Good day from the Netherlands!
I’m a hobbyist growing all kinds of climbing plants. The most beautiful ones (real tropical) will not grow here, as we can have winters with snow and frost. Recently, however, I found the Taiwanese Chocolate Vine (Akebia longeracemosa) online, which looks really beautiful! Is this a plant you would normally find in Taiwan? Would anyone here be willing to sell me some seeds, so I could try to grow them here in Europe?
Best regards,
Hans
My local A-Ma store keeps trying to sale me a fruit that looks very familiar. Next time I visit I will show her pics and see if it is the same vine you are asking about. She says it’s rare and only knows the local Taiwanese name so not sure if I can get the Mandarin name.
長序木通 or 台灣木通
Some Chocolate Vine variants are considered invasive species so check carefully your local laws before considering cultivating.
Akebia has been on my wishlist for some time now. Would you be interested in sending some fruit by mail? I assume you’re not in Taipei?
This should be obvious, but check the biosecurity laws in your country before attempting to do this. As seeds tend to have rather strict laws attached to them because of concerns with invasive species. For example it is not legal to import any seeds at all to Australia, at least not without permits or such.
Thank you for your replies. We do have other chocolate vines for sale here in the Netherlands, I’ve just planted two to see if they will be flowering and produce fruits. However, the Taiwanese longeracemosa one is the most beautiful one (and hardest to get).
As the Netherlands has a temperate climate we don’t have too many problems with invasive species. Importing of seeds and plants is allowed for personal use.
Thank you, that would be great!
Check with your plant inspection agencies first to see if the species, genus or even family have special requirements based on pests, viruses etc. A couple taiwanese seed firms have been sued quite severly for seed contamination issues being shipped to the netherlands in the past. So I suspect there might be an extra layer of caution. But i dont know for sure on this one.
Just be sure to get all your paperwork. Taiwan is very easy, and fairly cheap, to obtain phytosanitary certificates, which is your bare minimum, on top of any other requirements your government may have (such as fumigation, import permits etc).
Yes that was indeed the fruit of the TW chocolate vine. With both our broken Mandarin (very local) she said it fruits every year before the Plum rains, but unfortunately now out of season.
Now I wish I had got some from her. However they didn’t look too appetizing at the time. I did search on the app Shoppee using the Chinese Slawa provided and the seeds are available there.
HansVe, shoot me a PM and I will send you the pics from the shop, if it is indeed the same vine you are looking for I don’t mind helping send some over. Got a lot of free time these days.
Finley, remind me starting next March, I will ask her to hold some.
Seeds apart from food grains are always difficult as there are always issues with invasive species. Australia in particular (that I know of) is super strict because of this. There have been history of vines that were planted elsewhere that ends up becoming an invasive species. I think there is a certain japanese vine that were planted in the US that ends up becoming impossible to get rid of because of how fast it grows.
Always check with customs with things like this…
I’ll have a look on shopee, maybe there are still some viable seeds available. If not … thanks for the offer, I’ll try next year!
You check BAHPIQ for importing/exporting to/from taiwan, not customs. USDA for usa etc. Customs rarely is involved aside from checking paperwork an inspecting. Every country has different procedures like import permits (usa), quarantine (australia) etc. But everywhere basically requires at least you phytosanitary certificate.
Taiwan has a LOT of naturalized and invasive exotic species here. Since ever, taiwan has rarely cared about the ossues. They are finally getting more strict but are still basically a shit show.
I’ve checked and indeed a phytosanitary certificate would be required for importing Akebia seeds into the Netherlands, but nothing else. They implemented stronger restrictions in Dec 2019 - in that same year in August I actually bought some plants in Australia and legally imported them in NL. Not sure about export rules for Taiwan, though.
Unless they are patented (eg. Many fruit, vegetable, orchids etc), endangered (check CITES, vut taiwan also has its own protections for native species) or a controlled substance (should be obvious, but can check the controlled drugs list to confirm the more obscure things) you are fine to export at will. Its the importing country you need to be careful about. Phytosanitary inspections are only available in a few cities in the west. They can travel to any location to do remote inspections but will charge you and you better be shipping a container load to bother them hehe. Well, at least a lot. Your situation wont qualify.
Otherwise just show up at their office with CLEAN seeds and your ID with all the shipping details, weights, shipping box etc and youre good to go within an hour usually.
Note. You must ship the original certificate in the box with the seeds. Netherlands can be picky so I always add 3 photocopies each of the phytosanitary certificate, packing list and invoice.
New laws require VAT and all that annoying shit now too.