Akebia quinata - fruit

Autumn 2006 saw this exciting and rather strange-looking purple fruit appear on the Akebia quinata. Only one cluster, of two fruits, which split open to reveal a rather alien-looking fleshy inside. There are two well-established Akebias in the garden, and perhaps two are needed to produce fruits. It was also an unusually hot summer, with a persistent heatwave, which may also have caused these fruits to form for the first time. Apparently they're edible, but I didn't fancy eating them, I have to confess. More information - BBC Gardeners' World factsheet (external link, opens in new window).