How to Grow Black-Eyed Susan Vine (Thunbergia Alata)

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.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fertilizers
• Garden Hoses
• Garden Spades
• Garden Trowels
• Mulch
• Plants
• Seeds
• Watering Cans
• Seeds
• Plants

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 & Warnings

• '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.
• Black-eyed Susan doesn't like very hot, dry conditions and suffers especially when exposed to reflected heat, such as that from a driveway.

[christyvs]

on 4/27/2009 I live in Northern Ohio. I grew this plant last year and it grew like crazy. I loved it. But it doesn't seem to be coming back this year so I'm going to purchase another one....I can't go without this plant!

[ctglaze]

on 10/19/2008 This has been my first experience with Black Eyed Susan Vine. I love the cheerful plants and have them in pots. I am in Northwest Georgia. Will these plants survive the winter and return ... how should I handle them over the winter months? Thank you.

[CrankyGremlin]

on 8/4/2008 I've found one of these specimens growing in my garden, I uprooted it and planted it in a pot with a support trellis...will it grow?

[jolizclark]

on 7/3/2008 mine has not produced one flower!

[jiminycricket]

on 7/3/2008 My thunbergia is healthy, but has many unproductive pods,i.e., ones that are never going to yield flowers. I've found them empty, and picked them off. Does the plant need more food to make it bloom more? It is thriving otherwise.