"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Charlie Pridham wrote:

Like you I never get fruit on my Holboellia's We have two forms of
H.latifolia (I think) and I have recently got hold of H. coricacea (again
I
think!) its leaves are certainly markedly different being twice as long
and
half as wide but I shall have to wait for the flowers to know whether I
have
it right this time.

Well, several authorities consider that they are just different
forms of the same species.

Akebia is another edible fruit plant that never sets fruit
with me allthough it flowers profusely every year.

Does it produce female flowers? Mine doesn't, and nor did my mother's
(in Wiltshire). Anyway, Bean thinks that it may be self-sterile.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

The male and female flowers are carried in the same bunch for Akebia with
the females above and males hanging below, and I have never seen an Akebia
without both, with my Holboelia's the Male flowers often appear a lot later
(weeks) than the female flowers and in separate bunches, which I took to be
a device to prevent self pollination (which is why I have my different
plants in the same general area - but still no luck so far) and being
related I certainly have no problem in believing Akebia to be self sterile
also, I have several times transferred pollen by hand and the female flowers
start to swell but then drop off, very irritating!

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)