How to Care for Orange Clock Vine

Orange clock vines, or Thunbergia alata, produce tall vines adorned with deep green foliage and bright orange flowers. The small flowers resemble black-eyed Susans, so the plant is sometimes called a black-eyed Susan vine. The orange clock vine grows as an annual vine that quickly reaches its full size in early summer. Use the vines to provide a backdrop of color in the landscape or to provide privacy to fences and outdoor seating areas. Orange clock vines grow from seeds or nursery plants sown outdoors after spring frost danger has passed.

Trellis
Mulch

Instructions

- 1
  Select a site that receives bright morning sun but afternoon shade. Extreme afternoon heat in summer causes the vine to wilt and flower poorly. Avoid sites that drain slowly or retain standing water.
- 2
  Install a trellis behind the vine before or immediately following planting. Clock vines grow between 5 and 8 feet tall, so use a tall-enough trellis to provide support to the vine at maturity.
- 3
  Water the vines one to two times a week. Supply approximately 1 inch of water so the top 6 inches of soil remains moist. Don't allow the soil to dry out completely.
- 4
  Spread 2 inches of mulch over the soil around the base of the vines once the orange clock vine is 6 inches tall. An organic mulch, such as bark nuggets, suppresses weeds and retains soil moisture.
- 5
  Pinch back the tip of each vine to the topmost bud when the orange clock vine reaches the top of the trellis. Pinching encourages the vine to spread laterally instead of putting on more top growth.

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