# Sweet clockvine (*Thunbergia fragrans*)

The Sweet Clockvine is a beautiful flower that has lovely yellow blooms. It grows on vines and can make gardens look bright and cheerful. Its sweet scent attracts butterflies and bees!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas

![Sweet clockvine](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Thunbergia_fragrans_in_Talakona%252C_AP_W_IMG_8506.jpg&width=800)

Photo: J.M.Garg, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thunbergia_fragrans_in_Talakona%252C_AP_W_IMG_8506.jpg)

## Appearance

The Sweet clockvine has delicate, pure white, trumpet-shaped flowers with a contrasting dark green throat. These elegant blossoms stand out against its dense, heart-shaped green leaves. It rapidly climbs using twining stems, creating a lush, flowing curtain of foliage and blooms.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Lamiales
- **Family:** Acanthaceae
- **Genus:** Thunbergia

## Interesting facts

- Its name 'clockvine' comes from its white flowers, which open each morning and close at dusk!
- Many gardeners love to grow this plant for its fragrant, elegant white trumpet flowers.
- Sweet clockvine is considered an invasive plant in some warm places because it grows so fast!
- This powerful vine can quickly cover entire structures, growing over 20 feet long!

## Special abilities

- **Twining Climber:** Sweet clockvine can rapidly climb fences and trees using its flexible stems, reaching for sunlight and new areas.
- **Scented Beacon:** Sweet clockvine has sweetly scented flowers that help it attract various insect pollinators, inviting them to visit.
- **Rapid Growth:** Sweet clockvine can grow incredibly fast, quickly covering large areas to compete for space and light.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 300-600 cm
- **Flower Size:** 3-5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Year-round in warm climates, summer to fall elsewhere
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Bees are attracted to its sweet nectar.
- **Pollinates:** Lime swallowtail (*Papilio demoleus*) — Butterflies feed on the flowers' nectar.
- **Shelter:** [Sweet clockvine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sweet-clockvine) (*Thunbergia fragrans*) — Its dense vines provide cover for small animals.

## Collections

- [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers)
- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always ask an adult before picking flowers in a garden.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Sweet clockvine?

Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Sweet clockvine?

300-600 cm

### How big are the flowers on Sweet clockvine?

3-5 cm

### When does Sweet clockvine bloom?

Year-round in warm climates, summer to fall elsewhere

### Is Sweet clockvine edible?

No

### Is Sweet clockvine toxic?

None

### What is Sweet clockvine's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is Sweet clockvine pollinated?

Insect

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Sweet clockvine: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sweet-clockvine)