Akebia (Chocolate Vine) Invades Belmont

By Dean Hickman and Leonard Katz

Akebia quinata, also known as chocolate vine, is an evergreen ground cover and climbing vine with compound leaves, typically having five leaflets with notched tips. It is invasive in our area, and has taken over as ground cover and climbed and smothered trees in two forested conservation areas in Belmont: Beaver Brook Reservation, northeast of the upper Mill Pond off Mill Street; and in the Pleasant Street area of Lone Tree Hill, across the brook from the Coal Road Trail, on the hill above the back entrance to the Star Market parking lot.

Akebia quinata seldom flowers this far north, although we have observed this once locally. The flowers are small, purple to red, and fragrant. Its fruit, not yet observed locally, is a large, soft, edible sausage-shaped pod that ripens in late summer to fall. When eaten by wildlife, seed dispersal can extend its range beyond any area of initial introduction.

The plant, which originated in northeast Asia, was introduced as an ornamental in the United States in 1845. Its leaves and stem are neither consumed by native animals nor vulnerable to native plant diseases.  These advantages over native plants allow it to be invasive. And its shade tolerance allows it to invade forested areas.

Control methods

Akebia can be controlled by manual cutting of the vines and removing as much root as possible. For large infestations, using a systemic herbicide such as glyphosate is an option, but as with any toxin, this must be done carefully and selectively, by professionals. In addition systemic herbicide application requires funding, which is in short supply given competing demands on land management resources.

Local experience

According to the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group , more evidence is needed to evaluate Akebia quinata’s reproductive ability and potential for establishment away from intentional cultivation to list it as an invasive plant. However, it seems to us that our observations in Belmont go a considerable way to providing this evidence.   

We shared our information in May 2024 with members of the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group, including its chair, who represents the nursery industry which still sells this plant. We have not received a reply as of 1/26/25.

The Land Management Committee for Lone Tree Hill and Belmont’s Conservation Commission have both authorized Belmont Conservation Volunteers to remove Akebia from conservation lands. The plant is established at Lone Tree Hill near the base of the Coal Road Trail above Pleasant Street. It is present on both sides of the secondary entrance to the Coal Road Trail that runs from the kiosk toward Star Market and has taken over as ground cover uphill, across the seasonal Junction Brook from the Coal Road Trail.

Stems form a wiry mesh with runners reaching as long as 10 to 20 feet. Stems branch at distinctive nodules which make it easy to identify. The Belmont Conservation Volunteers have been delaying its advance and destructive effects by removing its wiry runners that strangle and smother young saplings and native ground cover. Several volunteers worked at containing this patch of Akebia on six weekends in September and October last year, but more work needs to be done.

It is unclear if pulling the Akebia will suffice to eradicate this invasion, as the nodules are large in places, and the roots deep, especially close to the Junction Brook. In our view, this behavior is clearly invasive. Supporting our experience, Akebia was anointed “Weed of the Week” 20 years ago by the USDA Forest Service and, accordingto their reference guide, it is next on the list to be added to their growing Invasive Plants List along with 15 other species.

Our Hope and Community Opportunity

We hope that with further volunteer effort in 2025, this localized Akebia invasion in the most ecologically intact region of Lone Tree Hill will be eradicated without herbicide use, or at the very least contained so that it does not spread.

To help Belmont Conservation Volunteers  control Akebia and other invasive plants in Belmont’s conservation lands, please join our Google group to receive announcements of our restoration events, starting each spring. Learn more at www.sustainablebelmont.net/belmont-conservation-volunteers/ 

Belmont Conservation Volunteers’ first group volunteer opportunity will be Saturday, March 22, at 9:30 AM, rain date March 23. We also list our events in the Belmont Voice calendar. We hope to meet many of you this spring, going after the Akebia at Lone Tree Hill first and garlic mustard and winged-knotweed later in the spring.

Dean Hickman and Leonard Katz are leaders of the Belmont Conservation Volunteers.