Akebia

Akebia quinata 

Prohibited to WI

These beautiful, fast-growing vines may look dainty, with their delicate compound leaves and dangling clusters of cup-shaped blooms - and they are anything but! Originally native to Northern Japan, these aggressive vines are beautifully evergreen in the Pacific Northwest and warmer areas and deciduous in colder climates. The abundant May flower clusters are very fragrant. The vine produces bizarre looking five-inch (occasionally much larger) long pink, or blue-skinned fruit. Inside is a tasty roll of white seedy pulp that makes a tropical-tasting clear jelly or flavorful drink.

To get pollination and fruit, plant two different varieties.  The durable yet pliable vines, which can grow 20' per year, are prized for basket making and admired for the intricate silhouette patterns the foliage casts on walls. It may be pruned severely each year if you wish to control its rapid growth, or it can run along the ground, rooting where branches touch and become an attractive ground cover. If neglected, it can naturalize and become a weed. USDA Zones 4-10.