Allamanda is a genus of evergreen shrubs, vines and small trees from the Americas, grown for its large, bell-shaped yellow flowers. Most commonly grown members are climbing or bushy shrubs that need warmth, full sun and regular water.
Family
Apocynaceae (Dogbane family)
Light
Full sun
Water
Keep the soil evenly moist during the growing season and reduce water in winter.
Soil
Well-drained, fertile potting mix or garden soil.
Temperature
18–30 °C; protect below 10 °C, as plants are frost sensitive.
How easy
Easy
Safety
Toxic: All parts contain white latex and iridoid compounds that can cause irritation and poisoning if eaten, so keep away from children.
About
Allamanda is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae. They are native to the Americas, where they are distributed from Mexico to Argentina. Some species are familiar as ornamental plants cultivated for their large, colorful flowers. Most species produce yellow flowers; A. blanchetii bears pink flowers. The genus name Allamanda honors the Swiss botanist and physician Frédéric-Louis Allamand (1736–1809). It is the official flower of Kuching North City Hall.
How to grow it
In the wild, allamandas grow along riverbanks and other open, sunny areas with adequate rainfall and perpetually moist substrate. The plants do not tolerate shade or salty or alkaline soils, and they are sensitive to frost. They grow rapidly, sometimes spreading 3 meters per year. They can be propagated from cuttings.
Can be trained as a standard.
Safety
In lab analyses Allamanda species have yielded several chemical compounds, including iridoid lactones such as allamandin, plumericin, and plumierides. Plumericin particularly was demonstrated to be a highly potent NF-κB inhibitor with anti-inflammatory activity in vitro and in vivo, while its structurally related derivatives plumierdin, plumeridoid C, and allamandicin did not have activity. The lignan pinoresinol and coumarins such as scopoletin and scoparone have been isolated from A. schottii.
Allamanda species have been used in systems of traditional medicine for various purposes. A. cathartica has been used to treat liver tumors, jaundice, splenomegaly, and malaria. In analyses, some species have shown some activity against carcinoma cells, pathogenic fungi, and HIV.
Where it grows
Allamandas have become naturalized throughout the tropics, growing in roadside ditches, abandoned yards, and dumps. A. cathartica in particular is an invasive species in Queensland. Cutting is ineffective as a means of control, because the plants respond to coppicing.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Allamanda by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.