Allamanda
Read about Allamanda in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
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Allamanda (Dr. Allamand, Leyden). Apocynaceae. Tropical shrubs, mostly climbers, grown in greenhouses and conservatories, and in the open far south. Leaves entire, whorled: fls. terminal, large and funnel-shaped, with a flat spreading or reflexed limb, the tube inflated below the throat in which there are 5 hairy scales; stamens 5, the filaments very short; ovary 1-loculed: the fr. (seldom seen in conservatories) a large spiny globular or oblong pod.—About a dozen species in Brazil and 1 in Cent. Amer. With the exception of A. violacea and A. neriifolia, all the forms in cultivation are probably forms of one variable species. The original name for this is A. cathartica, and the plants known in the trade as A. grandiflora, A. nobilis, A. Schottii, A. magnifica, A. Williamsii are all referred to it as varieties. For garden purposes they are distinct, but botanically the differences are so slight as not to justify their being retained as species. A. violacea is readily distinguished by the color of the flowers, and A. neriifolia by the swollen base of the corolla. The allamandas comprise several of the finest climbing plants in cultivation and are general favorites wherever grown. They are of very easy culture, thriving well under the ordinary conditions of a stove or warm greenhouse. A mixture of two parts of strong turfy loam and one part of sharp sand, leaf-mold and charcoal, suits them best. Cuttings root readily in a close case in sandy soil in a temperature of 70° F. at almost any time of the year, but spring is by far the best time, as the young plants have a long season of growth ahead of them and make better plants than those rooted later. Both old and new wood may be used for propagation; the young growth should be taken off with a heel if possible, whilst pieces of the previous season's wood, which has been well ripened, may be cut up into lengths with two or three joints, in spring; the stems which are removed during the annual pruning may be used for this purpose. All the species make most excellent pot-plants, but in order to obtain them at their best they should be planted out in a well-drained border. When well established, either in pots or borders, they should be fed liberally with natural or artificial manures, during the whole of the growing season, as all the species without exception, are gross feeders. After growth has ceased in late autumn or winter, the plants should be kept nearly, but not quite dry at the roots until February or March, when they should be cut back as far as is necessary, and started in a moist position in the greenhouse. Any repotting that they require should be done before the new growths are more than 6 inches long. The weaker kinds, as A. violacea, A. cathartica var. grandiflora and var. Williamsii, are best grafted on the strong-growing var. Hendersonii. Spring and summer.
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Allamanda, also known as Yellow Bell, Golden Trumpet or Buttercup Flower, is a genus of tropical shrubs or vines with hairy seeds, native to South and Central America. Their year-round production of large, bright flowers have made the Allamanda popular ornamentals. Allamanda belongs to the dogbane family (Apocynaceae).
Usually woody, evergreen shrubs with vigorous growth, Allamanda may reach a free-standing height of 2 metres or more. The leathery leaves are lancelike, pointed, and may either be opposite or in whorls of three or four. The yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers are 5-7.5 cm in diameter; cultivated forms have been selected for larger flowers which may also be white, purple, pink or orange in colour. Their scent may be described as delicate and fruity.
In the wild, Allamanda grow along riverbanks and other open, sunny areas with adequate rainfall and perpetually moist substrate. The plants do not tolerate shade, nor do they tolerate salty or alkaline soils; they are highly sensitive to frost. Allamanda are otherwise undemanding and with appropriate conditions will grow rapidly, from 1-3 metres annually. The seed capsules are oval and prickly; cultivated forms rarely produce seeds, but Allamanda are easily propagated from cuttings. Discarded cuttings are quick to take root.
Allamanda have become naturalized throughout the tropics; they may be seen in roadside ditches, abandoned yards and dumps. As a controlling measure, cutting is ineffecive with Allamanda and will lead to vigorous coppicing. Owing to its fast growth, Allamanda has been introduced widely where it is used as a groundcover or for hedges and screens. In some areas Allamanda are an invasive species, notably Allamanda cathartica in Queensland, Australia.
Allamanda cathartica is also notable for its medicinal properties: all parts of the plant contain allamandin, a toxic iridoid lactone. The leaves, roots and flowers may be used in the preparation of a powerful cathartic (hence the name); the milky sap is also known to possess antibacterial and possibly anticancer properties. Gardeners exposed to the sap will develop rashes, itch, and blisters.
The genus name Allamanda derives from Dr. Frédéric-Louis Allamand (1735-1803), a Swiss botanist of the late 18th century.
Species
- Allamanda blanchetii (syn. Allamanda violacea) Purple Allamanda, Violet Allamanda
- Allamanda cathartica: Golden-trumpet, Large Yellow Bells, Brownbud Allamanda, Yellow Allamanda
- Allamanda schottii: Bush Allamanda
- Allamanda angustifolia, Allamanda angustifolia psilophylla, Allamanda aubletii, Allamanda brasiliensis, Allamanda ca-thartica grandiflora, Allamanda cathartica hendersonii, Allamanda cathartica nobilis, Allamanda cathartica schottii Allamanda doniana, Allamanda grandiflora, Allamanda hendersoni, Allamanda laevis, Allamanda latifolia, Allamanda linnei, Allamanda magnifica, Allamanda martii, Allamanda martii parvifolia, Allamanda neriifolia, Allamanda nobilis, Allamanda oenotheraefolia, Allamanda parviflora, Allamanda polyantha, Allamanda puberula, Allamanda puberula gardneri, Allamanda puberula glabrata, Allamanda puberula lasiocalycina, Allamanda salicifolia, Allamanda setulosa, Allamanda thevetifolia, Allamanda verrucosa, Allamanda verticillata, Allamanda wardleyana, Allamanda weberhaueri, Allamanda williamsii.
