Akebia quinata is an invasive deciduous to evergreen climbing or trailing vine that invades forested areas throughout the eastern United States. The twining vines are green when young, turning brown as they age.

Foliage

The leaves are palmately compound with up to five, 1.5-3 in. (2.5-7.6 cm) long, oval leaflets.

Flower

Flowering occurs in the mid-spring, when small, purple to red, fragrant flowers develop.

Fruit

Fruit, which is rarely produced, are purple seed pods that contain white pulp and small black seeds.

Ecological Threat

Akebia quinata is able to invade forested habitats because it is shade tolerant. The dense mat of vines formed can displace native understory species. It can also climb into, smother, and kill small trees and shrubs. Akebia quinata is native to eastern Asia and was first introduced into the United States in 1845 as an ornamental.

Citation
Rawlins, K.A., R.L. Winston, C.T. Bargeron, D.J. Moorhead, and R. Carroll. 2018. New Invaders of the Northeast and Northcentral United States. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Assessment and Applied Sciences Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. FHTET-2017-04. Retrieved from https://bugwoodcloud.org/resource/pdf/FHTET-2017-04_New%20Invaders_NE.pdf
 

Resources

• Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas - National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas - Plant Conservation Alliance
• Weed of the Week - USDA Forest Service

Selected Images

Maps

Invasive Listing Sources

• City of Ann Arbor Michigan Parks and Recreation
• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, 1994.
• Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council - Category 4
• Invasive Plant Species of West Virginia
• Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
• Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council - Significant Threat
• Maine Invasive Plants
• Maryland Department of Agriculture's Candidates for Listing of Invasive Plants
• Maryland Department of Natural Resources Policy: Restriction on Planting Exotic Invasive Plants
• Maryland Invasive Species Council - Invasive Species of Concern in Maryland
• National Park Service, Mid-Atlantic Exotic Plant Management Team Invasive Plant List
• New Invaders of the Northeast and Northcentral
• New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team 2017 Invasive Species List
• Non-Native Invasive Plants of Arlington County, Virginia
• Non-Native Invasive Plants of the City of Alexandria, Virginia
• Nonnative Invasive Species in Southern Forest and Grassland Ecosystems
• Ontario’s Invading Species Awareness Program Tracked Species List
• Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Invasive Plants
• Pennsylvania Noxious Weeds
• Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas
• Rhode Island Natural History Survey
• South Carolina Invasive Pest Council
• Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council
• Virginia Invasive Plant Species List
• Virginia Master Naturalists Priority Species List
• WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States
• West Virginia Invasive Species Strategic Plan and Volunteer Guidelines 2014
• West Virginia Native Plant Society, Flora West Virginia Project, and West Virginia Curatorial Database System, September 3, 1999
• Wisconsin Noxious Weeds
• Wisconsin's Invasive species rule – NR 40

References