Thunbergia growing vines in pots and in the garden

Liana tunbergia (thunbergia) in recent years has begun to gain popularity among gardeners and florists. Many people like to grow ampelous, climbing crops in their garden plots and in apartments. They are planted in open ground, hanging boxes or pots, decorating balconies and verandas. Since the choice of such plants is small, tunbergia comes in very handy due to its bright and unusual buds.

Features of tunbergia

Tunbergia flower is a prominent representative of the acanthus family. Vines are native to tropical regions of Africa, South Asia and Madagascar. In total, about 200 varieties of the bush are known. The plant got its name in honor of the Swedish naturalist Karl Thunberg, who studied the flora of South Africa and Japan.

Thunbergia in landscape design

Characteristics and description of the plant

Thunbergia can be a perennial or annual. It can be a vine growing up to 10 meters in length or a shrub up to 8 meters high. The leaves have soft pubescence, serrated edges and a cordate shape. The blossoming buds reach a diameter of 4 cm, funnel-shaped.

Additional Information! Due to its dark core, the flower is called Black Suzanne in Europe.

Classification of tunbergia

All types of garden plant varieties are divided into several groups.

Winged thunbergia (Thunbergia alata)

Azarina - care and cultivation of vines

African member of the family with short stems. Flowers can be white with a red spot in the center or orange with a purple core. The leaves are serrated, terry below.

Thunbergia grandiflora

Herbaceous flower with wide oval leaves. The buds are bright blue with a white core, gather in small inflorescences.

Thunbergia fragrans

An evergreen plant native to Australia and Southeast Asia. Liana can grow up to 6 meters in length. The leaves are ovoid and have a pointed tip. White buds reach 5 cm in diameter and grow singly.

Thunbergia battiscombei

The flower has wide leaves, is a perennial vine. Blue buds grow singly on the bush.

Interesting! Tunberia can bloom singly or in inflorescences and have almost any shade: white, blue, purple, orange, blue.

Varieties that are in great demand among gardeners

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Thunbergia, which is grown at home, has a number of common varieties.

Black eyed suzanne

A fast growing perennial cultivar popular for its abundant and intense flowering. The buds are yellow with a black center. Suzanne can be grown both in the garden and in a pot as a home plant.

Black-eyed Suzanne is popular with gardeners

Susie Series

Representatives of this series can reach a height of up to 2 meters and differ from each other in the color of the buds.They can be orange, salmon, white, red.

Gregor

It can grow up to 3 meters in height. When grown in the garden, it is a perennial. Leaves are ovoid or heart-shaped. The buds are orange in color.

Note! Gregora has a high frost resistance compared to other representatives of the species. She feels good at temperatures down to -5 ℃.

In addition to the varieties presented, the following tunbergias are popular with gardeners:

Minstrel;
African Sunset;
Sunny Lemon Star;
Superstar Orange;
Tunbergia Erecta Bicolor.

Seed planting by seedling method

It is necessary to prepare seeds for seedlings at the end of winter. Best in February. You can sow seeds from early March to May. But the later they are planted, the more branchy the bush will be.

Fuchsia cultivation and care in the garden, in the open field

First of all, the planting material is processed with growth stimulants. It is better to germinate seeds in a paper towel dipped in water. Until the roots appear, the seedlings are placed in a container with a tight lid. A special mixture is prepared for the seeds. It consists of humus, leafy earth and sand.

Additional Information! The temperature in the room is maintained at least +20 ℃ so that the seeds germinate.

Throughout the entire time of germination, seedlings need proper care. It is regularly watered and, if necessary, fed. It is important not to overdo it with fertilizers, as this can affect flowering. To make the seedlings feel good, they make a pick. Stimulates the growth of lateral shoots by pinching the tips of the shoots.

Thunbergia is planted in seedlings

Features of planting in a seedless way in open ground

Planting tunbergia from seeds in open ground without seedlings is not an easy task. It is necessary to provide many conditions for the plant to take root: temperature, lighting, soil quality and the amount of dressings.

Thunberg growing from seeds in open ground only when the ground warms up properly. If you do this earlier, then there will be no seedlings. As soon as the first shoots have formed, they are provided with thorough care. In the early stages of development, the flower is covered with a glass jar to create a greenhouse effect.

Can I grow in a pot

Since tunbergia is an ornamental plant, it can be grown without any problems in a pot, planter or container. The container is filled with a special substrate and the rooted seedling is placed in it. Then regular watering and feeding is provided. It is important to place the pot in a well-lit area.

Features of care in the garden

To grow a liana in the garden, it is necessary to provide it with the right conditions. Tunbergia is a light-loving plant. It is grown in an area exposed to sunlight for most of the day.

You should know! At home, it is not recommended to put a flower pot on a windowsill facing the north side of the house. The flower needs sunlight.

Most varieties of the plant do not tolerate low temperatures well - in this case, they stop flowering.

Watering and mulching

The plant loves moderate watering. The soil should always be moist. To preserve moisture, the root zone is covered with a layer of mulch.

Loosening and feeding

For feeding tunbergia, complex mineral fertilizers are used. In order for the root system to receive nutrients in full, the soil is regularly loosened. Fertilize the plant during the entire growing season.

It's important to know! During the dormant period, the flower is not fertilized.

When and how it blooms

Tunbergia blooms from early summer to mid-autumn. Withered buds are removed, as seeds can form in them, which will take away the strength from the plant. At the time of flowering, the rules for caring for the vine are not adjusted.

Post-flowering care

At the end of the flowering period, seeds are formed in the buds. They are collected, dried and stored in a box.

On a note! The seeds do not lose their germination for several years.

Then the plant is prepared for wintering. Annual flowers must be removed. If the plant is grown in a pot, then it is pruned so that at least 4 buds remain on the branches. The container with the vine is transferred to a warm place. The flower is stored indoors until spring. Make sure that the top layer of the earth remains moist.

Possible growing problems

When planting and caring for tunbergia, problems may arise. Although the plant is quite unpretentious, it can be susceptible to pests and diseases. With excessive moisture, the flower is often affected by a fungal infection. In this case, the bush is treated with fungicides and additionally fertilized.

Of the pests for the flower, the spider mite, scale insect and whitefly are dangerous. To combat them, the bush is treated with insecticides for preventive purposes.

Spider mite is one of the main pests of tunbergia

Also, with improper care, the following problems may arise:

cessation of flowering with a lack of sunlight;
drooping foliage with too frequent watering;
with dense plantings, the shoots are stretched, and the foliage is thinning.

The appearance of the listed problems is a signal for the earliest possible adoption of measures to eliminate them. Tunbergia is a bright and unusual plant that will become a real decoration of your home or garden. The flower is easy to grow and care for, so even a beginner can handle it.