Akebia trifoliata (Thunb.) Koidz.

Woody climbers, deciduous or subevergreen. Stems grayish brown, verruculose, laxly lenticellate. Petiole 7--11 cm; lateral petiolules 6--12 mm; terminal petiolule 2--4 cm; leaflets 3 (--5), ovate, ovate-oblong, or broadly ovate, 3--8 × 1.5--6 cm, papery, subleathery, or leathery, abaxially pale green, adaxially dark green, base truncate, rounded, cordate, or cuneate, margin sinuate, shallowly lobed, subentire, or entire, apex obtuse to narrowly rounded and slightly emarginate, cuspidate. Racemes axillary on short branches, 6--16 cm; peduncle slender, 3--5 cm. Male flowers: 15--30. Pedicel filiform, 2--5 mm. Sepals 3 or 4, pale purple to purple, broadly elliptic, elliptic, or oblong. Stamens 6; filaments very short; anthers incurved at anthesis. Pistillodes 3, oblong-subulate. Female flowers: pedicel 1.5--3 cm, slightly thicker than in male flower. Sepals 3, purplish brown, dark purple, or purplish black, suborbicular, sublinear, or narrowly oblong. Carpels 4--9, straight, 4--6 mm. Fruit oblong, straight or slightly curved. Seeds ovoid, 5--7 × 4--5 mm. Fl. Apr--May, fr. Jun--Sep.

Plants grow naturally in rocky places in woods and thickets to 1800 metres in China, Japan and Korea. It needs well drained moist soil. It can grow in acid or alkaline soils. Dormant plants can withstand heavy frosts but plants with shoots are damaged. It can stand temperatures down to-10°C. In mild climates plants do not lose their leaves. It can grow in shade but does better in the sun. It grows in Sichuan and Yunnan.

The ripe fruit is eaten raw. It can also be used for drinks. The dried young leaves are used as a herbal tea.

Plants can be grown from seed. If possible use fresh seed or for stored seed give it one months cold treatment. Seed should be sown on the surface of the soil. The seed usually germinates in 1-3 months at 15°C. Plants do not transplant easily. Plants do not transplant easily. Plants do well climbing on deciduous trees. Hand pollination helps fruit bearing. As plants are probably self sterile 2 plants from different sources should be grown together. Plants can be grown from cuttings of the vine or root. Plants can also be grown by layering.