Friday, March 30, 2007

The King Mantle Flower or Thunbergia erecta



As summer days get closer the heat of the day is doing a number on my potted plants. I find that some pots need to be water twice a day. A few days ago I told you all, that now that we have daylight savings time I was going to gardening after work on Tuesday and Thursday and going to the gym the other days. Well this week I spent everyday in the garden after work, there is much weeding to be done and so many plants that need to be cut back. I don’t know about you but I find the Gym is so boring, I am trying to convince my doctor that gardening gives you all the exercise a person need.
The pictures today are of my King Mantle shrub this week it burst into hundreds of blooms. I took the pictures early one morning as the sun was coming up, the flowers looked magnificent.

7 comments:

Brenda Maas said...

That is soooo pretty.

Carol Michel said...

I agree, the right kind of gardening gives you all the exercise you need and a gym is a boring place.

Love the flower!

Lisa said...

What a beautiful shrub!

Anonymous said...

I also have a King Mantle shrub. I also have a vine with the exact flower, does anyone know what it is?

Andrew said...

QUESTION about Kings Mantle (Thunbergia Erecta)--
Anyone know what the average lifespan is of this??

Anonymous said...

Have you noticed whether this plant attracts butterflies or hummingbirds? Bees? We just bought one, and may buy more depending on how it does... Our (African) firebushes actually do better than the Florida native ones here in Naples. Our butterflies and hummingbirds love them when they are in bloom! As another African native plant, I have faith that our king's mantle will do as well as the firebushes have. Fingers crossed.

Thanks.

Brian

Anonymous said...

The vine is probably a The blue sky vine (Thunbergia grandiflora)