Woody semi-deciduous rampant climber. Leaflets mostly 5, radiating from the centre, about 4-6 cm long, more or less obovate and with wavy margins and notched tips. Flowers unusual and distinctly vanilla (chocolate) scented. Male flowers with purple sepals less than 1 cm long, stamens 6-7. Female flowers with sepals more than 1 cm long; spring. Carpels 5-7. Fruit to 10 cm long, purple.
China, Japan, Korea
Leaves with 5 leaflets radiating from the centre; flowers dark coloured and vanilla scented.
A. trifoliata (Thunb.) Koidz., Three-leaf Akebia, from China and Japan, has leaves with mostly 3 leaflets and is occasionally available.
Source: (1997). Lardizabalaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 2. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 1. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
