So you are wondering if the Allamanda plant poisonous?
The Allamanda flower is also known as Yellow Allamanda, Yellow Bell or Golden Trumpet. The plant is also available in a pink variation – Allamanda blanchetti.
This very attractive, moisture-loving, pest-resistant plant is easily recognized by its large, bell-shaped, five-lobed blooms and its glossy, bright green, lance shaped leaves. Flowers transition into prickly capsules containing winged seeds.
This tropical tender vining plant grows wild in Brazil and is quite popular as a landscape plant in hot, humid parts of the southern United States, and it can be kept as a houseplant in cooler climates.
The plants’ genus name, Allamanda, honors 18th Century botanist, Dr. Fredric Louis Allamand who first introduced this plant by sending seeds to a fellow botanist. The specific epithet, cathartica, refers to the plants’ purgative effects.
Is The Allamanda Plant Poisonous or Toxic?
This ornamental, scrambling, climbing vine is a member of the Apocynaceae (Dogbane) family of plants, many of which have traditionally been used to formulate poisonous concoctions to eliminate canine (and other) pests.
Like all members of this family, the plant is rather toxic. The leaves and stems contain a sticky, milky sap that can cause a wide range of toxic effects.
What Are The Symptoms Of Poisoning?
If you come in contact with this sap, you may experience skin irritation (dermatitis). Symptoms are usually short lived.
When ingested in large quantities, the purgative sap causes swollen lips, fever, vomiting and diarrhea.
What Parts Of The Allamanda Plant Are Poisonous or Toxic?
All parts of the plant including the variety Allamanda blanchetti are poisonous to people, pets, and livestock. Even so, Golden Trumpet is only considered to have poison characteristics in the low severity range.
How To Protect Yourself While Handling The Allamanda Plant
Great care must be taken to keep curious kids and pets away from the plant. Perimeter fencing is recommended in the landscape. When kept as a houseplant, a high shelf or hanging basket can keep Golden Trumpet out of reach.
When pruning Yellow Bell, be sure to wear long sleeves, gloves and goggles to protect against irritation caused by the sap. Wash up immediately after handling.
Dispose of trimmings by placing them in closed plastic bags and putting them out with the trash. Do not compost or burn the trimmings as this may lead to irritation caused by handling finished compost or breathing in fumes.