ALLAMANDA CATHARTICA Apocynaceae

GOLDEN TRUMPET

Although this plant is often referred to as the golden trumpet “vine”— it is after all a climber—its habit when grown in a pot is to sprawl or lean. Its demand for warmth, a humid atmosphere, and plenty of sun means that it is a plant for the sunroom or greenhouse, although it can be used as a short-term houseplant in other rooms. If grown in large containers, climbing allamandas can be trained on a trellis or wire support to cover a wall; and they are very attractive when encouraged to grow up into the ceiling space.

Allamandas are spectacular in flower, and if it were not for their rather weak constitution, they would undoubtedly be seen more often. The glossy, dark green, oval leaves are 4-6in/10-15cm long and are borne on long stems. The flaring, buttercup yellow trumpet blooms of Allamanda cathartica appear throughout summer and fall, and can be as much as 4in/10cm wide.

Leaves yellow and drop naturally. Prune any naked stems by half to encourage new leaf buds to break.

Check for mealybugs and scale insects, both of which attack this plant.

In damp conditions, collar rot fungus can attack the soft, fleshy stem. Scatter horticultural grit on the soil around the stem to help prevent it.

Honeydew, the sticky dark secretion from aphids, can be unsightly.

If seen, wash the leaves with slightly soapy water.

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ORIGIN Guyana; Brazil.

HEIGHT To 8ft/2.4m and more with a similar spread.

POTTING MIX Soil-based.

REPOTTING Move into a pot one size larger each spring. PROPAGATION Take 3-4-in/8-10-cm tip cuttings in early spring. KEEPING PLANTS To keep the plant healthy, cut it back to roughly half its size just before growth resumes after the winter rest.

PLANT CARE

Bright light, with 3-4 hours of direct sunlight. • Minimum of 60°F/16°C in winter. • Water moderately in the growing season, sparingly in winter. • Stand the plant on a tray of wet pebbles and mist it daily during summer. • Apply a weak liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks from early spring to late summer. • In smaller rooms, train this plant over a wire framework; although the stems are tough, they are flexible and easy to wind and unwind.

ALOCASL4 SANDER1ANA

Araceae

E0LEPHANT ’S-EAR

  

Alocasias are not difficult to find, and they are worth looking for if you want a spectacular specimen plant. The erect, thick stems of Alocasia sanderiana carry arrow-shaped leaves 12-16in/30-40cm long and 6in/15cm wide. They are metallic silver-green, broken by yellowish gray veining, with scalloped edges and a thin white margin; the undersides have a purplish tinge. The rather insignificant petalless flowers are held on a spadix within a typical arumlike spathe.

This attention-grabbing plant is, unfortunately, not really happy in normal room conditions and should be returned to a greenhouse to recuperate after a few months. A rest period is essential in winter, during which the soil should be allowed to become almost dry between waterings, and feeding can cease completely.

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ORIGIN Philippines.

HEIGHT To 30in/76cm with a similar spread.

POTTING MIX Soil-based, with added peat moss or leaf mold. REPOTTING Annually in spring.

PROPAGATION In spring, by division; by potting up the suckers; or by taking cuttings of the rhizomes.

KEEPING PLANTS Equally good as a solitary specimen plant or as part of a group of houseplants.

PLANT CARE

Bright light preferred; avoid direct sunlight in summer. • Minimum of 65°F/18°C in winter; warm room temperature at other times, preferably above 70°F/21°C. • Keep the soil moist during the active growth period; reduce watering in winter. • Humidity is appreciated; so mist the leaves frequently, and stand the plant on moist pebbles.

• Feed every 2 weeks with a weak liquid fertilizer..

heck for mealybugs and red spider mites, both of which attack this plant.

Wiping dust from the metallic-looking surface can damage the leaves. It is a better idea to spray them with water to clean them.

 

Aloe barbadensis (syn.a. vera) Liliaceae

MEDICINE ALOE

Aloes are slow-growing succulents, and they display diverse size and habit. Many have leaves that are fiercely armed with hooked teeth and spines. Aloe barbadensis, today more frequently known as A. vera, is a rambling and rather messy-looking plant that has appreciably larger rosettes of growth thana4. variegata (p. 38). It is a trouble-free houseplant and fives up to its common name in that the sap from i broken leaf has amazing curative and restorative qualities when rubbed on sores and bruises, and even when used on the hair. As its other common name, burn plant, indicates, it can also be used to alleviate the pain from burns. It has long been cultivated and has now become naturalized in many countries around the world and is used both in medicines and cosmetics.

The plant forms a stemless clump of dagger-shaped gray-green leaves, faintly spotted with white and edged with soft teeth in shades of pink and red. The leaves are l-2ft/30-60cm long and 2-3in/5-8cm wide. A stalk up to 3ft/90cm long carries tubular l-in/2.5-cm-long yellow flowers in spring.

If the leaves turn brown and dry, the plant has not received enough water. Soak thoroughly for an hour and then drain.

Mealybugs and root mealybugs both infest this plant. Check the leaves regularly for signs of the pest, and if the plant looks sickly scrape away the top ¹ iin/13mm of potting mix and make sure there are no insects on the roots.

FACT FILE

ORIGIN Northeast Africa; Arabian Peninsula.

HEIGHT To 2ft/60cm.

POTTING MIX Soil-based with added coarse sand.

REPOTTING Repot young plants into a pot one size larger in spring each year. When maximum convenient pot size has been reached, top- dress shoots, or offsets, when the leaves are just beginning to form rosettes. Sticky sap exudes from the shoot, so leave it for 2 days to dry before planting it in a just-damp mixture of soil and sand at normal room temperature.

PROPAGATION By removal of suckers, cuttings of young growth, and seeds, if available.

KEEPING PLANTS This aloe is reasonably hardy and trouble-free and should last for several years.

PLANT CARE

Check for scale insects, which attack this plant.

Aloejucunda

produces a single spike of pale rose pink and whiteflowers from the center of each rosette.

A bright location, with some direct sunlight in winter. • Water by immersing the pot for 10 minutes; do not let water collect in the rosettes of leaves. Allow the soil to almost dry out before rewatering.

In winter, water every 3-4 weeks. • Feed monthly in spring and summer with high-potash fertilizer.

ALSO RECOMMENDED

Aloejucunda is a pretty little plant, forming 3-in/8-cm-wide rosettes of spiny, rich green leaves with cream blotches. A. humilis has incurving, upright, 4-6-in/10-15-cm-long, spiny blue-green leaves.