PlantFiles: Black-Eyed Susan Vine
Thunbergia alata

I live in Seattle and purchased two plants by mail from a nursery in Michigan at the beginning of September. As soon as I transplanted them to a container and placed them in the garden room, they started putting out new shoots and are now putting out buds (late November). The new vines are perhaps two feet long. They live an outdoor "garden room" where there's lots of light, but the temperature has stayed mostly in the 50's this month. I have a heater in the room that comes on automatically if the temp drops below 40 degrees, but it looks like this plant doesn't mind cool nights.

Planted a 3" pot in spring 2010. It died to the ground each winter and returned both spring 2011 and now spring 2012. Even had a couple of blooms in February, this year. I'm in zone 7b - it's planted in a bed between the driveway and the north wall of the house; so a bit of a micro-zone. It does prefer to ramble along the ground and needs attention to keep it in bounds. But anything that thrived through last summer, with record-breaking heat and drought here in West Texas, is a winner in my book!

I bought a potted "annual" plant with the label Thunbergia Alata late this summer at the local supermarket . It looked like a pretty hanging vine. A lady told me she put a fertilizer spike in there and it bloomed so pretty for her. I hung it in front of the house and it grew nicely until frost when I had to bring it inside. I decided to try to overwinter it in the house. After blooming a short while longer it started to dry out and drop most of its leaves so I thought, oh boy, maybe this is not going to work. I moved it into the warmest sunniest room in the house and watered it regularly but did not notice it much for a while, until new fresh green leaves started growing perhaps in December. Now we are at the end of January and it has lots of new fresh growth but no flowers at this point. I think its going to make it though and I can hang it back outside come spring. Its a good choice for Colorado as long as you pamper it inside for the winter, otherwise treat it as an annual. I doubt that it will be like a weed here it just looks like a beautiful groomed hanging plant with a bit of an exotic look. The yellow flowers with the dark dot in the middle are cute and tender looking when they bloom. I got positive comments from family. Of course this summer I will have it much longer than last year so perhaps it will grow fast too so I will update my comment if necessary but so far so good. Its looks really nice. Glad I listened to the lady who recommended it!

Our beautiful Blackeyed Susan Vine is suddenly dead.
We have lived in our house for 2 1/2 years and have enjoyed the back "wall", a 10 foot fence/lattice, covered with the Blackeyed Susan vines. It has been one of the most beautiful aspects of our yard. I never dreamed this plant could be "killed off" as it has been in bloom and green the whole time we have lived here. During our mild winters it has had blooms on it all winter. With purple Morning Glories overlaying it this wall has been a riot of golden color in the summer months. The past month we have had 2 or 3 nights of fairly heavy frost. Must I replant seeds? Will it regenerate? These vines were growing over 12 feet high. Do I need to look for a special variety? Do I need to tear our the old vines that look dead or can I let the new vines climb over the old ones?
Yes, we did have to watch that it didn't decide to become a "carpet" in our yard but it was so spectactular it was worth the bit of tending!

I planted seeds this past spring to replace the vines I lost during the freeze last winter. They shot up right away and filled the trellis but has never bloomed. I can't figure out what I've done wrong since last years vines bloomed profusly.
Anyone have any advice?

When I first saw this plant I fell in love with it. The flowers are so cheery. Because I get frost in the winter here I planted this where the rootzone is sheltered by my porch eaves. I've had the plant longer than a year now and it's done wonderfully. it really took off this year and now my porch is sheltered in a blanket of fuzzy leaves and happy orange flowers. It seems to keep the house cooler in hot weather. It's not a common vine around here.

our black eyed suan grew so nice this yr our first time we had one now that the frost got it will it come back next year any one know if it will. let us know thank you tim and janet

My backyard backs right up against the front of an elementry school. The only bummer is that the only thing seperating the two is a 75 foot chain link fence. I planted 3 black eyed susan vines and with in 3 months the vines had climed to the top of the fence and were starting to spread. That was back in April when I moved in. Now its mid October and I cant see a thing, its has created lots of privacy. The vines are thick and the flowers are there all year round it seems to be so far. They require little water compared to some other plants. I couldn't be happier with this plant.

Fast grower, and great wall covering, the only negative is the invasiveness. One must be constantly vigilant in the pruning back of new shoots, or it will take over. But with moderate care, it beautifies even a horrid cinder block wall. Attach some bolts and wire mesh first.

we tried this plant from seed this year for first time,had great luck.we put about 9 seedlings in a 2 gallon pot.it was slow to start, but buy mid july it really started to show alot of flowers,it,s the end of oct. now and its covered with flowers. after reading the other com.s i, m going to try to keep it over winter in a south ,south east facing window.

I literally am known as the "family plant killer" I can not grown weeds let alone flowers. Last year I purchased a huge hanging basket before mother's day of this plant. It was so beautiful and was still blooming after Halloween. This year I decided it would be more cost effective to purchase 3 small ones about 6" long, and it is about 7ft long, bloombing like crazy. I get alot of comments on this plant, and love how it blooms all summer. may try to bring in, if not I'm going to purchase seed to plant my own from seeds next year, nursery had them planted in one of the green bags that hang on a porch, I have purchased 2 emptys to try next spring for each side of the porch. It loves the east sun, gets plenty in the cool part of the day and by the time it's hot out it's in the shade of the porch. I haven't yet saw one go to seed, so I'm hoping to get some seeds off this one to replant for one next year. Going to do several in different colors in different locations next year. So easy even my 20yr old black thumb grows it easily without problems, and it has so much color and is so bright. Glad I found this one by accident last year. And my humming birds come near it and my fuchia. I have never noticed the "white flies" someone mentioned. And I live in an area with a very high water table deep in the country, lots of mosquitos, flies, ticks, etc. And it has never drawn any type of insects other than an occasional honey bee flying by. Very Very happy with the results on this one.

Blooms again and again. Very easy to grow. Leaves are soft and hairy.

I like this species- it flowers really well compare to other annual vines - even Mourning Glory are fickle in our climate.

Once established, this vine will pretty much overtake any other vine. We planted several varieties of vines to cover a fence. The black-eyed susans over powered the honeysuckle, potato vine, mandevilla vines and even the morning glories!

A very faster grower that I used to mask an air conditioner on an emergency basis (family coming to visit!). The flowers are delightful and numerous, but it attracts white flies like crazy. I planted three here in the Sacramento Delta with mixed results. One, in the most protected location, survived the winter nicely, losing most of its leaves and all of the whiteflies, but growing vigorously again in early spring. One is just beginning to re-emerge in late May, and the third appears to be dead and gone. The various jasmines I planted are a better solution. They are green all winter here, although they also attract whiteflies.

Zone 8b, Broaddus, TX southeast
My Black-Eyed Susan Vine (Thunbergia alata) is potted in an 8" hanging basket on my 8' arbor in an area with good morning sun and part shade in afternoon. Many orange flowers and a healthy vine about 8 ft. long.

Try it, you'll like it!
Happy, successful gardening

My T. alata (yellow flowered version) grows on a fence in fairly heavy shade, but still blooms for me, though not profusely. It has spread to nearby shrubs and plants. I have noticed that it actually seems to prefer to be a creeper rather than a climber. The vine sections grow thicker and look healthier when scampering across the grass instead of twisting up the fence.

Jeremy

I have these in large pots on my patio with trellises and they go crazy, so crazy in fact they were twining around the balcony railing. I'm not a very organized gardener so I just started hacking away at the strays and ended up cutting some vital vines and the middle of my plants started to die out and it was ugly - that was probably at the end of summer/beginning of fall.

So all through winter, which this plant normally grows and blooms through, the plants continued to deteriorate. I finally cut them back completely. That was about a month ago and they're sprout-tastic now! I figure they'll be blooming again in another two months.

Very hearty plants in my area and good to know they can be cut back if necessary.

I've never been able to get them started with cuttings. I do collect the seeds and start babies for my friends though.

Here it is January 30th in Southeast Texas and my vine is blooming. It has put on new growth and new shoots in the last 3 to 4 weeks. I'm not going to tell it is winter time.

This is a great vine/groundcover. Here they go crazy and just trail all over the place. Mine grew up into my tree and just started to hang down from it, its an amazing sight. I love this vine and would never get rid of it!

I planted my pumpkin orange black eyed Susan vine about 12 years ago and it blooms almost all year round here in Florida. I love it but have yet to see seeds on it. This past Spring I planted Sunrise Surprise and Blushing Susan, new varities which has shades of apricot and rose.
Can anyone tell me how to take cuttings from them? When is a good time of year to do it, and what part of the vine do I cut? Soft or hardwood? Do, I stick the cutting straight in soil? Also, if I can do it sucessfully, I would like to trade some cuttings of my blushing Susan and Sunrise surprise for someone's orange wonder Susan vine. The Susie vine that is bright orange.
Thanks.
Cheryl

We transplanted this plant from a pot in the spring, and now it has all but covered one side of my A-frame. The info says 6 to 8 feet, but this one ran out of things to climb at over 16 feet. It has had a mass of yellow flowers, very bright yellow that look plastic, since day one. No slack off during August. The Sulphur Butterflies love it and it is usually covered with flowers and butterflies.
The area this plant is covering is 16 x 16 feet.

I'm growing this vine with Grandpa Ott Morning Glorys and the contrast between the purple and yellow looks beautiful!

I have been inundated with seedlings of this plant for 2 years now. I grew it in a hanging basket one year and now it is everywhere!! I would strongly advise against growing this near flower beds of any kind as it will smother anything- even morning glory!

Very easy to start from seed. Too easy in fact. I used to love this plant - now it loves my yard. I cannot get rid of it despite pulling up every seedling I can get my hands on. This one is rivaling the wild morning glories in tenacity.

this thing goes crazy here in the desert. I wish I could find out how to harvest the seeds.

I planted seeds (4 years ago) in a large pot, added a 4 foot metal trellis and it has come back every year. It blooms from spring until winter. I have it sitting outside under a covered patio. The 100 plus heat and wind is hard on it - but the vine hangs in there. Not much can take our relentless heat, but I think if it was planted in a shady area and kept moist it would do fine. I have really been rewarded with lots flowers and will continue going it here in Arizona.

I had great success in my zone 7 area (Lawrenceville, GA)last year in the shade. I collected seed and those planted this year have not sprouted. Any suggestions?

Thunbergia alata is grown as an annual in Oklahoma. The leaves and stems are the same as Thunbergia battiscombei.

Once these plants start seeding, they're almost done flowering. I doubt if anyone has enough light in their house to keep them going anyway. You're better off collecting a few seeds and replanting them directly in the pot they were in next spring. I've found them extremely easy to start from seed. I put two in each pot and the amount of flowers are amazing. Good luck :)

I bought this as a hanging plant - hung it from a chain on the front porch and very shortly it had climbed up the entire length of the chain to the porch ceiling. The blooms have all disappeared but the greenery remains. I wonder if I can cut it back when time to come in for the winter... (I live in southern Indiana, so have to bring a lot of my things inside.)

Black-Eyed Susan Vine has become naturalized in Florida, Hawaii, Texas and Puerto Rico. This vine was purchased as an (expensive) hanging basket in late spring, but I removed the hanger and placed the pot in a tall wicker plant stand in front of an oak tree where it received morning sun and dappled sun the rest of the time. The tendrils did not attach to the rough oak tree bark so I attached 8 sturdy green yarn strands to the plant stand and stuck the ends of them in a fan pattern in the bark with stick pins. The vine quickly grew up the strands and then arched over where the strands ended. It flourished until the days became hotter with daily waterings being necessary.

I removed the strands and the pot the first part of August and repotted the vine in a large pot with a more moisture retentive potting soil mix, cut the vine back to about a foot (almost cried as I did so), placed a six foot pyramid shaped metal trellis in the pot, attached the runners with plastic ties, placed the whole thing where the plant receives some afternoon sun but mostly filtered sun and prayed it would rebound. It has been a week now and the vine has grown at least a foot and has 2 blooms on it already. This is a tough vine and yet so delicate looking.

Update: 3/6/08 - I attached black bird netting (black, little squares) all around the bottom part and 6 feet up the trunk of an oak tree by "hooking" it on the bark. The vines have been growing up it each year and the netting is almost unnoticeable. Although some of the leaves were damaged in some areas, the vines are still blooming after many nights of freezing weather. The ones growing along the ground at the base of a privacy fence have no freeze damage at all and are blooming like crazy.

Nothing can compare in beauty to the cheerful blooms against deep green foliage and its rapid growth rate. I wish there were a rating better than positive.

This climber grows fast, but hardly gets dangerous to other species (could cover shrubs and short trees like other climbers, but it doesn´t). It doesn´t necessarily require a rich soil, growing well on sandy ones. Near the litoral, it´s pretty common in abandoned areas, where it grows spontaneously

I am so surprised by its beautiful flowers that give joy while waiting for other flowers to bloom here up north :).

I am letting it grow up both sides of my kitchen window - and what a grower it is indeed ;)

I had one sorry seedling that survived my over-watering. when I planted it in a container outside I figured it would die. Well, I was wrong, and it turned into a beautiful plant that drapes over the container. I gave it Miracle Grow every 2 weeks or so, when I was doing the veggie beds. A success despite its terrible beginnings.

My Black Eyed Susan Vine is gorgeous! First I just had it in pot with some potting mix, but it wasn't doing much. Then I wrapped some plastic trellis around a tree and planted it at the base of the tree with some slow-release fertilizer. I helped it when I planted it by threading the vines through the trellis. I watered it regularly, and watch out! It grew like wildfire, and now it is completely filled in, with no blank spots (unlike the photo I uploaded). The best part it that it won't grow past the trellis, I guess the tree bark isn't enough for it to "grab onto", even though it is a rough bark. So it never gets out of control. I planted it about 4 months before I took this picture.

Black-eyed Susan vine is an perennial climber native to South Africa. Grown in tropical zones it will climb to 8 feet but stays much smaller when grown as an annual or when it is contained in a pot. Orange or yellow flowers have chocolate-purple centers and are produced in mid-summer until autumn.