Pest Patrol: Chocolate vine – Sounds delicious, but it’s weedy

Chocolate vine, or akebia (Akebia quinata) was once popular with Kiwi gardeners who grew it up and along walls and trellises.

Unfortunately, its bad habit of ‘jumping the fence’ and smothering forest means it is banned from sale or distribution around the country. Under favourable conditions Akebia can grow more than 10m in a season, strangling its host plants and starving them of light.

The leaves have five rounded leaflets with a little notch in each tip. Scented purple flowers with three petals appear in spring.

It's still a fairly uncommon weed in Nelson, but in the areas it has got to, it is spreading with vigour. There are a few properties that have maintained Akebia for many years, however, based on the impacts in other areas, we are trying to locate and remove all vines to reduce the risk of spread (including the well-manicured ones).

If you have seen this vine growing wild, please let Council’s biosecurity officer know. If you have it in your garden, please consider having it removed and replacing it with something less weedy.

If you think you have seen the plant in your neighbourhood, please call the Council office, or drop an email to biosecurity@ncc.govt.nz and a biosecurity officer will call you back. Snapping some clear pictures of the plant in question is often a great help.

More information on the effects and control of Akebia can be found here: weedbusters.org.nz/what-are-weeds/weed-list/chocolate-vine-or-akebia