Akebia quinata - Akebia

Habitat

Exposition

Toutes expositions

Humidité

Humidité moyenne.

Sol

Tous sols. Nécessite un sol drainant.

pH

Sol acide ou calcaire

Rusticité

Zone 5

Habitat originel

Woods, hedges and thickets in mountainous areas[58]. Forest margins along streams, scrub on mountain slopes at elevations of 300 - 1500 metres in China[266].

Origine géographique

Asie orientale - Chine, Japon, Corée

Comestibilité

• Fruits - crus [2, 105, 177].
• Sweet but insipid [3].
• The fruit has a delicate flavour and a soft, juicy texture [K].
• Lemon juice is sometimes added to the fruit to enhance the flavour [183].
• The bitter skin of the fruit is fried and eaten [183].
• The fruit is 5 - 10cm long and up to 4m wide [200, 266].
• Soft young shoots are used in salads or pickled [183].
• The leaves are used as a tea substitute [105, 177, 183].

Usages médicinaux

• The stems are anodyne, antifungal, antiphlogistic, bitter, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, laxative, galactogogue, resolvent, stimulant, stomachic and vulnerary [174, 178, 218, 238].
• Taken internally, it controls bacterial and fungal infections and is used in the treatment of urinary tract infections, lack of menstruation, to improve lactation etc [238].
• The stems are harvested in the autumn and dried for later use [238].
• The fruit is antirheumatic, depurative, diuretic, febrifuge, stomachic and tonic [218].
• It is a popular remedy for cancer [218].
• The root is febrifuge [218].
• The plant was ranked 13th in a survey of 250 potential antifertility plants in China [218].

Autres usages

• The peeled stems are very pliable and can be used in basket making [174].
• Plants have sometimes been used as a ground cover, but their method of growth does not really lend themselves to this use [208].

Culture

• Requires a well-drained moisture retentive soil [200].
• Prefers a good loamy soil [11].
• Succeeds in acid or alkaline soils [200].
• Prefers partial shade but succeeds in full sun [3, 200].
• Succeeds on north facing walls [219].
• Plants are fast growing and can be invasive [200].
• Dormant plants are hardy to about -20°c but they can be somewhat tender when young [200].
• The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun [K].
• This species grows very well in S.W. England [11].
• Plants are evergreen in mild winters [11].
• Resentful of root disturbance, either grow the plants in containers prior to planting them out or plant them out whilst very young [219].
• Plants are not normally pruned, if they are growing too large they can be cut back by trimming them with shears in early spring [202].
• The flowers have a spicy fragrance, reminiscent of vanilla [219].
• Plants are shy to fruit, they possibly require some protection in the flowering season, hand pollination is advisable [3, 11].
• Plants are probably self-sterile[11, 182], if possible at least 2 plants should be grown, each from a different source .
• Les plantes de ce genre sont notamment résistantes aux armillaires (champignons) [200].

Propagation

• Graines - Semez sous chassis dès qu'elles sont mûres .
• Surface sow in a light position [133].
• The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°c [133].
• Stored seed should be given 1 month cold stratification[113, 133] and can be very difficult to germinate .
• When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least their first winter .
• Plantez les en extérieur à la fin du printemps ou au début de l'été, après les dernières gelées .
• Boutures de bois mi-mûr, Juillet/Août sous chassis [11, 113].
• The cuttings can be slow to root [200].
• Cuttings can also be taken of soft wood in spring [113].
• Root cuttings, December in a warm greenhouse [113].
• Layering in early spring [1].
• Very easy, the plants usually self-layer and so all you need to do is dig up the new plants and plant them out directly into their permanent positions .