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Thunbergia is a genus of flowering climbers in the family Acanthaceae, comprising about 100 species. It is native to tropical regions of Africa, Madagascar and southern Asia. The genus is named after Carl Peter Thunberg (1743-1822),a Swedish botanist.
Thunbergias are vigorous annual or perennial vines and shrubs growing to 2-8 m tall, and are grown for their flowers. Thunbergia grow best in sun or light shade, fertile and well-drained soil. Water freely at growth and less at other times. The plants usually require support. Trimming out crowded stems in early spring. Propagation is by seed, softwood or semi-ripe cuttings in summer.
Thunbergia alata (Black-eyed Susan)is a moderately fast-growing , annual, twining climber and can grow up to 3 m tall. It has toothed, oval to heart-shaped leaves and bears rounded, rather flat, small flowers of orange-yellow with dark brown centers in early summer to early autumn.
Thunbergia coccinea, 6m tall or more, is an evergreen, woody-stemmed perennial and twining climber. It has narrowly oval leaves and bears pendent racemes of tubular scarlet flowers in winter-spring.
Thunbergia grandiflora (Blue trumpet vine) is an evergreen, woody-stemmed perennial and twining climber. It can grow from 6-10 m tall, and bears oval leaves of 10-20 cm long. The leaves have a few toothlike lobes. The trumpet-shaped, pale to deep violet-blue flowers are borne in summer.
