Name That Plant XII Answer: Cherries Jubilee Allamanda
September 8, 2010
Congratulations to Deborah Aldridge for correctly guessing this week’s Name That Plant!
Cherries Jubilee Allamanda, Allamanda cathartica ‘Cherries Jubilee’
Need a summertime bloomer for your garden? The allamandas are always a good choice and the ‘Cherries Jubilee’ variety provides a rosy pink flower against dark evergreen foliage. This is a fast growing vine that does best in full sun, is drought tolerant and is rated for zones 9B-11. It may grow to 8 feet or more and will need a trellis or other support to maintain some form, so consider its location before planting. Some gardeners have been able to train this plant into a shrub and Cherries Jubilee should do well in a hanging basket.
If you know any Latin, you probably recognized that this plant has medicinal properties. The species name “cathartica” should give you a hint. The leaves, roots and flowers of this plant are used in some countries to make a cathartic and all parts of the plant are considered toxic if eaten. The milky white sap may irritate the skin of some gardeners but this shouldn’t stop you from considering this easy, prolific bloomer for your yard. The Estates has a Cherries Jubilee on the trellis next to the Shaving Brush tree between the Edison and Ford homes and our Garden Shoppe has several Cherries Jubilee plants for sale.
Britta Soderqvist, Plant Curator
