Gardens in Japan: Thumbs up for thunbergia alata vines

My mum went crazy for these and bought up all these thunbergia alata. The last two are from the same plant though. They have interesting common names like The pink ones are called Spanish Eyes, the yellow ones are called Black-eyed Susans and the blue ones are called King’s Mantle. The blue and red ones are very hard to get a hold of here. There are white ones as well. I bet the dark hole in the middle looks like a very mysterious “must-explore” cave to the birds and the bees. 

 

 

For a cheerful alternative to morning glories, give black-eyed Susan vine a try. It grows quickly and easily in full sun, reaching 10 to 12 feet and covering itself with petite but colorful flowers with dark brown ‘eyes’ or centers. This annual is available in whites, creams, yellows and gold, and is usually started from seed.
	Steps:
1.	Look for black-eyed Susan vine seedlings at your local nursery. It’s an increasingly popular plant. Black-eyed Susan is also very easy to start from seed.
2.	Sow seeds indoors six to eight weeks before your regions’s last frost date. In mild-winter areas, plant seeds directly in the garden in early spring.
3.	Plant established seedlings directly in soil after your region’s last frost date.
4.	Provide support for your vine unless you want it to sprawl over a pot or along the ground as a groundcover. Black-eyed Susan vine climbs by twining, so any trellis or arbor will help it clamber skyward.
5.	Keep well watered.
6.	Fertilize every four to six weeks after planting, if desired, to assure a more vigorous vine and more flowers.
7.	Pull plant out after the first frost.
	Tips:
	‘Susie’ is one of the most popular varieties, but shorter varieties are good for using as a groundcover or in containers and hanging baskets.
	Black-eyed Susan vine is a warm-season annual in Zones 2-11 and a perennial vine in Zones 10-11. Frost will kill the top but not the roots.
	If you want this vine to climb a fence or wall, you’ll need to provide additional support. Try a thin wire or monofilament fishing line, stretched and wound around nails or eye-hooks.
	Warnings:
	Black-eyed Susan doesn’t like very hot, dry conditions and suffers especially when exposed to reflected heat, such as that from a drivewayFoliage: Evergreen Other details: Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater This plant is suitable for growing indoors Soil pH requirements: 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) Propagation Methods: From herbaceous stem cuttings From seed; sow indoors before last frost From seed; direct sow after last frost

 

Comments:

I am also totally crazy for this plant and love to grow it on homemade totems which are usually the hit of the block around halloween when they are also fashionable with their hoilday colors. Found out a while back that they will also self seed and come back given the right setting. The big trick with these easy to grow plants is patience and space. It takes 5 weeks after germination to see a flower, and they are such a strong grower the totem and container must be large.

Tuesday May 30, 2006 – 07:17am (CDT)

 Suzy.  I grew black-eyed Susan vine last year! 🙂 I started them in peat pots indoors.
I also grow black-eyed Susans (the wildflower :).

Tuesday May 30, 2006 – 11:10pm (EDT)

 Gipsy. Beautiful colours. I grow Black-eyed Susans, too 😀

Sunday June 4, 2006 – 05:22pm (EDT)