Thunbergia alata Sunny Suzy Rose Sensation

The  Thunbergia alata 'Sunny Suzy Rose Sensation' is a Black-eyed Susan with moderate growth that will charm with its flowers coloured from pink to black, delicately enhanced with fuchsia pink. Perennial in its country of origin, it is an adorable annual climbing plant in our climates, appreciated for its unique flowering that only ends with the first frost. Its stems covered with lush foliage cling to trellises on their own, allowing for the quick creation of large and decorative pots or astonishing hanging baskets that can be kept in the conservatory. It appreciates warmth and sun, fertile, cool, and well-drained soils.

The Thunbergia alata 'Sunny Suzy Rose Sensation' is a fast-growing, perennial, and voluble climbing plant that can only tolerate very light frosts. Its ancestor is native to the tropical regions of East Africa. It is grown as an annual in our climates. The cultivar 'Sunny Suzy Rose Sensation' reaches an average height of 1.40 m (5ft) and a width of 50-60 cm (20-24in) in just a few months. Its stems wrap around their support. They are covered with lush, dark green foliage composed of evergreen ( where frost-free) hairy leaves with toothed edges, shaped like a heart or an arrow. The flowering, which is rather early for a Black-eyed Susan, extends from June to October. The 3-4 cm (1-2in) flowers, enclosed in a hairy calyx, are borne on peduncles in the axils of the leaves. The corolla is tubular at the base and is followed by five flared lobes. The colour of the flowers, finely veined with pink, changes as they mature, ranging from true pink to almost white, with all shades simultaneously present on the plant. At the centre of this flower shines a beautiful eye, characteristic in a violet-black colour but bordered with intense pink in this 'Rose Sensation' variety. Its role is to attract pollinating insects.

The Sunny Suzy Rose Sensation Black-eyed Susan is suitable for both pot and open-ground cultivation, in sunny locations. A voluble climber, but lightweight, it pairs well with a perennial climbing plant like a herbaceous clematis and can also be used as ground cover. You can associate it with summer-flowering bulbs, such as gladioli: it will twist around the leaves and flower in the most unlikely places, adding whimsy to rigid flower beds. It will also make a great impact in a large hanging basket.

Note: Please be aware that our young plug plants are professional products reserved for experienced gardeners: upon receipt, transplant and store them under shelter (conservatory, greenhouse, cold frame etc.) at a temperature above 14°C (57.2°F) for a few weeks before being installed outdoors once the risk of frost has definitively passed.