Thunbergia erecta (King's Mantle)

  • TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN): 0154
  • Botanical Name: Thunbergia erecta
  • Common Name: King's Mantle, Bush Clock Vine, Bush Thunbergia
  • Cultivar: N/A
  • Family: Acanthaceae 
Thunbergia erecta 
Photo by Matthew Gaston
  • Native To: Tropical, Western Africa

Landscaping Information

    • Plant Type: Shrub
    • Texture: Fine, Dense
    • Form: Spreading to Round-Headed
    • Height (on average, in landscape use): 4'
    • Height to Spread Ratio: 1:1
    • Growth Rate: Fast
    • Landscape Values: Border, Edging, Foundation, Framing, Hedge, Screen, Space Division, Windbreak, Erosion Control
    • Outstanding Quality: Flower Color
    Thunbergia erecta used as a hedge around moped parking at UH Manoa
    Photo by Matthew Gaston

    Botanical Descriptions

    • Flowers: 1.5"-2.5" long, 5 pale to deep violet petals with a white to yellow throat. Lightly fragrant. 'Alba' cultivar features white flowers. 
    Thunbergia erecta flower
    Photo by Matthew Gaston

    • Fruits: Beak shaped capsule with 4 seeds. Not observed in Hawaii
    • Foliage Color: Young/immature: Yellow Green. Mature: Medium Green
    • Foliage Tip: Acuminate
    • Foliage Base: Rounded to Acuminate
    • Petiole: 0.25"
    • Stipules: Present
    • Margins: Smooth
    • Leaf Arrangement: Opposite
    • Leaf Shape: Elliptic  
    • Leaf Type:  Simple
    • Leaf Texture: Glabrous, prominent venation
    • Leaf Special Notes: Smallish leaves give this plant a fine texture. 
    Thunbergia erecta adaxial leaf surface
    Photo by Matthew Gaston

    Thunbergia erecta abaxial leaf surface
    Photo by Matthew Gaston
    Thunbergia erecta leaves
    Photo by Matthew Gaston

    • Bark and Trunk: Young shoots are red to maroon, usually on the upward, sun-facing surface. Shoots mature and lose the reddish hues. No main stem- comprised primarily of thinner twiggy stems. 
    Thunbergia erecta leaf arrangement and shoot color
    Photo by Matthew Gaston

    Horticultural Information

      • Light Preference: Semi-Sun to Full Sun
      • Light Tolerances: Semi-Shade
      • Soil Preferences: Well-Drained, somewhat adaptable to most soil types. 
      • Tolerances: Not Particular
      • Water Requirements: Moderate
      • Notes on Maintenance: No notable pests. Flowers throughout the year, with heaviest blooming in summer. Regular trimming will keep this plant shapely as a hedge and promote new shoots (with reddish stems) and flowers. Seems to do well as a potted plant as well. Thunbergia erecta (King's Mantle) shares similar features in regard to landscape uses and growth patterns to Tecoma capenis (Cape Honeysuckle).
      • Propagation: Seeds (does not seem to set seed in Hawaii), Cutting, Layer
      • Minimum USDA Hardiness Zone: 10b
      • Weed Risk Assessment Score (WRA): -2, Low Risk
      Additional Reference for this post: University of Florida Fact Sheet

      Most Popular Plants

      Graptophyllum pictum (Caricature Plant)

      Image
      T ropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0002 Botanical Name: Graptophyllum pictum Common Name: Caricature Plant Cultivars: 'Igneum', 'Lurido-sanguineum', 'Tricolor'/'Waimea', 'Eldorado' Family: Acanthaceae  (Acanthus Family) Graptophyllum pictum   Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Igneum'  Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Lurido-sanguineum'  Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Eldorado'  Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Tricolor' (believed to be the same as Graptophyllum pictum 'Waimea') Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To: New Guinea Landscaping Information
      Read More»

      Ficus microcarpa var. crassifolia (Wax Fig)

      Image
      T ropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0016 Botanical Name: Ficus microcarpa var. crassifolia Common Name: Wax Fig, Taiwan Ficus Variety: crassifolia Family: Moraceae Native To: Southern Taiwan Ficus microcarpa var. crassifolia leaves. Note the bronze to bright yellow-green young leaves.  Photo by Matthew Gaston Landscaping Information Plant Type : Shrub Texture: Dense Form: Mound, Cushion Height (on average, in landscape use): 1.5' - 4' Height to Spread Ratio: 1:2 Growth Rate: Fast Landscape Values: Border, Color, Edging, Facer, Filler, Foundation, Framing, Hedge, Indoor, Lanai, Patio, Space Division, Groundcover, Specimen Outstanding Quality: Foliage and Form; often used for Bonsai  Ficus microcarpa var. crassifolia  as a hedge/groundcover below a tree  Photo by Matthew Gaston Botanical Descriptions Flowers/Fruits: paired figs, sessile, 0.2"-0.4" long, glabrous, purple to black when ripe...
      Read More»

      Bucida buceras 'Variegated' (Dwarf Variegated Geometry Tree)

      Image
      TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0083 Botanical Name: Bucida buceras 'Variegated' Common Name: Dwarf Variegated Geometry Tree, Variegated Madagascar Almond, Spiny Black Olive, Oxhorn Bucida Cultivar: 'Variegata' Family: Combretaceae Native To: Mexico, Central America, The Caribbean, and Northern South America Bucida beceras ' Variegata' growing in a Malaysian neighborhood parkway Photo by Mahmud Yussop of Laman Kambatik Plants List Landscaping Information Plant Type : Broadleaf Evergreen Tree Texture: Fine, Open Form: Upright-Narrow to Spreading, somewhat Irregular Height (on average, in landscape use): 5'-8' (As a house plant), 30'-60' (Outdoors) Height to Spread Ratio: 1:1 to 2:1 Growth Rate: Fast Landscape Values: Accent, Street Tree, Color, Framing, Indoor, Lanai, Patio, Sculptural Form, Specimen, Windbreak, Erosion Control, Shade Outstanding Quality: Foliage Color, Variegation,...
      Read More»

      Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. carruthersii (Variegated False Eranthemum)

      Image
      T ropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0005 Botanical Name: Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. carruthersii (syn. Pseuderanthemum reticulata) Common Name: Variegated False Eranthemum, El Dorado, El Dorado False Eranthemum, El Dorado Eranthemum, Yellow Veined Eranthemum Variety: carruthersii (See Additional Notes at the bottom of the page) Family: Acanthaceae Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. carruthersii  Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To:   Melanesia   Landscaping Information Plant Type : Shrub Texture: Dense Form:   Upright-broad Height (on average, in landscape use):   4'- 6' Height to Spread Ratio: 1:1 Growth Rate: Medium Landscape Values: Background, Border, Color, Edging, Facer, Filler, Foundation, Framing, Hedge (large one really), Mass, Screen, Space Division Outstanding Quality: Foliage Characters Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. carruthersii growing tightly between a walkway and a wall.  Ph...
      Read More»

      Breynia disticha (Snow Bush)

      Image
      TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0151 Botanical Name: Breynia disticha 'Roseopicta' Common Name: Snowbush, Snow bush, Ice-Cream Bush, Calico Plant, Sweetpea Bush, Foliage Flower Shrub, Laukalakoa (Hawaiian) Cultivar: 'Roseopicta' is likely the cultivar seen in the images on this page. Family: Phyllanthaceae Breynia disticha Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To: Vanuatu and New Caledonia  Landscaping Information Plant Type : Treelet, Shrub Texture: Dense Form: Upright-broad to even Weeping/Irregular, but usually seen trimmed into a hedge Height (on average, in landscape use): 2'- 4' (can reach 10' in ideal conditions) Height to Spread Ratio: 1:1 to 1:2 Growth Rate: Medium to Fast Landscape Values: Accent, Background, Border, Color, Edging, Facer, Filler, Foundation, Framing, Hedge, Mass, Quick Effect, Specimen Outstanding Quality: Foliage Color Breynia disticha between a fence and...
      Read More»

      Jatropha integerrima (Peregrina)

      Image
      TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0069 Botanical Name:   Jatropha integerrima Common Name: Peregrina, Spicy Jatropha, Rose-Colored Jatropha, Fire Cracker Jatropha Cultivar: N/A Family: Euphorbiaceae Jatropha integerrima  Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To: Hispaniola and Cuba Landscaping Information:  Plant Type : Treelet Texture: Medium, Open Form:  Round Headed to Upright-broad. Can be somewhat easily trimmed into a Spreading form. Height (on average, in landscape use): 10'-20' Height to Spread Ratio: 1:1 Growth Rate: Medium Landscape Values: Accent, Color, Framing, Screen, Specimen Outstanding Quality: Flower Color Jatropha integerrima  Photo by Matthew Gaston Jatropha integerrima  in Honolulu acting as a large hedge and screen. Note the staircase where the plant can be appreciated from above. Photo by Matthew Gaston Jatropha integerrima at UH Manoa trimmed into a spreading fo...
      Read More»