I came across this vine while browsing catalogs, and it looks simply gorgeous.

http://www.kartuz.com/p/68943/Thunbergia+mysorensis.html

It is a native of Mysore, India, though I never saw one there. Have any of you tried it? I am curious if it will grow as an annual or if it needs a long time to bloom. It is also called brick and butter vine, and supposedly has tons of nectar. Logees currently has it in stock.

Priya
Zone 7, Maryland

Priya,

I am not familiar with mysorensis but I bought battescombei (which is on Kartuz's site, but not under vines for some reason) from Bustani last year & if it grows anything like that, flowered all summer long & have it overwintering in my basement. It is probably the best looking of "my jungle", growing over 2 cuphea's & my red dwarf porterweed. I am getting ready to cut it back this weekend & try for cuttings.

Good luck if you get it.

Joni
Elwood, IL
Zone 5

Yours looks interesting especially if it produces lots of necter but just a word of caution. Some one planted Thunbergia alata hereabouts years ago and it is now a god-awfull plague killing trees all along the forest borders. It seems to root almost instantly from seeds scattered by who knows what and I only catch it when it blooms.

Peter, I have read this elsewhere. I have Thunbergia erecta and Thunbergia erecta alba. While nice looking plants and many blooms they don't seem to attract hummers are far as I have noticed.

What a nightmare Peter. Up here in the colder zones of NA Black-eyed Susan Vine is an annual. It is beautiful, but seems to have no wildlife value.

Ward I agree. Every great once in a while I have seen a hummer (canīt even remember which one) investigate the Thunbergia and a few insects seem to use it sparingly but for the most part, yes, no wildlife value.