Tuesday, October 06, 2015

Curious Looking Fruits

This year for the first time the Akebia quinata growing at the base of the large sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) at the bottom of our garden has born numerous curious looking fruits.



Also known as the Chocolate Vine, here it was in full bloom a few months ago during the spring...


I'm not sure what triggered it to produce so many fruits this year. We have three other Akebias in the garden but two are still small and have yet to produce blooms while a mature one didn't bloom this year (or perhaps it did, I couldn't remember!). It is however on this site for many years now so perhaps maturity is a big factor.


The fruits are the size of plums and ripe ones split open to reveal seeds.


Now is it edible? A quick search online suggested it is and I have given the inner pulp a little taste and it was sweet, reminding me of custard.

It is very pretty in it's own right and perhaps best left to be admired as an ornamental plant curiosity rather than for consumption.


After a few days the core of seeds fall off as a whole. Will we be weeding out hundreds of Akebia seedlings next year? We'll just have to wait and see!


Pretty isn't it?


Mark :-)

22 comments :

  1. That's crazy! I had no idea. Interesting they taste sweet....thanks for sharing!

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  2. I like it! Very pretty color. Did you taste one that had already split open, or did you open it yourself? I'd be wary of eating a split one due to fruit flies and other tiny critters.

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    1. A recently split one Alan, perhaps the man reason why I only tried a bit just in case. I think it's ripe when it splits, I may be wrong though.

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  3. Very pretty. And curious. Brave of you to try it..

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  4. Mysterious and beautiful surprise!

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  5. Hi Mark, never consciously seen this plant and therefore, of course, the same goes for the fruits. But they are indeed quite beautiful and the same goes for the seeds. The hobby florist in me wonders if the fruits and seeds could be used for a unique autumn decoration of a table setting?
    Warm regards,
    Christina

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    1. Pretty while hanging but may not make a graceful transition to a table or vase display. Will see how it looks like once the fruits dry up!

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  6. They are strange-looking, but rather beautiful, as well. The akebia at Cistus was loaded with fruit this year. Some of them were born in groups and held like six-pointed stars. Very pretty. They've all fallen off now, and look and feel a bit like pigs ears. Something odd and leathery, at least.

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    1. Yikes, not so pretty when dry then. Curious things!

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  7. Fascinating! I always thought the plant was pretty but hadn't previously seen the fruit.

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    1. Fingers crossed it will fruit each year now :)

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  8. Seeing your photos and reading Evan's comment has me wishing I'd seen the one at Cistus. Very cool!

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    1. Indeed :) surprised you didn't spot it at Cistus.

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  9. Very pretty indeed! A plant which tastes of custard? That's got to be a winner.

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  10. Very unusual. It's too bad the seeds fall out; the fruit would be even more ornamental if they stayed in place.

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  11. Hello Mark and Gaz, am glad you reminded me that you are still blogging, i was absent for some months and now regaining my blogging friends again. That plant and fruits are really interesting, Maybe those are intended for the birds while in the wild. Which country is it native from?

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  12. Quite cool! I had never seen the fruit before.

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  13. You know you can eat them. There is a recipe to cook them stuffed with mushrooms (filling done with chicken/onions/mushroom). It IS very good !

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  14. I had no idea they produced fruit! I used to grow one on the pergola in my previous garden, and loved the flowers, but it always got really tatty over the winter so I gave up on it. You've reminded me that I always really loved it in every other season. I could probably grow it really well here in my sheltered back garden...

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