Thunbergia, a tropical climbing plant that will beautify your garden
Thunbergia is a tropical climbing plant native to Madagascar and South Africa. It has small round flowers in shades of orange, yellow, white and even blue, which have a characteristic polka dot in the center of the flower. Depending on the variety and the area in which it is planted, thunbergia is an annual or perennial plant.
Having a rapid growth that reaches a height of 5-6 meters, the thunbergia can be planted for ground cover in flower beds and rock gardens, climb a low fence, while it can be planted in a pot on the balcony to cover a wall or a small pergola.
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Under what conditions does Thunbergia grow?
Thunbergia is a plant that thrives more in sunny places, although it will bloom in partial shade. It grows best in warm areas that do not have heavy winters and can be planted in most soil types, as long as they have good drainage.
We can plant the thunbergia in a pot on the balcony to ensure its southern or western exposure to give us rich flowering. Choose a pot with a diameter of at least 30 cm, and fill it with general purpose topsoil. It is important to place a thin layer of gravel at the base of the pot so that the water leaves and does not rot the root system of thunbergia.
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What watering and fertilizing does thunbergia need?
Thunbergia have moderate watering requirements. During the spring and autumn period, thunbergia need watering once a week, while in the hot summer months we water at least twice a week. Thunbergia have significant fertilization requirements due to their rapid growth. To enhance its vegetation and flowering, add complete granular fertilizer once a month or liquid water-soluble fertilizer every 2 weeks from early spring to late summer.
How is pruning and propagation of thurnbergia done?
At the end of winter, we prune thunbergia slightly, removing the dry and weak branches while at the same time we try to maintain its shape, cutting various protruding shoots.
We can create new thunbergia plants by planting seed in the garden during the spring, as well as by taking cuttings about 10-15 cm long and planting them in nursery pots in late spring. The propagation of thunbergia does not require the use of rooting hormone, as long as we have the pots with the cuttings in a cool shady place and water them often.
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And a secret for thunbergia
Thunbergia is not particularly affected by diseases other than the mealybug insect and the nightshade. To treat them, we preventively spray the foliage of thunbergia with a biological preparation of potassium soaps. Alternatively, we can make a homemade preparation by dissolving 1 tablespoon of green grated soap in a liter of water.
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