Chocolate vine
Akebia quinata
Also called Akebia and Five-leaf akebia
Garden plant · ClimbersThe flowers really do smell of chocolate, on a warm still evening in April, and only then. It seeds itself hard — it is a listed invasive across the eastern US.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 5 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Hardy — a very cold winter RHS H6, to -20°C
- Size
- 9 m tall · 6 m across
- Lifecycle
- Climber
- Origin
- China, Korea and Japan
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsNothing recorded against it
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-08-03. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.