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Acanthaceae
Black-Eyed Susan Vine
Thunbergia alata
Encouragement, justice, motivation.
- Family
- Acanthaceae
- Genus
- Thunbergia
- Native to
- Eastern Africa
- Bloom season
- Summer, Fall
- Type
- Twining vine
- Height
- Vine to 2.5 m
- Sunlight
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained
- Water
- Moderate
- Hardiness
- Annual; perennial in 10–11
- Lifespan
- Annual in most climates
Did you know
- Black-eyed Susan vine is unrelated to the actual black-eyed Susan flower (Rudbeckia) — they just share the trademark dark center surrounded by bright petals.
- The genus is named for Carl Peter Thunberg, an 18th-century Swedish botanist who explored Japan and South Africa for new plants.
- It can climb 8 feet (2.5 m) in a single summer, twining around trellises and railings without needing any tying.
- The five-petaled flowers come in stunning shades of orange, yellow, and the trendy 'African Sunset' mix of apricot, salmon, and burgundy.
- In its native East African habitat, the vine is a perennial that scrambles over shrubs in mountain forests, blooming nearly year-round.
Color meanings
Orange
Warm cheer