Allamanda

Family. Apocynaceae. 

Origin. Brazil.

Description.  Allamanda laxative - this tropical evergreen plant has long stems densely covered with glossy, dark green oval leaves of 3 - 4 leaves in a whorl. The inflorescence is an apical raceme. Buds appear in summer at the ends of the stems, opening into yellow tubular flowers up to 10 cm in diameter. Provide the plant with support, as its flexible stems grab onto it and easily twine around the trellis. This plant requires a lot of heat, humidity and light.

Height. Up to 2.4 m, if not trimmed. There are dwarf varieties with a height of about 38 cm. 

Allamanda - home care

Reproduction

Take a terminal cutting 8 - 10 cm long in early spring and root it in moist soil. For best results, bottom heating is required. 

How to care

Keeping the plant outdoors in the summer will provide you with more abundant flowering. As soon as night temperatures approach 16° C, return the plant to the house. It is advisable to radically prune the plant in early spring to maintain a compact shape, if necessary to half the length of the stems. 

Transplant 

This is one of the few flowering plants that grows well in a large pot. Use a pot with drainage holes to prevent the soil from becoming soggy, as the plant is susceptible to root rot. 

Soil for allamanda 

Sufficiently permeable soil - with the addition of peat and sand.

Temperature conditions

A fairly wide range of temperatures from 18 to 27 ° C is suitable for growing allamanda at home. It does not tolerate frost, the minimum temperature in winter is 16 ° C. A winter dormant period is desirable, when the growth of the shrub slows down.

Lighting

Prefers bright light. Give at least 4 hours of direct sunlight every day.

Feeding

Allamanda in a pot has a limited feeding area and needs additional feeding. Every 2 weeks from spring to autumn, use fertilizer with a high phosphorus content, diluted by half. 

Flowering time

Large, funnel-shaped yellow flowers appear throughout the summer and into the fall.

Spraying

Moderate to high (50% relative humidity or higher). Use a tray of damp pebbles or a room humidifier to increase humidity in the air around the plant. 

Watering

In winter, watering is very economical, stop fertilizing, but never allow the soil to dry out completely. The top 5 cm of soil should dry out between waterings. Good drainage is necessary. 

Pests and diseases

Root rot. Among the harmful insects that can appear on plants are mealybugs and aphids, spider mites, whiteflies and nematodes.

Allamanda large-flowered or grandiflora

 An evergreen shrub with shiny dark green leaves about 12 cm long. Flowers with a long flower tube and 5 rounded petals, yellow, reach 15 cm in diameter.