It belongs to the Apocynaceae family. The genus is named after Dr. F. Allamand, a professor of Natural History in Leyden in the last part of the 18th century. I am not sure Allamanda plants fall under which category. Some people say it is a climber and others say, no it comes under the shrub. We are gardeners not scientists. So, to satisfy everybody, we can say it is a shrub with creeping or scandent tendencies. You can keep it as a shrub by heavy pruning or train it on perches or pergolas as a creeper. Allamanda is a native of Brazil and they do well in tropical climates. Several types of Allamanda is available today. The fruits are capsule shaped and covered with prickles. It releases winged seeds after maturity.

Some of the common names of this plant are Golden Trumpet, Yellow bell and Buttercup flowers. They are a quick growing and evergreen shrubby climber. Branches are hairy and leaves are in a cluster of 4 to 5. The shape of the leaves is sometimes elliptical with a narrow end at the base or broad rounded apex and a tapering base. They are 7 to 10 cm long and 3 to 5 cm broad. Golden Trumpet vine flowers profusely in summer and monsoon. The flowers are large, showy and yellow in color and about 6 cm across. It has a white milky sap through out its body and oozes out after a branch is broken. The name Cathartica came from this sap which is highly poisonous and cathartic in nature. Some other types are A. Cathartica Hendersonii and A. Cathartica Williamsii. The first one is a vigorous climber with large leaves, up to 15 cm long and flowers are also large about 10 cm across with bright yellow color. The other one is less vigorous compared to others with larger leaves, up to 18 cm long. The flower is double with a tuft of petals at the center of funnel-shaped corolla.

It is a scrambling shrub with terete branches, green and hairy when young. Leaves are oblanceolate or elliptic with light green color and short stiff hair on both sides. Flowers are large showy and light violet in color. Corolla tube is up to 5 cm long, ending in 5 broadly ovate leaves and about 5 cm across.

Other two types of Allamanda are A. Neriifolia with a golden yellow flower and reddish neck and A. Schottii with rich yellow, funnel shaped and beautifully striped flower.

Allamanda prefers a sunny location and moist and rich soil composition. Pruning should be done in the spring to encourage new shoots and a Balance fertilizer should be given that time. Also give a side feed of 10-50-10 fertilizer once in summer and once in monsoon to get more blooms. Propagation is mainly done by cuttings and air layering. Allamanda plants get less affected with pest and disease. Sometimes they can be infested by spidery mites and white fly. Few thorough washing of the plant by a mild soap solution is effective.