The attractive flowers of Black-Eyed Susan Vine are like a pop-up in any garden. The profuse flowers are attractive and add the much needed colour among the other trees and plants.
The botanical name of Black-Eyed Susan Vine is Thunbergia alata. It belongs to Acanthaceae (Acanthus) family. It is native to South Africa.
Since Black-Eyed Susan Vine is a perennial, it is a much preferred in gardens. It is a delight to see them in full bloom all the time. A very typical tropical vine, it grows to a height of 8 feet when planted directly on the ground. If grown in pots, it can be pruned and can be controlled.
The beautiful orange or yellow flowers have a brown centre. They also bloom in yellow, gold, white, and cream. I am yet to see them in other colours. I will post the pictures as and when I get a chance to photograph the blooms in other colours. Saw these flowers in Gardens by the Bay, Singapore. They stood out because of their colour among all the other plants and flowers.
The leaves are green and the leaves appear to be crumpled. The tendrils allow them to climb up with support.
These can be grown easily in tropical regions in full or semi-shade. The plants are propagated from seeds. Water the plants daily if it is not raining. Ensure that you fertilize once a month. Remove the dead leaves and prune the branches as required.
Black-Eyed Susan Vine plants are available in most of the nurseries and you can also buy them online.