Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Thunbergia Grandiflora - A Sky Blue Curtain

I have this vine of Thunbergia Grandiflora and Tristellateia australasiae (Maiden's jealousy) planted on the right side of the house. Both were trained to clamber up the wall and cascade down the front of the car porch.


The Tristellateia australasiae vine is slower growing and just managed to reached the top of the porch. Its canary yellow flowers can be seen peeking out on the right side.


 This photo was shot in the late afternoon, so a number of blooms have wilted under the searing heat of the sun.


Over time this curtain gradually grew thick and lush.






The sky-blue flowers are the favourites of Carpenter bees.





A carpenter bee buzzes in without much ceremony.

  Thunbergia blooms on vine intertwined merrily with a tecoma stans shrub.




The flaming red spikes of Alpinia purpurata (Red ginger torch) added a dollop of dramatic pigments to an otherwise pastel curtain of sky-blue flowers.


Ants at a gathering on the underside of the leaf.


Come dusk, it was chow-down time for this scavenger snail.



A vessel of freshly-plucked flowers make for a welcoming eye candy.


20 comments:

  1. The Thunbergias are the quintessential tropical plants, aren't they? I love them too. And I love how I'll always find a couple of Sunbirds and Carpenter bees flying in and about them.

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    1. Where ever there are Thunbergias, you'll find Carpenter bees. Before they started to bloom I do not see a single Carpenter bee. They must have very strong and sensitive communication system. I'm absolutely amazed.

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  2. Such a beautiful flower, how I always wonder if I can have more space at home...

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    1. The concept of vertical gardening are getting popular to address the issue of space constraints.

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  3. Glorious flowers....and trimmings, Carpenter bees and snails!

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    1. Flowers attract fauna. I welcome the birds and the bees but not the snails though they supposedly play a role in scavenging !

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  4. What a beautiful plant, particularly as I am very fond of blue coloured flowers. The little extras you always add are a joy to see - the ants congregating on the underside of the leaf and the carpenters bee zooming in and out.

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    1. Hi Rosemary. Life is good for the ants, bees and snails. They only have to take care of their sustenance and need not work for a living. How did we humans end up having to work so hard - career, occupation, climbing the corporate ladder or engaged in blue collar labour.

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  5. That's very pretty and big flowers! You have train the wine well! DO they grow form seeds or cuttings?

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    1. I propagate them using both cuttings and suckers. I have not seen nor collected seeds so far. Btw they root easily and numerous suckers are formed from the mature vine.

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  6. The Thunbergia flowers are lovely subtle colours. They remind me of some old pottery. The picture with the contrasting red Alpinia flower is lovely.

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    1. I didn't purposely set out to plant the red Alpinia and blue Thunbergia for contrast. Eventually most of the plants in the garden gradually mesh into each other in a riot of wild colours.

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  7. Beautiful! Love how you used the thunbergia vine to trail down the porch. It's pretty!!! And wonderful pics as always. Happy gardening :-D

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    1. Thanks Stephanie. This vegetative curtain does provide some shade to my porch besides making a statement. Have a good weekend.

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  8. Gorgeous plant, this unusual Thunbergia, Elsie. The flowers are of nice color, only ants and snails are near them. How I hate snails and ants on my flowers.
    Great photos!

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    1. I don't like them too but their presence indicate the drama and buzz of activity that goes into forging a mutually beneficial relationship between flora and fauna.

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  9. The Thunbergia and Tristellateia looks fabulous draped over the car porch. Lovely combination. That Alpinia is magnificent too. Loved the little snail chomping on that fallen flower.

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    1. I remembered having to get hubby to climb onto the top of carporch to hammer some nails so that the vines can be fastened. Snails are my nemesis, though I don't mind them chomping on faded flowers.

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  10. I love sky-dyed blue flowers. You made me want to have a blue curtain from my veranda if possible. I haven’t seen Thunbergia Grandiflora in my place so far. Talking of a plant curtain, I grow bitter gourd green curtain for summer.

    Yoko

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    1. I have not tried cultivatihg a bitter gourd curtain but my neighbours did with ivory-coloured ones and so I got to enjoy the fruits of their harvest :) I think I should try too.

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