In the early spring this perennial vine forms flower buds, sometimes fruit will form after which is quite strange looking. I have tasted the fruit and it has a mild passion fruit type flavor. Hoping I get more this year, that is the plan. I have multiple types of Akebia vines so hoping they will cross pollinate and make fruit.
The bees love these vines, its one of the early flowering plants around where I live. Forming flowers much before many other plants out there. I see both Mason bees and Carpenter bees visiting them.
 Camera Model | Lumix GH6 |
|---|---|
 Lens | Olympus MSC ED M. 60mm Macro lens |
 Filter | none |
 Aperture | f/11 |
 Shutter Speed | 1/125 sec |
 Film Speed | 500 |
 Spectrum | Visual Light |
 Wavelength | 380 through 700 nanometers |
 Location | North Georgia USA. |
The plant itself is quite hardy, and will climb just about anything you let it. And once the wood hardens it becomes quite tough and much but cut with a tool to break it free.
Right now it is growing up a column, it gets mostly afternoon light and seems quite happy with its setup. I pull down the vines over time or it will try to climb all the way up on the deck.
A few weeks ago we got another cold snap, bringing the temperatures down into the twenties. It killed some of the new growth, though I am sure the plant will grow new shoots where the frost got to them. I guess when you flower and grow so early sometimes the frosts will stop all of that.
For now new flowers will form and hopefully they all get pollenated, visiting both my white flowered Akebia and this pink/purple flowered one, if so it should make more fruit.