A Detailed Guide to the Cultivation Methods and Key Techniques for the Five-Leaf Akebia

  Five-leaf akebia (Akebia quinata) is a common climbing flowering plant in summer and autumn, an excellent choice for vertical greening and small flower trellises, and can be used as a climbing material along hedges. Five-leaf akebia is a perennial herbaceous plant with twining stems that are grayish-green and often bear small wart-like bumps. The leaves are alternate, palmately 5-parted, with elliptic-lanceolate, entire leaflets. The solitary flowers grow in the leaf axils, or 2~3 cluster together, with funnel-shaped corollas in pale purplish-red. It prefers a sunny, warm and humid climate and loose, fertile soil. Below is an introduction to the cultivation methods for five-leaf akebia:

  [Light Management]

  It likes a semi-shaded environment and can be given plenty of sunlight in autumn, winter and spring, but in summer it needs more than 50% shade. When grown indoors, place it in a spot with bright light as much as possible, such as a well-lit living room, bedroom or study. After growing it indoors for a period (about one month), move it outdoors to a shaded spot (with insulation in winter) for a period (about one month), and alternate back and forth in this way.

  [Temperature Management]

  Because it originates from tropical regions, it likes high temperatures and high humidity, so its temperature requirements in winter are very strict. When the ambient temperature is below 10°C it stops growing, and it cannot overwinter safely when frost occurs.

  In summer:

  1. Strengthen air convection so that the heat inside the plant can be released;

  2. Place it in a semi-shaded spot, or give it 50% shade;

  3. Mist it appropriately, 2~3 times a day.

  In winter:

  1. Move it indoors to a bright spot for care;

  2. Outdoors, you can wrap it in plastic film to overwinter, but every two days at the warmer midday period, uncover the film to let it breathe.

  [Humidity Management]

  It likes a humid climate and requires the relative air humidity of the growing environment to be 70~80%. If the relative air humidity is too low, the lower leaves turn yellow and drop, and the upper leaves lose their luster.

  [Fertilizer and Water Management]

  For potted plants, in addition to adding organic fertilizer when potting, proper fertilizer and water management should also be carried out during routine care.

  In spring, summer and autumn:

  These three seasons are its peak growing period. Fertilizer and water management follows the cycle of "Huabao" -- clear water -- "Huabao" -- clear water, with an interval of about 1~4 days. The interval is shorter on sunny days or during high temperatures, and longer on rainy days or during low temperatures, or watering is skipped.

  In winter:

  During the winter dormant period, the main task is to control fertilizer and water. Fertilizer and water management follows the cycle of "Huabao" -- clear water -- clear water -- "Huabao" -- clear water -- clear water, with an interval of about 3~7 days. The interval is shorter on sunny days or during high temperatures, and longer on rainy days or during low temperatures, or watering is skipped.

  For plants grown in the ground, in spring and summer, depending on drought conditions, apply fertilizer and water 2~4 times: first dig a small circular trench 30~100 cm outside the root collar (the larger the plant, the farther from the root collar), with the trench 20 cm wide and 20 cm deep. Scatter 25~50 jin of organic fertilizer into the trench, or 1~5 liang of granular compound fertilizer (chemical fertilizer), then water thoroughly. After winter begins and before spring arrives, apply fertilizer once more in the same way as above, but do not water.