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Information about plants & gardens for Brisbane & Qld |
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Allamanda
Allamanda cathartica and other Allamanda species, hybrids & cultivars
Family: Apocynaceae
Allamandas are old favourites for subtropical gardens and worth a fresh look given the renewed need for tough plants that can withstand drought.
The most familiar are the yellow climbing (or scambling) types. Semi-shrubs and shrubs are also available, while new cultivars have expanded the colour range. One of the traditional yellow forms would certainly be appropriate for someone trying to recreate a traditional Queensland garden. Any colour would be an asset to a tropical garden.
Other species include:
A. schotii (=A. nerifolia)
A. violaceae (= A. blanchetii, A. purpurea)
Some of the cultivars currently available on the market are hybrids. Most Allamandas have a climbing habit, but modern hybrids like 'Cherry Ripe' can be trained as shrubs, especially if they have a little support.
You'll be able to buy at least one or two types of allamanda in most retail garden centres and hardware garden departments in sub/tropical parts of Qld. However, you may have to hunt around to find the more obscure species/varieties for sale.
Be aware that the common yellow type(s) has weed potential in vulnerable areas (see links below*). If you're unsure, check with relevant local authorities.
Allamanda cultivation was covered more thoroughly in Get Results Gardening, in the 11-03-2022 edition. Click on the banner below ☟ and find out how to get a free trial. Learn more about gardening in Australia, especially subtropical SE QLD and NNSW. If you want to see the allamanda article, you can have the 11-03-2022 edition sent as well - ask for it in your request message (Australian residents only please).
Some Allamanda Varieties
Allamanda 'Hendersonii', commonly known as 'Brown Bud'. This is the most common variety seen around older gardens in Brisbane.
Allamanda in a suburban Brisbane garden (March 2013), presumably the cultivar sold here under the name Cherry Ripe.
It is not clear if the double cultivars referred to by various authorities as 'Floreoplena', 'Stansills's Double' and 'Halley's Comet' are different or simply different names for the same plant. The plants pictured may be one (or all) of these. It/they derive from Allamanda cathartica 'Williamsii', which is a single flower. However, the double form is sometimes called 'Williamsii', too. The flowers are smaller than the common type.
This might be the single Allamanda cathartica 'Williamsii' cultivar. Some of the buds show light brown colouration but they are not as strongly coloured as 'Hendersonii'. The flowers also have less colour in the throats and are smaller than 'Hendersonii'.
Bush allamanda Allamanda schottii (synonym Allamanda neriifolia). Forms a free-standing shrub rather than a vine. Another common name was oleander allamanda (Oleander being genus Nerium, hence the specific epithet "neriifolia", meaning "foliage like Nerium")
Allamanda 'Peach'.
Variety uncertain, but probably 'Jamaican Sunset'.
More Allamandas in the Landscape
Get some ideas about how you might use them in your garden. Click for larger images.
* Links to information on invasiveness. Some of these links will be duds by now, but if you're interested in chasing the information you could try searching the current websites of the organisations or checking if the page is in the Internet Archive.
Golden Trumpet Vine (
Allamanda cathartica) At the "Grow Me Instead" website (an Australian website informing gardeners about invasive ornamentals)
Possible misspellings: Alamanda cathartica, Allamanda cathcartica, Allamanda cathcartia
Looking for more information about growing allamanda in Queensland? Although new images will be added as they come to hand, other information is now mostly reserved the email publication (mini-magazine) Get Results Gardening. This is due to the demise of online advertising and increasing appropriation of public content by AI. If you live in Australia, ask for a free trial of Get Results Gardening. Go to calyx.com.au/getresultsgardening.html for more information. At the same time, you can ask for a copy of the 11-03-2022 edition, which contained an article about allamanda.
 ABN 38 518 961 623 |
