Chocolate Vine

I am looking for anyone that might has seeds of Akebia quinata or trifoliata... or maybe a cutting. I am not sure about starting this vine from a cutting--- also any info would be helpful.
http://plantsdatabase.com/go/369/index.html

cheers,
kendra

FYI - I have no seeds from that vine and I never do cuttings (don't have the patience and I don't have the means to tend to them properly). It's funny, this vine seems to be the most asked for plant that I have. I've had several requests for cuttings. Seems like there would be a source for these via mail order, online or at a local garden store. I belive I got mine locally. I rarely order anything. Fortunately, I have a nice variety of garden stores in this area.

I spent all of last year buying & trading for seeds. I wanted this so badly, and was trying to get multiple kinds so that I could get fruit (needs 2 varieties 2 produce) and tried every way known to mankind to get these to germinate. I said they were not gonna beat me. They did. LOL I figure I tried 65 +seeds.
My suggestion is to stick to cuttings. Save yourself the headache. ;~)
Good luck,
Donna

phid,
I have some cuttings rooting as we speak but I'm not sure if they are well rooted yet. They were starting to root the last time I looked at them which was a while back. They didn't have as developed roots as I had expected. I don't give them any bottom heat and they probably would root faster if I did. I can check and see what's going on with them. I might be able to do these for SASE. The type I have are the quinata. In case you decide to trade, please follow this link for more info on what I'm looking for.

http://davesgarden.com/t/446364/

Hey Bug Freak,

I looked at your wanted list.... I seem to have NO-thing. So if you are interested in an SASE, I am highly interested. I can wait until the cutting is a bit more established, no rush.
thanks for the post.
cheers,
Phidania

I'll keep an eye on them an once I check them out I'll let you know what they look like. I also sent you an e-mail. You have a very interesting list.

I recently bought some of these seeds on ebay, and have planted them, you mean, they aren't ever going to flower because I need two diff kinds for it to flower & fruit, I"m new to this vine, none of the seeds have germinated yet, but I just planted them a few days ago.

kathy_ann

someone tell me if my efforts are fruitless LOL

I tried seeds 3 times
no germination but I am seedling challenged
(and rooting challenged)
I fount a plant a walmart last year
Its doing great

Kathy_ann,
Your plant will bloom but will not fruit/seed without another genetically different plant to cross pollinate with. Your efforts are "fruitless" in a sense but not totally. :-)

what other kind of plant will I have to get for my plants to seed?

sorry for taking over this thread.

kathy

If you mean (What kind of plant will you need to get your Akebia quinata to produce seed?) You would need either another genetically different Akebia quinata. Obviously this cannot be a cutting of the plant that yours came from nor can it be a cutting from yours. It would have to come from seed or be a cutting from one that was grown from a different seed than the seed that yours came from.

What pudgy mentioned above is that it can be 2 different varieties. I'm not familiar with Akebia enough to be able to comment on that. If I'm not mistaking, what pudgy is saying is that if you have an Akebia quinata and you also have an Akebia trifoliata you would be able to get the plants to produce fruit. The product of this crossed seed would be a hybrid and may (not always but most likely) turn out to be sterile.

There are quite a few plants that need cross polination. Starfruit, kiwi, papaya, mangos, avacados, paw paw, and ginko trees just to name a few examples. It's difficult to list them all. There are many passifloras too. There are even those that are sex specific plants such as the sago palm, kiwi, avacados, mangos, starfruit and canibis sativa. In these cases each plant is either male or female (unless grafted). And as nature goes, you would need a "boy" and a "girl" plant to get the female plant to produce the seed(again, unless grafted). Blooms will come even if you don't have both sex plants. Just the same if you have a plant that only needs cross pollination where the plant is not sex specific. This one too will bloom. It just won't produce seed/fruit.

Most of the common garden plants are not cross pollination adapted or sex specific. They are instead for the most part self fertile.

Cross pollinating plants that are not sex specific can all produce fruit in the company of another genetically different plant of their own species. (Or as Pudgy mentioned above, even in the company of a different variety)

In the case of sex specific plants only the female can produce the fruit but will only be fertile in the company of a male plant of it's own species.

Phidania,
I don't mean to ramble just trying to explain something to Kathy. This used to drive me nuts trying to figure it out. I'll hang onto one of the cuttings for you. Did you get my e-mail? I took many cuttings of Akebia quinata and only had about 6 actually produce roots. It looks like I may have to go out and take some more cuttings.

thanks so much bugfreak for explaining this to me, I guess i'll enjoy the flowers. LOL

gonna go check my auction that I won and make sure of exactly what kind of choc. vine it was.

kathy

Hugo if your cuttings make it save me one. I got one from Daisy while she was here but need another different one to make fruit.

Donna,
One is yours. I'm sure I have at least two.

Hey Bug Freak,

Thanks for all the useful information!!! Sorry, I have been overwhelmed with work and not checking personal email recently... but I will get to it.
cheers,
Phidania

Phidania,
Take your time. I'll be around. No hurry.