Thunbergia mysorensis- Clock Vine information

I live in zone 8b...I'm interested in growing Thunbergia mysorensis (Clock Vine). Can I sucessfully grow this plant outdoors, or do I need to put it in a pot that I need to bring indoors in the winter? I do have a large black container about 30" in diameter that's on the edge of a covered patio facing west. The location gets full sun from mid day until late evening. Do you think this location will work? I can't move the pot when it gets cold so I need the opinion of someone who's grown this plant. Thanks for your help...Colibri.

I've grown the T. alata as long as it's mulched really well in the winter, it does come back. For iffy plants like that I'll always root cuttings and winter them over in the greenhouse for insurance .. when yours gets large enough I'd love to trade for some cuttings.

X

I'm not sure if you could compare the two. Mysorensis and coccinia are both fairly tender. The coccinia can take to around 37 deg.
T. alata and T. fragrans (not fragrant by the way) grow more prolifically and spread more via underground runners. Fragrans has seeds that eject for 6 ft or more.
Cant hurt to try but do make cuttings to overwinter.

Well....I have both T. myesorensis and T. coccinia. I had them in the greenhouse and both bloomed profusely and were magnets for scale. So they had to go.

They both sent out trailers under the greenhouse wall that come up every spring. I have propagated them and had enough for a huge myesorensis, it was in a 3 gallon container. I left it our in the incredibly nasty freezes we had last winter (at least 20F, possibly a night of 17-18 for the low) and guess what? That vine came RIGHT BACK even in a container and is now planted on my fence where it threatens to engulf everything in its path LOL. I think it will bloom this summer, and I think its really hardy

Wow, Gothqueen, that's good info to know. I think I will order it and plant it in the big container I have.

Colibri

I tried T. mysorensis outdoors and it died over the winter. But even though I'm in a warmer zone than you, we tend to have a lot more nights that are close to freezing than similar zones in the south do, so it could be it would do better for you than it did here.

I used to live in gainesville .. north central florida seems to have a lot of microclimates. I moved less than 20 miles away to high springs and things that would survive winter in g'ville croaked in high springs.

X

I used to live in Los Angeles and I know what you mean. Although I was considered to actually be in a zone 10A in LA, as I was located right next to the ocean, many tropical plants that grow well here would not flower there because the nighttime temps, while rarely "freezing", were simply too cold year round (40-50) for there to be enough cumulative heat build up for them. We only have lows in that range for a scant 3-3.5 months out of the year here. The rest of the time the night time lows are between about 58-75+.

We definitely have a range of microclimates here in the Gainesville area...I lived in town for a number of years in an older neighborhood where the houses are very close together (as in you can see into your neighbor's window, LOL) and there are city buildings and lots of road and sidewalk and it was a little warmer than here. I had heliconia rostrata inground and it survived there until a major MAJOR freeze took it to the ground. Now I live in the stix with 3 neighbors of a one lane country road, no radiant heat from the other buildings or the infrastructure. I do have a huge amount of rather dense sheltering old Florida hammock tree cover though, many trees in excess of 70 feet, and that does help a lot out here.

I rarely gets lows below 25-26, while on the same night my friend in Newberry about 15 miles away will have temps of 15-20

My next-door neighbor grows blue clock vine on the east side of her house- we are in zone 8a, & it has come back very well for 3 years - even with multiple 20 degree nights each winter. Mulch well - I think you'll be fine! Samantha

The blue one is a different species so there's no guarantee that T. mysorensis would have the same hardiness.

T. mysorensis and T.alata are completely different, I agree.

I have been growing a T. mysorensis for about two seasons (no blooms yet) and I would absolutely advise against full sun!!! I tried full sun at first and I almost killed it. Now it's growing against a North facing wall and seems to enjoy the warmth that comes from the bricks. Also, in our climate, water, water, water, or they will fry!

Full sun in CA is different from full sun in FL, LOL because we actually have humidity and rain. Mineis in full sin, its doing absolutely great

Mine is in a pot in full sun and it is growing all up the other vines next to it trying to take over. It seems even more vigorous that the T. grandiflora.

Oops I meant full SUN not full SIN, LOL

Ah! I wish we could bring some of that humdity over to CA!

I think humidity is a key element for some of these things. Humidity and rain. In years that we get regular rain, everything is so much bigger, blooms so much better, and is so much more lush. Years without much rain, even with daily sprinkler or hand watering, its just not the same.

Gothqueen, I fully agree. You can water all you want but it's nothing like a good rain storm to revive a garden.

Right now, we are in a mini drought and have not had rain in 22 days. We need rain really bad around here.

Colibri

I hope you get some! We have had triple digit temps here for a week, and were getting no rain, then out of nowhere yesterday a single storm passed slowly over my house and dumped 2.5 inches. It was really provident.

22 days, haha! You guys are so spoiled, lol!

I haven't had rains since February!!! I'm from Brazil, and the weather there is like south Florida I presume...it makes a huge difference for all the plants...but especially for tropicals like the thumbergia...

Also, rain water is just so much healthier for the plants. Whenever it rains, or sprinkles here, I run out with buckets to collect whatever I can...

Hey... I live in the Gulf South... Of course I'm spoiled...I'm used to 5- 7 " of rain per month during the summer. This month, I doubt if we've gotten 1.0 "

My brother lives in San Diego. He told me it is a desert climate. We were there one year for Christmas and there was a thunderstorm, I was shocked. It never rains in Cali.

No wonder the Native Americans used to do those rain dances! lol!

I lived in Los Angeles for 7 years about 6 miles from Venice Beach. I can count on one hand the times it actually rained enough to make any difference.

here it is.. just about July.. and I'm just starting to have to water..and only because.. the leaf structure of the brugs.. has so overshadowed the pots and containers.. the rain doesn't getthrough to them. I have watered twice this year.. I can count on one hand.. the number of times it's rained most days this year.. the black flies.. soil knats... are in paradise.. I've enough mosquito dunks soaking in buckets to treat a small lake.. just awaiting a time I can pour a bunch of fertilizers in them.. and douse the knat larva in the soil.. but it's been to wet to feed.. thank goodness.. for spray applications.. and most of the lower leaves are so big.. I've had to start removing them. so there's some sun to the understory .. and as a side benefit.. they get developed more as standards..
after the first flowers,, most are seriously starting to bud out again.. with highs of the last few weeks of 75*.. and the rain.. it's like summer in the Andes...

This message was edited Jun 25, 2009 10:20 PM

You're lucky. We used to get rain almost everyday here in No Central FL (and over a large part of the rest of FL) like clockwork anytime after about 2pm in the form of thunderstorms that would form over the center of teh state where the east coast and west coast seabreezes meet. But those rains have become more spotty over the years as climate changes have occurred.

I have to water some areas of my ornamental plantings every single day almost. I don't have a lawn to speak of, so don't have to waste water on that. But I have lots of flowerbeds planted with tropical plants

CGardener-
I have experience with the different thunbergias, and your mysorensis should do well for you in the ground, but it will take it a few years to realize when your freezes come, and adjust accordingly.

Their normal bloom time is Fall, through winter(same with grandiflora, coccinea, etc) . So, since you have a winter that probably gets freezes, the foliage will die back and you won't see blooms for a few years, until it learns to adjust its schedule to your local frost schedule.

After it adjusts, it will bloom for you in Fall a month or two before the freezes.

Pot culture will probably allow for winter growth, but also limit its general growth, thereby also limiting its blooms.

The best senario, would be in the ground, and be patient with it, or if you plant in a pot, use a really large one(25gallon), and give it a really large frost free area to really spread out and grow on.

They seem to really like to grow big, before they bloom(usually)

This is a picture of grandiflora that was allowed to grow all winter frost free. This is a porch(Texas 8a), and it gets wrapped in greenhouse plastic. This is the middle section.

The poles on either ends have other things like coccinea, and petrea, etc.

the coccinea on the west end:

Can you guys tell me where you found the coccinea to purchase. I have searched the internet but am coming up empty handed.

Thanks,

Dee

Dee-
I got mine in a trade many moons ago, before daves...it was from a gardenweb trade back in 2000.

They were rare back then, but appear to still be pretty uncommon from what I can tell.

I can root some for you if you'd like to set up a trade, or I can list one on ebay for you. They root pretty quickly in summer...

Coccinea is a pretty rare vine. I actually have it, but its all mixed up with my T. myesorensis and I can't separate it easily unless they are both in bloom at the same time (which they are not at the moment). I got mine in a trade years ago

It's beautiful - been on my 'lust' list for a long time.

Seedpicker....WOW, they are beautiful, I would love some Coccinea too. If its rare, this is an opportunity for you to propagate it and sell the seedlings. I'd sure buy one !!!

Colibri Gardener

I've been telling myself that for years but it never materializes...maybe this year, I'll actually get around to it :0)

Seedpicker, I have a question. Do hummingbirds visit the coccinea?

Colibri Gardener

Seedpicker, please let us know when you do...You have a customer anxiously awaiting!!

Ok, but if I forget, bug me about mid-november, or december...that is when they should be large enough...do you have a little greenhouse or sunroom?

Seedpicker, I am on that list, too, and I do have a greenhouse.

ok, I just make a t. coccinea list in my notepad on the computer, so I'll refer to it, when I have some ready.

I put both of your membernames on there.
:0)

ahhh, me too please Seedpicker? It's gorgeous.

Dee - found this.......
http://www.glasshouseworks.com/trop-t.html

Seedpicker - What's your ebay id ?

ok, mj...you are added.

$8 sounds like a great price, but for what size??? if it is a 2" or 4", that really isn't that good of a deal, especially when you add shipping.

I'm not knocking them. If anyone wants to buy from them, that is great. But personally I like to sell quarts and gallons on most things, just to ensure a more established plant, and to help avoid death by shock.

I've ordered from Logees, and other places that sell plants in 2" and 4" pots, and am frequently disappointed in how much I paid, and how few survived the shock of transit...just my two cents, and two cents won't buy you much these days, lol
-T

my ebay name is:
luv_2_gardn

I don't list anything until summer is over in Fall. Just too hot to ship.