Akebia trifoliata ("Mitsubaakebi")

Japanese name: ミツバアケビ （三葉通草）
Scientific name: Akebia trifoliata

[Overview]
A deciduous woody climber that climbs by twining around other plants.
Sometimes the leaves remain through winter.
The leaves are alternate and palmately compound with 3 leaflets; the petiole is 2–14 cm.
The leaflets are ovate, 2–6 cm long and 1.5–4 cm wide, slightly notched at the tip, with wavy teeth.
The leaflet stalks are 0.3–3 cm.
Racemose inflorescences hang down from the new leaves and scale axils of short shoots, bearing a dozen or so male flowers at the tip and 1–3 female flowers at the base.
The flowers have no petals.
The male flowers are 0.4–0.5 cm across and deep purple, with 3 sepals 0.2 cm long; the flower stalk is 0.3 cm.
The female flowers are 1.5 cm across and deep purple, with 3 sepals 0.7–1 cm long; the flower stalk is 2–4 cm.
The fruit is a berry, oblong, about 10 cm long and tinged with purple; when ripe it splits open to reveal white flesh inside.

[Uses]
The flesh is sweet and can be eaten raw.
The remaining fleshy rind is bitter and can be eaten cooked, for example stuffed with meat.
The young shoots are also used as wild vegetables.
Oil can be extracted from the seeds.
The vines are used for crafts such as woven baskets.
The vines are used as a crude drug.

[Cultivation]
As long as the site is well drained, retains water well and is sunny, it is not very particular about soil.
Propagate by grafting or from seed.
Powdery mildew and aphids are seen as pests and diseases.

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