Allamanda

I have never really loved any plant the way I have loved Allamanda. (Don’t take that statement too seriously. I say that for almost all the plants.) But allamandas are one of the most beautiful plants you’ll ever come across. Allamandas are also called as Golden trumpet vine. They are available in both vine and bush varieties. I had the the vine for a few years. Currently I have a bush variety Allamanda.

Allamanda Cathartica is a tropical twining vine, native to Brazil, with deeply veined, whorled leaves and large, trumpet shaped bright yellow flowers. Prickly seed pods follow the flowers with winged seeds that fly about when the pod dries and breaks open. The Allamanda vine is a fast growing rampant vine that always looks better with training and pruning. It flowers almost all year. The plant has milky sap and is considered poisonous; all parts are highly cathartic (hence the botanical name).

Wild Allamanda (Pentalinon luteum) is a perennial vine-like shrub with yellow Allamanda like flowers. Wild Allamanda are just recently gaining recognition. The flower color is almost neon yellow throughout. Grows as a vine-like shrub when it is young. Left to it own devices, it develops into a sprawling vine climbing over nearby shrubs, trees and other structures. Flowers are about 2-3 inches across, produced year-round on stem tips, although the plant is not covered with flowers like the Allamanda. There are usually some flowers on the plant all year long. As with most plants of Oleander family, all parts of Wild Allamandas are poisonous if ingested. Handling plant may cause skin irritation.

Here are a few frequently asked questions about allamanda:

It is known for its yellow flowers though they are available in few other colors. I would say, go for the yellow ones. They are very very easy to care for and maintain and bloom almost throughout the year. Makes them a must have. I personally prefer the bush ones as compared to the vines. I found the vines a bit difficult to train when compared with other vines like jasmines.

Happy Gardening 🙂