Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
Tangerine Slice A - Peel ® pitch-black - eyed Susan vine . ( Thunbergia alata ) . exposure by Proven Winners .
It ’s always marvelous to discover a industrial plant that can solve a multitude of garden challenges while looking gorgeous at the same time . If you ’re not yet conversant with bleak - eyed Susan vine ( Thunbergia alata ) , it ’s time to read how this various tropical bloom can work wonders in your garden .
In low yards , this tight - grow ship’s boat perennial is a neat place - recoverer because it sky-high twines up treillage , fences , arbors , and other supports to take vantage of underutilized perpendicular space . Need to quickly fill up in bare stain in your garden ? permit fatal - eyed Susan vine to ramble unsupported along the dry land to create a lovely floral carpet .

If container gardening is your passion , this cheerful dark - eyed bloomer can function as both a thriller and trotline constituent in pots or pay heed basket , climbing up a support or cascading over the sides , whichever way you lease it wander .
And if you ’re simply looking for an easy - precaution efflorescence that will fill your garden with glorious color from summer well into fall , black - eyed Susan vine is the unadulterated pick . It comes in an array of eye - catch hue such as lemon yellow , orange , and tangerine , and needs no deadheading to produce masses of long - hold out salad days .
On this Thomas Nelson Page : Basics|Planting|Care|Varieties|Frequently inquire Questions|Design Ideas

On this page :
BASICS
Botanical name:
Thunbergia alata
Common names:
Black - eyed Susan vine , clock vine , bright eyes(Note : Although the flowers comport a resemblance toblack - eyed Susan(Rudbeckia ) , the plants are not related . )
Plant type:
Tender perennial , usually grown as an annual
Zones:
10 - 11
Native area:
East Africa
Exposure:
Full Lord’s Day to part shade
Method of attachment:
Twining stanch
Height:
3 to 8 feet
Bloom time:
Blooms continuously from early summer until frost , usually putting on the good show from late summertime to early fall .
Flower colors and characteristics:
Five - petaled flowers , 1 to 2 inches across , come in nuance of yellow , orange , ruby , coral , blanched , or bicolor , with dark purple or black throat .
Foliage:
Heart - shaped or triangular leaves raise up to 3 inch in length . colour crop from deep green to gray - green .
HOW TO PLANT BLACK-EYED SUSAN VINE
exposure by Elsa Cadic / Shutterstock
Where to plant:
These flora grow best in a sunny site sheltered from strong winds and drafts . If you know in a red-hot , dry clime , plant them in a spot that obtain some afternoon tincture .
When to plant:
For the earliest heyday , get going seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your lastfrost datein spring . you could also start plants from seeded player sow directly in the garden after the last frost . If growing from transplants , plant them in the spring once the soil has warm up and nights stay consistently above 50 ° F.
How to plant:
Set out baby’s room - grown graft at the same depth they were growing in the container , spacing them at least a base aside .
If turn from seed , found them about 1/2 inch deep , covering them with a fine layer of soil . Do n’t worry if the seedlings take for a while to come out . Black - eyed Susan source often require as long as 21 days to evolve .
If you require your plant life to climb a erect support such as a trellis or credit card veiling , install it before planting seeds or transplanting so you do n’t disturb the young plants .

Soil:
Prefers moist , well - enfeeble , fertile soil that is rich in constituent subject . If growing in containers , habituate a high - timber all - intention potting mix that drains well .
Tip:
If you desire your black - eyed Susan vines to climb a backing , they will need a little coaxing to get started . you may secure youthful shoots to the base of the sustenance with nurseryman ’s wire orcoated turn tiesuntil the plant life has batten itself . As the vines arise , any stray or wayward shoots can be carefully bend around the financial backing . Black - eyed Susan vines naturally twine counterclockwise , so keep that in mind when aim them .
BLACK-EYED SUSAN VINE CARE
Water:
Like most tropical plant , Thunbergia alatadoes not tolerate drouth . Water regularly throughout the growing season to keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy . Plants grown in containers may necessitate more frequent watering . Wilting leafage is often the first preindication that your plants are thirsty .
Amendments and fertilizer:
In the garden , the practical app of a control - sacking fertilizer at planting time is usually sufficient to keep plants flourish . Also process some compost or other constitutive matter into the soil to better drain and soil natality .
Container - grown plant will also benefit from the use of a ensure - release fertilizer while plants are in bloom ; adopt directions on the label . Avoid over - fertilizing , which can bottle up flowering .
Pruning and deadheading:
Light pruning can be done as needed throughout the growing season to help form plants and pull off their sizing . Deadheading is not necessary to keep these vines in bloom .
Propagation:
By seeds or stem cuttings taken in summertime .
Overwintering indoors:
In climate where black - eyed Susan vine are n’t hardy , potted industrial plant can be moved indoors in late decline ( or as before long as nighttime temperature fall below 50 degrees F ) and develop in a cheery window as a houseplant . Given enough sun or subsidiary unreal lighting , works may continue to bloom , although not as abundantly .
Pests and diseases:
Black - eyed Susan vines are generally not affected by diseases or pesterer , but plants can from time to time be susceptible towhitefliesandspider mites , especially when grown indoors .
VARIETIES OF BLACK-EYED SUSAN VINE
Tangerine Slice A - Peel ® black - eyed Susan vine . Photo by Proven Winners
Tangerine Slice A - Peel ® —More entropy & find a local retailer
size of it : Climbs or lead 5 to 8 pes , spreads up to 2 feet

Color : Red and orange bi - colored bloom with drear purple center .
Lemon A - Peel ® pitch-black - eyed Susan vine . Photo by Proven succeeder
Lemon A - Peel ® —More information & find a local retail merchant

coloring : promising Citrus limon - icteric efflorescence with black eye
Orange A - Peel ® sinister - eyed Susan vine . Photo by Proven Winners
Orange A - Peel ® —More info & find a local retailer

Color : vivacious orange rosiness accented by black throats
Coconut A - Peel ® fatal - eyed Susan vine . Photo by Proven achiever
Coconut A - Peel ® —More data & find a local retail merchant

colour : Eye - catch creamy bloodless flowers with contrasting black center
Blushing Susie black - eyed Susan vine . photograph by Carol Cloud Bailey / Millette Photomedia
Blushing Susie

size of it : Climbs or trail up to 5 foundation
people of colour : bloom in shades of red , apricot , peach , pink , Salmon River and ivory change gloss over time , offering multiple hue on a single vine .
Sunny Susy ® Rose Sensation black - eyed Susan vine . Photo by Carol Cloud Bailey / Millette Photomedia

Sunny Susy ® Rose Sensation
Size : Climbs or trails 4 to 8 metrical unit
Color : Flowers open a rich rosiness color and gradually fade to light pink spirit . Attractive gray - green foliage .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is black-eyed Susan vine an annual or perennial?
Although unremarkably grow as an yearly , it is in reality a crank evergreen repeated in frost - free climate ( zones 10 - 11 ) .
Is black-eyed Susan vine fragrant?
The flower of some varieties have a hint of fragrancy , but if you ’re await for a vine that is powerfully fragrant , mandevilla , sweet pea , orhoneysuckleare well alternatives . Despite the deficiency of scent , bees and butterflies will still flock to the colorful blooms .
Do black-eyed Susan vines grow fast?
Although they can be slow to germinate , the vines will shoot up quickly once they become established , growing 6 inches or more per workweek under idealistic experimental condition .
Is black-eyed Susan vine deer resistant?
Because the foliage ofThunbergiais slightly harsh and hairy , it is not very toothsome to forage deer . However , be on the look out for signs of pasture .
Is black-eyed Susan vine poisonous?
No . It ’s in general look at to be safe according to theUniversity of California list of safe garden flora . However , consuming any part of the plant is not recommend .
Is black-eyed Susan vine invasive?
Because it ego - seeds pronto , it can become invasive in tropical , icing - free climate . This is seldom a problem in expanse where it ’s grown as an annual .
IDEAS FOR USING BLACK-EYED SUSAN VINE
Plant black - eyed Susan vine in container with other vines and trailing plant life like purplesweet potato vine , nemesia , andSupertunias , training it to climb up a tutuer or obelisk for sum up drama . ( See thiscontainer formula . ) Photo by Proven Winners .
Allow the vines to meander through a chain - tie or fretwork fencing or even two Post criss - crossed with garden wire to organize a fast - grow inhabit wall or privacy screen . hear how to create your ownThunbergia privateness paries . exposure by Proven Winners .
make an attention - get hanging basket by combining icteric black-market - eyed Susan vines with pinkish petunias and purple calibrachoas . The vines will twine up the basketball hoop ’s chains as well as wasteweir over sides for a gaudy thriller / spiller effect . . ( See thiscontainer recipe . ) Photo by Proven Winners .
More ideas:
Grow alongside other annual vine with flowers in contrasting colour , such as royal hyacinth bean ormorning nimbus . As the vine entwine , they will make a beautiful tapestry of different prime colors and descriptor .
Allow the vine to envelop around a letter box rod or lamppost , or use them to cover an older tree diagram pulpit by encircling the stump with wire netting that the vine can grab onto .