Black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata), equally at home cascading down from a basket or twining up a trellis, is an old-fashioned favorite. It's also one of the hottest new plants.
What's going on? This annual vine now comes in a host of new colors, thanks to the work of plant breeders.
The funnel-shaped flowers of the old-fashioned black-eyed Susan vine were mostly orange with dark, purple-black centers. A seed mix that includes plants that bloom in cream, orange and yellow has also long been available. But what if orange doesn't work in your garden? Now you can buy black-eyed Susan vine in bright single colors or in seed mixes that include new colors such as apricot, pink, red, rose and pure white.
In my garden, for example, Blushing Susie covers a small obelisk with flowers blooming in pink, red, rose, and salmon. I started the seeds of the mix indoors in mid-April, transplanted the seedlings in May, and had blooms by mid-June.
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Some of the other seed mixes available include Spanish Eyes (terra cotta reds plus pale oranges and yellows), Sunrise Surprise (apricot, ivory, rose and salmon), Beauty Spots (a short vine in orange, vanilla and white), and Salmon Shades (salmon and related colors).
Sunny Lemon Star black-eyed Susan vine, one of my new favorites, cascades from the trough by my front door. Its bright lemon-yellow blossoms stand out beautifully against the bright-green, arrowhead-shaped leaves. Like its sister, Sunny Orange Wonder, Sunny Lemon Star is grown from cuttings, not seeds. That means these varieties must be purchased as started plants. (If you'd like to grow either variety next year, ask your favorite nursery this winter if they'll carry it.)
Because black-eyed Susan vines grow a maximum of 6 feet long, they are versatile: Short enough to cascade from baskets or other containers but long enough to climb a trellis. They are also great for climbing a chain-link fence, cascading over a wall or tree stump, or even sprawling on the ground.
The vines grow very fast and need regular watering and plenty of fertilizer. Well-drained soil is a must. You can grow black-eyed Susan vine in full sun, but I've found they appreciate a bit of shade in the hot afternoon.
Black-eyed Susan vines are just about as carefree as you can get. No disease or pest has ever bothered my plants. Even rabbits, which had devoured several kinds of annual vines I'd previously tried to grow on the obelisk, have left these vines untouched. You can even overwinter plants indoors if you want. Bring in potted plants or take cuttings when frost threatens.
