Allamanda catharticaGolden Trumpet Vine

Bright yellow trumpets carried against glossy whorled foliage are the signature of Allamanda cathartica, the Golden Trumpet Vine. It is a scrambling evergreen climber from tropical South America that flowers through most of the warm season and rarely stops entirely where the climate stays frost-free.

It is trained over pergolas, arches and boundary walls, and can equally be kept clipped as a loose flowering shrub in mass planting.

Specifications

• Height3 to 5 metres as a climber, or maintained at 1.5 to 2 metres as a shrub
• Width2 to 3 metres
• Native toBrazil and northern South America
• FoliageGlossy, leathery lance-shaped leaves in whorls of three or four; evergreen in frost-free climates
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilPrefers fertile, well-drained soils with reliable moisture
• LightFull sun to partial shade
• WaterModerate; regular water through the growing season
• ClimateThrives in hot tropical and subtropical climates and is frost-sensitive

Additional Features

• FlowersLarge golden-yellow trumpet flowers, borne almost continuously in warm weather
• UsesIdeal for pergolas, arches, trellises and boundary walls, or clipped as a flowering shrub
• SpacingPlant 1.5 to 2 metres apart along a structure for even cover
• Low MaintenancePrune after the main flush to control size and encourage new flowering wood
• Pest ResistanceGenerally robust; monitor for sap-sucking insects on soft new growth
• VersatilityWorks as a climber, a scrambling bank cover or a free-standing clipped shrub
• ToxicityAll parts are toxic if eaten and the milky sap is a skin irritant

The Golden Trumpet Vine gives long-season colour on vertical structures in hot climates with very little coaxing.