# Five-leaf akebia (*Akebia quinata*) The Five-leaf Akebia is a climbing plant with beautiful purple flowers. Its leaves have five leaflets, making it look special and unique in gardens and forests. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Five-leaf akebia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Akebia_quinata02.jpg&width=800) Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Akebia_quinata02.jpg) ## Appearance The Five-leaf akebia is a vigorous climbing vine with distinctive palmate leaves, each divided into five oval leaflets. Its small, purplish-brown flowers hang in clusters, often hidden by the foliage, and are followed by unique sausage-shaped, lavender-purple fruits. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ranunculales - **Family:** Lardizabalaceae - **Genus:** Akebia ## Interesting facts - Even its tough, flexible stems were used to make traditional sandals! - Its unusual fruit can split open when ripe, revealing edible, jelly-like pulp! - Japanese farmers once used akebia vines to weave strong, durable baskets! - The young shoots are sometimes stir-fried in Japan, tasting like asparagus! ## Special abilities - **Rapid Climber:** The Five-leaf akebia can rapidly twine its stems around supports, helping it quickly reach sunlight and outcompete other plants. - **Edible Delight:** Akebia produces unique, sweet fruit that attracts animals, helping spread its seeds far and wide for reproduction. - **Drought Endurance:** This plant has robust roots that can store water and nutrients, helping it survive periods of drought effectively. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 300-1000 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen from its flowers. - **Eats:** Humans (*Homo sapiens*) — Consumes its sweet, edible fruit. - **Eaten by:** [Song Thrush](https://www.snappit.app/explore/song-thrush) (*Turdus philomelos*) — May eat ripe fruit, aiding seed dispersal. ## Traits - [Climbing/Vine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/climbing-vine): Climbing or vine plants are characterized by a growth habit that allows them to ascend upwards by twining, tendrils, or adhesive roots. - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before touching or tasting plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Five-leaf akebia? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Five-leaf akebia? 300-1000 cm ### How big are the flowers on Five-leaf akebia? 2-3 cm ### When does Five-leaf akebia bloom? Spring ### Is Five-leaf akebia edible? Yes ### Is Five-leaf akebia toxic? None ### What is Five-leaf akebia's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is Five-leaf akebia pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Georgia Institute of Technology Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/georgia-institute-of-technology-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Bush Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bush-hill-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Linwood](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/linwood) — New York, US · Historic District - [Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/martin-luther-king-jr-national-historical-park) — Georgia, US · National Park - [Mozley Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mozley-park-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Spring Mill Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/spring-mill-park) — Pennsylvania, US · Park [View all places to see Five-leaf akebia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/five-leaf-akebia) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Five-leaf akebia: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/five-leaf-akebia)