Thunbergia

Family. Acanthaceae.

Origin. Tropical regions of Africa and Asia.

What does it look like? Thunbergia is a fast-growing perennial vine with long, thin shoots that grow woody at the base. The leaves are simple, green, heart-shaped, glossy, up to 10 cm long, on short petioles. Leaf blades are finely toothed. The flowers are about 5 cm in diameter, very bright, axillary, with a long floral tube formed by 5 fused, rounded petals. The color range is very wide and includes white, yellow, pink, red, purple, orange, salmon, lavender shades.

Height. From 120 cm to several meters. The plant develops very quickly and can add 3 m in height in one season.

Caring

Reproduction

Seeds are sown in early spring. At an air temperature of about 20°C, germination occurs in 1 - 1.5 months. Vegetative propagation is carried out by semi-lignified stem cuttings in spring and summer. Cuttings 8 - 10 cm long are separated with a sharp sterile instrument and rooted in a mixture of wet peat and sand, using growth hormones.

House contents

Pinch out faded flower buds to prolong flowering. Long, thin stems need support that they can easily weave together. Pinch out terminal buds regularly to encourage side shoots. Trim off any overly long branches to maintain a neat shape. If possible, place plants outdoors during warmer months.

Growing conditions - temperature

Year-round warm keeping at normal room temperature in the range of 18 - 24° C is suitable. In the fall, it is advisable to take the plant into a cool room, where it will spend a dormant period. During the cold season, do not expose plants to temperatures below 10 ° C. 

Soil

The soil should easily allow moisture to pass through and be sufficiently nutritious. A mixture of peat, leaf humus, well-rotted manure with the addition of drainage materials is suitable. The soil should have a neutral or close to neutral pH. 

When it blooms 

Throughout the summer and until mid-autumn.

Pests and diseases

If there is insufficient light, flowering will be less abundant or will not occur at all. Long exposure to direct sunlight during the day leads to leaf burns. Fungal diseases occur in poorly ventilated areas. Thunbergias rot if there is insufficient drainage or excessive watering.

Spider mites, whiteflies, aphids, scale insects.

What to feed 

From spring to late autumn, feed with liquid fertilizers for flowering plants every 2 weeks. 

Lighting

Plants should receive several hours of direct sunlight daily - morning and evening. In insufficient light, flowering will be less abundant. Shade the vines in spring and summer, during the daytime. 

Watering

This species develops quickly and consumes large amounts of moisture throughout the growing season. After flowering, the frequency of watering is gradually reduced and the soil is dried to a depth of about 5 - 7 cm in the winter months. 

Spraying 

Mist the foliage if the air in the room becomes too dry. Place the pot with the vine on a tray with damp pebbles or use a humidifier. Make sure there is good air circulation.

Transfer

Young specimens may require several repottings per season into larger pots.

Purpose

Indoor thunbergia blooms profusely and for a long time; it can be used for vertical gardening or as an hanging plant for growing in hanging pots. 

Note

In indoor conditions, the plant can be kept for several years without any problems, but with age its flowering will be less abundant. 

Varieties:

Thunbergia erecta

Perennial flowering vines, with stems reaching a height of 120 - 180 cm. The leaves are green, glossy, broadly lanceolate, the leaf blades are entire. The flowers are funnel-shaped, with five convex, rounded purple petals and a yellow center. There is a variant with white flowers. 

Thunbergia alata

A decorative flowering vine with thin, flexible stems reaching a height of 90 cm to 2.5 m, and the stems can gain about 2 m in just one season. The leaves are green, spear-shaped, with a developed network of leaf veins, slightly recessed into the surface of the leaf. The flowers are bright, solitary, up to 5 cm in diameter, yellow, orange, white, pink. The main distinguishing feature of the variety is the presence of a dark center in the flowers. 

Thunbergia grandiflora

A large vine, stems that can reach a length of 4.5 to 9 m. In just one season, shoots can grow more than 2 meters in height. The leaves are dark green, heart-shaped, lanceolate or with small teeth, covered with a network of veins. The leaves are arranged oppositely, reaching a length of 8 to 20 cm. The leaf surface is glossy. The flowers are solitary or collected in few-flowered inflorescences, blue, less often white with a yellow center, reaching a diameter of 8 cm. 

Thunbergia mysorensis

Perennial evergreen herbaceous vine up to 6 - 10 m long with flexible, thin stems. The leaves are dark green, lanceolate, 10 to 15 cm long. The leaf blades are glossy and may have jagged edges. The inflorescences are long hanging loose racemes, reaching a length of 1 m. The flowers are funnel-shaped, up to 7.5 cm in diameter, red-brown on the outside, golden-yellow on the inside. 

Thunbergia fragrans

A fast-growing perennial, evergreen, herbaceous vine with stems up to 20 m long. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, reach a length of 6 - 8 cm, lanceolate, dark green, glossy. The lower surface of the leaves is often a lighter shade. The flowers are axillary, solitary or collected in small inflorescences, up to 7 cm in diameter, white, tubular, remain open for only 1 day.