🌸

Thunbergia Bush Clock Vine

Thunbergia erecta

Basic Details

Description

Floral Formula

Features

Translations

Basic Details

NameThunbergia Bush Clock Vine

DescriptionVersatile tropical plant producing stunning trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of deep purple-blue with contrasting yellow throats, resembling clock faces. Can be grown as upright shrub (bush form) reaching 4-6 feet or trained as vigorous climbing vine to 20 feet. Blooms prolifically year-round in tropical climates or summer through fall in temperate zones, creating spectacular displays on trellises, arbors, or as flowering hedges.

FamilyAcanthaceae

GenusThunbergia

TribeThunbergieae

Floral Formula & Features

Floral Formula% ⚥ K(5) C(5) A4 G(2)

Bilaterally symmetrical, bisexual, 5 fused sepals forming calyx, 5 fused petals forming trumpet-shaped corolla, 4 stamens (didynamous), 2 fused carpels with superior ovary typical of Acanthaceae

Features

Named after Swedish botanist Carl Peter Thunberg, student of Linnaeus. Common name 'Clock Vine' refers to flower shape resembling clock face. 'King's Mantle' (T. erecta) describes the royal purple color and shrubby growth habit
Large, flared trumpet flowers measure 2-3 inches across with five rounded petals forming flat face. Deep purple-blue to violet petals surround bright yellow throat, often with dark purple-black center creating striking contrast. Flowers appear singly from leaf axils
Evergreen perennial that can be grown as upright shrub (T. erecta) or vigorous twining vine (T. grandiflora). Blooms year-round in frost-free climates, summer through fall elsewhere. Woody at base with herbaceous new growth
Bush form grows 3-6 feet (1-2 m) tall and wide. Vine form can climb 15-20 feet (4.5-6 m) with support. Lifespan of 5-10 years in tropical climates. Propagated easily from stem cuttings or seed
Native to tropical Africa and parts of Asia. Found in warm, humid forests and woodland edges. Now widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide as ornamental vine and shrub
Requires full sun to partial shade with at least 6 hours of sunlight for best flowering. Prefers warm temperatures (65-85°F/18-29°C) and high humidity. Needs well-drained, fertile soil and regular water. Frost-sensitive
Attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Fast-growing, making it excellent for quick screens or covering unsightly structures. Can be invasive in some tropical regions. Requires regular pruning to maintain shape and encourage blooming

Names in Different Languages

Latin / ScientificThunbergia erecta

English (Alternate)King's Mantle, Bush Clock Vine, Clock Vine, and Purple Thunbergia

Hindiथुनबर्जिया (Thunbargiyā)

Tamilதுன்பர்கியா (Tunparkiyā)

Teluguథున్బర్గియా (Thunbargiyā)

Malayalamതുൻബർജിയ (Tunbarjiya)

Kannadaಥುನ್ಬರ್ಗಿಯಾ (Thunbargiyā)

Sanskritनीलतूर्यपुष्यम् (Nīlatūryapuṣyam)

Bengaliথুনবার্জিয়া (Thunābarjiẏā)

Frenchthunbergia, suzanne aux yeux noirs

Russianтунбергия (tunbergiya)

Spanishtumbergia, enredadera reloj

GermanThunbergie, Schwarzaugige Susanne

What is Floral Formula?

A floral formula is a symbolic representation of a flower's structure using letters, numbers, and special symbols. It provides a concise way to describe the arrangement and number of floral parts.

Example Formula

% K(6) C1+2+(2) A(9) G₂

This formula describes the flower's symmetry, sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels in a standardized format.