Clock Vines?

Why are they called Clock Vines? Cause they are so beautiful they can stop a clock? Really does anyone know?

This message was edited Mar 22, 2004 10:36 PM

I have another Clock Vine related question or two.

I like the plain orange ones, like monterey's picture; but, can only ever find seeds for the ones with the black throats (Thunbergia alata).

Does Thunbergia gregorii not set seed or come true? Is there a difference between Thunbergia gibsonii and Thunbergia gregorii?

I suppose one day I will have to break down and buy one in a bucket.

Go to montereybaynsy.com go to catologe then T then Thunbergia gibsonii, they explain the difference.

Lol! When I asked this question last year, I was told it was because they always wind themselves clockwise.

Thanks for the link monterey! I hadn't looked at their site for info. Though, they have always been very helpful whenever I had a question about any of their products.

I am here anytime see ya!

I love all the Thunbergia's and they do so well here on the ocean, just twining all over the place. I want Thunbergia mysorensis bad. Anyone have seeds or know of a place to get them? There was a great article on them in Sunset Magazine a few years ago and I've asked at every nursery in Orange County, to no avail. I'd like to start them from seeds rather than buy a plant. I just find that these vines do better from seed for me. Especially if I save the seeds and replant the next year. Here's a nice shot from the DB. Boy do I want, lol!
http://plantsdatabase.com/showpicture/33423/

Stellapathic, I bought my Thunbergia mysorensis from Logee's at http://www.logees.com/store/ Mine has not flowered yet so I cannot tell you if it produces seeds or not. I would definitely start with a small plant of this one.

eje, my Thunbergia gregorii/gibsonii, whichever one it is, has never produced seeds. I think that gibsonii and gregorii are so close that the terms are often used interchangeably by nurseries.

Monterey, It could have something to do with the way the buds turn before they open. All Thunbergias are given the common name of "Clock vine." Funny, huh?

Thanks for the information Clare_CA.

A nursery near where I work has a big old T. mysorensis plant. At some point during the summer, they usually offer up a few specimens for sale. I will try to remember to ask where they get them from. In the right setting, those can get to be large burly plants.

Thanks for the info. I have some seeds saved from last year's T. alata. I was planning on planting them soon, I'll let you know what comes of them. This particular plant definitely drops seeds since I have them coming up in all the pots surrounding it. I've never tried gregorii.

eje, I wonder if they propagate their own vine from cuttings?

Stella, I sowed some T. alata seeds too and got a small vine, but I've never seen T. gregorii seeds. Maybe I'm just missing them, but I don't get any volunteers.

Here's a bloom from my T. Alata. The flowers are tiny compared to T. gregorii.

I took these yesterday when I took the Bignonia. They were about the size of dimes.

Clare, I asked if they propagate their own cuttings or buy them. They said they get the T. mysorensis plants from a nursery in San Diego and it was the only place they knew of in the area that had them. I tried to press a bit to get them name; but, they weren't very forthcoming. They suggested that if you weren't in the area, you might order it from Logees.

I also discovered that what I thought was the T. mysorensis was something (Tetrastigma) they were growing it as a companion with. It is not a burly plant. Odd because it has such spectacular flowers!

eje, Interesting! I'm probably going to let mine grow with some Passifloras this summer. It's not a bad idea to combine vines for a continuous display of flowers. You might ask them if they would let you take a cutting or two of their vine to try and propagate it. I've never tried to propagate mine because it still is pretty small yet, but I imagine it would be fairly easy in the summer in a jar of water.

eje, they probably meant San Marcos Nursery, which is wholesale only. http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?strLetter=T&plant_id=1551&page=

Oops! It was stellapathic who was looking for the T. mysorensis, not Clare. Didn't read far enough back in the thread. San Marcos Growers makes sense. They get a lot of their plants from them. Maybe a nursery near you could special order it?

Clare, I doubt they would be too helpful. They like me when I spend money; but, otherwise are not particularly friendly. I think they have a lot of very wealthy clients that spend loads of money on big expensive tropicals and garden installations. I'm small potatoes. I just stop by over my lunch hour, annoy them with my questions, and buy a 4" plant or two if I'm feeling flush. It's not my favourite place, but it's close to work, and they do have some unusual plants.