Akebia
Genus of flowering plant
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Related on Lably
Through Flowering plant, Invasive species and Banana
Akebia quinata is the most well known species as a minor invader in the majority of the American East Coast and some states in the West Coast.
Taxonomy
The scientific name, akebia, is a Latinization of akebi (通草), the Japanese name for the species A. quinata.
Species
There are five species:
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Hybrids
- Akebia × pentaphylla (Makino) Makino (A. quinata × A. trifoliata)
Fruit
Akebia quinata and Akebia trifoliata both bear edible fruit, containing a sweet white flesh. Flavor varies greatly in akebias, even within the same species, with some individuals displaying a complex flavor profile resembling a mixture of banana, passionfruit and lychee, with others being mild, or even insipid (flavorless).
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 (or pork) 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 (now Aomori Prefecture) as localities that produced baskets from the vines of trifoliate variety.