Akebia
Akebia is a genus of five species of flowering plant, within the family Lardizabalaceae. The scientific name, akebia, is a Latinization of the Japanese name for species Akebia quinata: akebi.
Species
There are five species including:| Flower | Name | Common Name | Distribution |
| Akebia chingshuiensis T. Shimizu | Taiwan | ||
| Akebia longeracemosa Matsumura | China and Taiwan | ||
| Akebia quinata Decaisne | Chocolate vine or five-leaf akebia | China, Korea and Japan | |
| Akebia trifoliata Koidzumi | Three-leaf akebia | China, Korea and Japan |
Hybrids
- Akebia ×pentaphylla Makino
Fruit
''Akebia'' in Japan
Akebia is often mentioned in Japanese literature, where it is evocative of pastoral settings. Although the akebi commonly refers to the five-leafed species, the three-leafed species is used in much the same way for novelty food, medicine, and for vine material.While only a minor food eaten while foraging in the past, akebia is considered a specialty crop today, only available when in season. The pods contain a white, semi-translucent gelatinous pulp that is mildly sweet and full of seeds. The taste is described as sweet but rather "insipid". Some people recollect in idyllic terms how they foraged for it in the hills as children.
The purple-colored, slightly bitter rind has been used as a vegetable in Yamagata Prefecture or in those northern areas, where the typical recipe calls for stuffing the rind with minced chicken flavored with miso. Minor quantities of akebia are shipped to the urban market as a novelty vegetable.
In addition to consuming the fruit, akebia leaves are also made into a tea infusion. Outside of food and drinks, akebia vines are used for basket-weaving crafts. An old source lists Minakuchi, Shiga and Tsugaru as localities that produced baskets from the vines of trifoliate variety.