Chocolate Vine

I forgive this pretty chocolate vine "Akebia quinata"  for not blooming in its second year in my yard.

Its beautiful delicate leaves and its delicate twining nature are pretty enough.

It is supposed to have purple-mauve drooping flowers in late spring and sausage-shaped edible fruits in the fall.

To produce fruit it must have another vine nearby.  But no blooms yet.  Maybe next year.

Meanwhile it will cover both sides of my trellis and overpower the jasmine on the other side.

Fall

The 34-degree temperature about ten days ago helped these native dogwoods really show their colors in the mountains of western North Carolina.  This picture also shows how much I appreciate these passalong chrysanthemums.  I got this one at my mother's, where it has grown for decades.  I have not had one of those beautiful store-bought mums to survive more than one year.  The chocolate vine on the left side of the trellis is growing, but it didn't bloom this year.  It was planted about six months ago.