Roaring Meg vs Fraser Island Creeper: Two Stunning Native Climbers

With glossy green foliage and clusters of vivid pink flowers, Roaring Meg and Fraser Island Creeper are two native climbers that are easy to confuse.

They belong to the same genus and share many of the same growing habits, but they are not the same plant. Each is a separate species with its own natural range, flower characteristics and botanical identity.

Roaring Meg

Botanical name: Tecomanthe burungu

Roaring Meg is a vigorous woody climber native to the Wet Tropics of north-eastern Queensland.

For many years, it was known under the temporary name Tecomanthe sp. ‘Roaring Meg’ and was sometimes described in the nursery trade as a hybrid. Following further botanical study, it was formally recognised as its own species in 2018 and named Tecomanthe burungu.

Its bright pink flowers are broad and flared, with darker pink or reddish markings through the throat. The blooms appear in striking clusters and can form along older woody stems once the vine matures.

 

Fraser Island Creeper

Botanical name: Tecomanthe hillii

Fraser Island Creeper is a Queensland native climber found naturally in eastern rainforest areas, including K’gari, formerly known as Fraser Island.

It produces glossy compound foliage and hanging clusters of deep pink, tubular flowers. Compared with Roaring Meg, its flowers are generally longer and narrower, creating a more pendant display.

The accepted scientific name for Fraser Island Creeper is Tecomanthe hillii.

 

How can you tell them apart?

The easiest difference to notice is usually the shape of the flowers.

Roaring Meg tends to have broader, more open flowers with clearly visible markings inside the throat.

Fraser Island Creeper generally produces slimmer, more elongated flowers that hang together in tight clusters.

However, flower colour and shape can vary, so botanists also examine the calyx, the small structure surrounding the base of each flower.

Roaring Meg has five strongly raised ridges along the calyx, while the calyx of Fraser Island Creeper is smoother and lacks the same prominent ridging.

This difference is much easier to see on flowering plants. Young vines can be difficult to identify from their foliage alone.

 

Similar growing requirements

Both plants are evergreen, twining members of the trumpet-vine family and need a strong support structure as they grow.

They are well suited to:

• Pergolas and arbours
• Strong trellises
• Fences and supported walls
• Large established trees in suitable gardens

Both grow well in sun to part shade and prefer fertile, well-drained soil. Regular watering during warm weather will help young plants establish, while light pruning can encourage bushier growth and keep long stems under control.

These are naturally vigorous rainforest climbers, so it is important to provide plenty of space and a support strong enough to carry the mature vine.

 

Which one is right for your garden?

Choose Roaring Meg for its broad, flared flowers, colourful throat markings and tropical Far North Queensland origins.

Choose Fraser Island Creeper for its elegant hanging clusters of long pink flowers and connection to the rainforests of eastern Queensland and K’gari.

Both are impressive native climbers capable of turning a sturdy structure into a lush wall of foliage and seasonal colour.

 

They may look similar from across the nursery, but once they begin flowering, their individual features become much easier to appreciate.

Which one will you choose?