North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Bob Hartley <bob@comcast.net>]

I have two Akebia species, quinata and trifoliata.  The nursery I got 
them from said they will cross pollinate.  Both have bloomed but only 
the quinata has fruited   The fruit (picture attached) is a large pod 
which opens when ripe to expose the edible part.  The latter is a stiff, 
clear, colorless gel, maybe 2 by 10 cm. with roughly a hundred embedded 
seeds., which are round, hard, smooth and about two millimeters in 
diameter.  The gel is sticky, very sweet, but with very little flavor. 
The vine is four or five years old and had eight or ten fruits last summer.

Bob Hartley,  Adams County, PA z6

P.S. I tried to include a picture attachment but it wouldn't go.


mauch1@aol.com wrote:

> I know Akebia has been talked about on this listserv before, but I 
> can't remember
> the details.  Is it attractive, productive, hardy, and how is the fruit? 
>  
>  
> Chris Mauchline
> SE PA, zone 6
> 40° 5' N 75° 51'W
> ~650 ft elevation
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------