Black-Eyed Susan Vine
Thunbergia alata
Family Acanthaceae
Most flowering vines are monsters; black-eyed Susan vine is a housecat. It wraps a mailbox post, small trellis, or hanging basket in cheerful orange, yellow, or cream blooms — each with a crisp dark eye — and keeps producing without pause until frost. New blends like 'African Sunset' add terracotta-rose shades worth growing on their own.
Topping out around six to eight feet, it never threatens gutters or neighbors, starts easily from seed, and feeds bees from summer's first heat to its last. It's the vine for the spot where you want charm, not conquest — hang a basket of it and see.
Full Sun to Part Shade
Moderate water
Fast growth
Attracts bees
None winter chill
From the print shop
Growing black-eyed susan vine? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries black-eyed susan vine — Thunbergia alata, print Nº 55, “Black-Eyed Susan Vine.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what black-eyed susan vine actually needs.
Life cycleAnnualBlack-Eyed Susan Vine · Common problems
Common black-eyed susan vine problems
Pests
3 problems on file
Diseases
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Black-Eyed Susan Vine · Growing & propagation
Growing black-eyed susan vine
- Light
- Full Sun to Part Shade
- Water
- Moderate, even
Soil- Rich, well-drained · pH 6.0 - 7.0
Fertilizer- Balanced feed every few weeks
Pruning- None (annual)
Twines up a small trellis, mailbox post, or spills from a hanging basket. Direct-sow or transplant after frost; blooms all season with light deadheading.
Spacing- One per small trellis/basket
How to plant & propagate black-eyed susan vine
- Propagate
- From seed
Black-Eyed Susan Vine · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Black-Eyed Susan Vine · Yearly calendar
The black-eyed susan vine year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomBloomJune to August
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Black-Eyed Susan Vine · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Thunbergia alata
Black-Eyed Susan Vine in the garden system
- Vine layer vine
- Nectary/insectary
Attracts- Bees
- Moisture
- Facultative / average
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
Origin- Introduced
What black-eyed susan vine is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxic
Use- Small trellises
- Use
- Hanging baskets
- Use
- Season-long bloom
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Black-Eyed Susan Vine · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a black-eyed susan vine variety
'Susie' series (orange/yellow/white with eyes); 'African Sunset' (warm terracottas); 'Arizona' series
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Black-Eyed Susan Vine
Thunbergia alata
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Thunbergia alata
- Plant family
- Acanthaceae
- Growth habit
- Vine · Annual
- Origin
- Introduced
- USDA plant symbol
- THAL3
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Black-Eyed Susan Vine questions, answered straight.
Is black-eyed susan vine safe for kids and pets?
Black-Eyed Susan Vine is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate black-eyed susan vine?
From seed.
Elsewhere
Where black-eyed susan vine sits in the library.
Sweet Pea
Morning Glory
Clematis
Wisteria