of Lardizabalaceae — Christenhusz M.J.M. · 2012 ↩︎
  10. [10]Dictionary of Economic Plants. — Uphof. J. C. Th. · Weinheim · 1959 · ISBN - ↩︎An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
  11. [11]A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. — Usher. G. · Constable · 1974 · ISBN 0094579202 ↩︎Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
  12. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎