Thunbergia Erecta - The King's Mantle and Bush Clock Vine

 I'm partial to purple-blue flowers as these hues are not as common as reds or yellows. So on this consideration, Thunbergia Erecta fits the bill perfectly. with light pruning, I've shaped this naturally sprawling plant into a single-stem compact shrub.  Some gardens have them as a low hedge.

The deep purple-blue blooms have a startling yellow throat which is a beacon to insects to move into its sweet interior. The 2-inch wide, tubular blooms  hang downwards from its many branches. 

The emerging bud to full bloom.


At times, depending on the amount of light, it appears more blue. It has  small, dark green leaves. 


A pair of flowers to double the delight.


Under the full glare of the sun, it appears velvety with a touch of deep pink.

View from posterior.

Against the blue sky.

Under diffused sunlight.

 
 With the sun overhead the flowers are under dappled light created from the canopy of its own foliage.

This plant in a container is staked so that it achieve the potential of its full height.

At dusk, a golden dragonfly perched on the tip of a leaf blade of walking iris, with a single thunbergia ereta flower in the background.

Tortosei, the pet tortoise finds bliss in this giant clam shell.

But, it is still curious of the world beyond.

Gathering of a single purple Thunbergia Erecta, a pair of yellow Allamanda cathartica and a raceme of Pseuderanthemum reticulatum in a ceramic bowl.