Akebia quinata

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-000969",
  "term": "Akebia quinata",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "Fiveleaf akebia, also known as chocolate vine, is a woody perennial plant that grows either as a twining vine or a groundcover. It has slender stems that are green when young and brown at maturity. The leaves are dull blue-green in color and alternate along the stem. Each leaf is divided into five stalked leaflets that meet at a central juncture. Leaflets are 1½ to 3 inches long and are notched at the tip. The flowers are reddish to purple-brown, about 1 inch across, and have a sweet fragrance likened to chocolate. Flowering occurs in springtime (March-April). The fruits, if produced at all, are large, soft, edible sausage-shaped pods 2¼ to 4 inches in length, that ripen in late September to early October. The inside of the pod has a whitish pulpy core with many tiny black seeds. Akebia is deciduous in cooler climates but may remain evergreen in warmer regions, such as Louisiana.",
  "references": [
    "National Park Service Plant Conservation Alliance at http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/akqu1.htm"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/akebia-quinata/"
}