Allamanda ................................................................. Allamanda cathartica Family: Apocynaceae Other Common Names Golden Trumpet, Akar Chempaka Hutan, Bunga Akar Kuning, Alamanda Kuning Region of Origin Brazil, South America

Description
Named after the Brazilian naturalist Allamand, Allamanda is a common shrub with glossy green leaves found in the lowland gardens of Peninsular Malaysia. Its all-year long flowers are bisexual, large, yellow and in cymes. It has a short calyx-tube, 5 lobes and is often glandular inside. Its corolla-tube is long and salver-shaped with contorted 5 lobes. It has 5 stamens, epipetalous, linear anthers. Gynoecium 2-carpellate with 2 ovaries.

One variety known as A. grandiflora has particularly large funnel-shaped flowers up to 10 cm in diameter, while another, A. violacea, has pale mauve blossoms.

Propagation
Propagates easily with cuttings. Fertilize liberally during growing season. Prune to encourage more branches. Prefers regular to generous weathering during hot, dry months.

Maintenance
Train up a trellis, tree, or side of a building where there is support. Or prune and maintain as a shrub.

Gardening Values
Allamandas are breathtaking when in the full glory of their bloom. Plant them where they will be as conspicuous as possible. In Malaysia, they are often pruned and maintained as blooming hedge plants. They can be allowed to grow up slender trees, where they make a profusion of blooms at the top and on the way up.

Medicinal Properties
As with other members of the Apocynaceae, such as the Frangipani, all parts of the plant including its milky sap are poisonous. There are not known as a medicinal plant in Malaysia as well. But the leaves, made into an infusion, are used in traditional medicine in South America as a purgative and vapor produced by boiling the leaves is said to be a remedy for coughs.

In Suriname, the roots are used to treat jaundice, complications with malaria and enlarged spleen. Its flower can be used as laxatives.

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