White Black-Eyed Susan Vine | Live Thunbergia Plants

White black-eyed Susan vine brings bright white flowers with striking dark centers to trellises, baskets, and patio containers. This twining Thunbergia alata grows upward when given support or trails over a pot’s edge, creating a soft curtain of foliage and flowers through the warm season.

Choose your live-plant pack

• 1 live starter plant.
• 3 live starter plants.
• 10 live starter plants.

One cart quantity purchases one selected pack. This listing is for live starter plants, not seeds. Starter plants need time to establish; a mature, flowering display is not implied at delivery.

Plant details

• Botanical name: Thunbergia alata, white-flowered selection.
• Common name: black-eyed Susan vine.
• Flowers: white with a bold dark eye, approximately 1 1/2 inches across.
• Habit: vigorous twining vine that can also trail.
• Potential climbing height: approximately 60–84 inches with support; growth depends on conditions and season length.
• Bloom season: generally summer through fall in suitable growing conditions.
• Life cycle: frost-tender perennial, commonly grown as an annual in colder climates.

This is the tropical climbing vine, not the upright Rudbeckia also called black-eyed Susan. It is not winter hardy simply because it can be grown as a summer annual in a particular hardiness zone.

Unpacking and acclimation

Unpack promptly and check moisture around the roots. Water if needed, letting excess water drain. Give newly arrived plants bright, sheltered light while they recover, then gradually increase exposure to outdoor sun and wind over several days.

Transplant outside after frost danger has passed and conditions are warm. Protect tender starters from cold nights and sudden exposure to intense afternoon sun.

Planting and support

Choose full sun, with partial afternoon shade in hot, dry climates. Use fertile, well-drained soil; loamy soil is suitable. The existing growing range lists a soil pH of approximately 6.1–7.8, but drainage and steady care remain important.

Set each rooted starter at the same depth as its root ball, water thoroughly, and space approximately 8–12 inches apart, allowing more room where growth is especially vigorous. Install a trellis, mesh, or slender supports at planting time and gently guide the stems toward them. Avoid constricting stems with tight ties.

Containers, window boxes, and baskets

Use containers with drainage holes and well-drained potting mix. Allow enough root space and room for the selected number of plants rather than crowding an entire multipack into a small pot.

Provide a trellis for an upright display, or let stems trail from a hanging basket or window box. Check container moisture frequently in hot or windy weather, and choose a secure support for heavier planted baskets.

Watering and feeding

Keep the root zone consistently moist but not waterlogged. Water thoroughly when the upper layer begins to dry and allow drainage. Avoid prolonged drought, which can stress growth and flowering, and do not leave pots standing in water.

Feed according to soil needs, potting-mix nutrients, and fertilizer label directions. Avoid excessive nitrogen that encourages leafy growth at the expense of flowers.

Pruning and seasonal care

Pinch young shoot tips if needed to encourage branching. Trim wayward stems to maintain the desired shape and remove damaged growth. Provide airflow around dense foliage and check regularly for pests.

Plants may persist in reliably frost-free conditions, but cold exposure can damage or kill them. In colder areas, enjoy as a warm-season annual or move a suitable container into a bright, frost-free protected space before cold weather arrives. Indoor overwintering does not guarantee continuous flowering.

Placement and handling

Use this vine for ornamental planting, not food. Keep plant material away from children and pets, and wash hands after gardening. Where it grows year-round, manage spreading stems and unwanted seedlings so the vine stays within the intended planting area.