An orange Thunbergia alata flower has five broad lobes and fine white hairs around its black throat

Thunbergia alata (Black-Eyed Susan Vine)

Native to tropical and southern Africa and Madagascar, this fast-growing perennial vine in the acanthus family climbs to about 16 feet. Its soft, hairy leaves are heart-shaped or arrow-shaped. Yellow or orange flowers have dark throats; cultivars also have white or pinkish flowers. Ultraviolet patterns guide pollinating insects toward the flower center. The seed capsules have a long, pointed beak, and the plant also spreads from stem and root fragments. It is invasive in Colombia, where it flowers throughout the year and can form dense mats that block light from native plants. Photographed in the western Andes mountain range of Colombia.

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Yellow Thunbergia alata flowers with dark centers grow among textured green leaves and pointed buds

Two creamy-white Thunbergia alata flowers with dark throats overlap among green leaves

Two peach-pink Thunbergia alata flowers have darker red veins around their black centers

Two orange Thunbergia alata flowers with black throats rise above broad green leaves

An orange Thunbergia alata flower has a purple-black throat edged with fine pale hairs

Four orange Thunbergia alata flowers grow beside hairy green bracts marked with purple patches

A single orange Thunbergia alata flower with a black throat grows beside hairy stems and green leaves

A yellow Thunbergia alata flower with a dark center hangs beneath overlapping green leaves

An orange Thunbergia alata flower has red markings near its dark throat and a hairy green bract behind it

Yellow-flowered Thunbergia alata vines cover an arch above a garden path

Thunbergia alata vines covered in orange flowers spread across shrubs along a hillside

Thunbergia alata forms a climbing wall with cream yellow and orange flowers

Thunbergia alata forms a large leafy climbing mass dotted with yellow flowers