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Key characteristics

Family: Lardizabalaceae
Height: 10 to 20 ft (or more with support)
Width: 8 to 15 ft (on trellis or support)
Flower color: Creamy white to pale white blossoms
Foliage color: Medium to deep green, compound leaves with five leaflets
Bloom time: Early to mid spring
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Moderate moisture
Maintenance: Moderate; provide sturdy support or trellis, prune lightly after flowering or in late winter
Growing zone: USDA zones 4 to 8
Wildlife: Bees and other spring pollinators; birds may use vine for cover

Vines

Akebia quinata 'Alba'

White-flowered Chocolate Vine

Akebia quinata 'Alba' is a twining deciduous vine with palmately divided, mid-green leaves that create a light, airy canopy through the growing season. In mid to late spring, slender clusters of creamy white flowers appear along the stems, releasing a soft, sweet fragrance that drifts through the garden. The blossoms are followed by elongated seed pods on mature plants, adding interest later in the season.

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Water

Moderate moisture

Bloom time

Early to mid spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Arbors & Trellises
Fences & Walls
Vertical Screening
Cottage Gardens
Pollinator Gardens

Companion plants

Japanese anemones · Bleeding hearts · Catmint · Boxwood · Hardy geraniums · Hostas

Design tip

Spring bloom is its headline moment, and it reads best in a group rather than as a single plant. Train the main stems early on a trellis or fence so the growth spreads sideways rather than bunching at the top.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)