Finding ways to incorporate more greenery into your living space is an excellent idea for both aesthetic and health reasons. However, lack of floor space often limits options for placing potted plants around a home. This is where hanging plants can provide a creative solution! The vibrant and lush Alamanda plant is one excellent choice for hanging greenery that will instantly enliven any indoor area.
Native to tropical regions of South and Central America the Alamanda plant is known for its eye-catching yellow trumpet-shaped blooms and glossy oval leaves. Its fast vining growth habit allows it to cascade attractively in hanging baskets. Beyond just visual appeal, Alamanda purifies indoor air by removing toxins. Its bright colors also have a uplifting psychological influence. No wonder it’s nicknamed the “Golden Trumpet”!
Benefits of Hanging Alamanda Plants
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Adds natural beauty without occupying floor/table space
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Cascading vines provide a dramatic flowing effect
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Vibrant yellow blooms brighten up any room
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Purifies indoor air quality
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Requires only basic care when hung appropriately
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Trailing stems can be guided on trellises for added visual interest
Tips for Hanging Alamanda Plants
Follow these simple tips to successfully hang Alamanda plants in your home:
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Light: Bright, indirect light ensures lush growth. East or west-facing windows are ideal.
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Container: Use a hanging pot with drainage holes to prevent root rot. Include a drip tray.
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Soil: Plant in a well-draining potting mix amended with compost.
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Water: Check soil moisture before watering. Water thoroughly but allow soil to dry out between waterings.
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Fertilizer: Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly during spring and summer.
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Pruning: Trim back wayward stems and remove dead leaves/flowers to maintain shape.
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Support: Add coir or moss-covered sticks as needed to support trailing stems.
Creative Ways to Showcase Hanging Alamanda
Once you’ve hung your Alamanda, experiment with these fun ways to highlight it:
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Hang near an entryway or above kitchen counters for a cheerful pop of color.
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Display multiple hanging Alamanda plants together to create a cascading “wall” of yellow blooms.
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Add interest by guiding vines along macrame hangers or twig trellises.
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Place hanging Alamanda near indoor trees and tall floor plants to complement their shapes.
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Use in combination with other hanging varieties like ivy or orchids for textural contrast.
Answers to Common Alamanda Hanging FAQs
Can Alamanda plants be grown indoors?
Yes! Alamanda thrives indoors given sufficient bright, indirect light. Hang near sunny windows.
How often should I water a hanging Alamanda plant?
Water thoroughly once the top inch of soil dries out, taking care not to oversaturate.
What type of fertilizer does Alamanda need?
Use a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength. Fertilize monthly in spring through summer.
Should I trim back my hanging Alamanda plant?
Yes, prune regularly to maintain shape and remove dead growths. But avoid excessive pruning.
What should I do if vines grow too long?
Gently wrap excess trailing stems back into the pot. Or prune the tips back by a few inches.
Conclusion
With stunning yellow blooms and cascading vines, the Alamanda plant is a perfect choice for hanging gardens. Creative placement in the home takes advantage of its natural trailing habit without sacrificing floor space. Follow basic care guidelines for providing optimal light, moisture, and nutrients. Explore fun ways to highlight your hanging Alamanda. Soon it will become a favorite focal point!
Warm, bright surroundings are a safe bet
The easiest way to overwinter tender perennials and tropicals is in a warm, bright setting, such as a sunny indoor windowsill. Deciding what gets the prized space near a French door or large window is a matter of horticultural triage. The chosen few are usually plants I don’t yet have a clue how to overwinter (I usually take cuttings from these in early summer so I that can test another overwintering method on the offspring) or those that will be handsome houseplants.
Before the season’s first frost, I bring the plants indoors and place them near a bright window with an eastern, southern, or western exposure. Sometimes I cut large plants back by half to two-thirds before I bring them in the house to reduce their size and slow them down. References usually suggest moving plants to a shady spot for a week or two and checking for pests or diseases before bringing the plants indoors, but I often skip that step and opt to do battle later should problems arise.
Winter care for these plants is simple. I water them whenever the soil dries out, and I give the pots a quarter turn every few weeks so the plants don’t get too lopsided from reaching toward the light. The dry indoor air can take a toll on tropical plants, so I provide additional humidity by grouping the plants in masses and misting frequently. If possible, I put the plants atop trays filled with gravel and water. Humidifiers help, too, as does turning the thermostat down to the mid-60s. Once the days start to lengthen again, I provide an occasional taste of diluted fertilizer.
Some plants will drop many of their leaves before sprouting anew with foliage sized more appropriately for the reduced light level. If your plants struggle due to the lack of bright, natural light, consider supplementing the available light with some type of grow light.
Although I’m excited when spring finally arrives, I don’t rush to get plants outdoors. Their first prolonged exposure to direct sunlight may burn foliage and kill new growth. I slowly acclimate plants to the outdoors by setting them out on warm, cloudy days in early spring.
Once outdoor temperatures stay warm and the likelihood of frost has passed, I place plants in a shady spot for a week or so. I then spend at least two weeks gradually exposing them to full sun. When I’m finally ready to position a plant in the garden, I try to wait for several days of clouds and rain just as an added precaution. Any plants that appear leggy, I usually trim back and use the cuttings to propagate new plants.
Cool, bright conditions work for plants that can take a light frost
Learning in which indoor areas plants can overwinter has required some trials and more than a few errors, but I’ve learned to take cues from a plant’s native habitat and try my best to replicate it. It helps to know if it naturally grows in the tropics or subtropics, at high altitude, or in a place with distinct dry and wet seasons.
A cool (temperatures in the high 40s to low 50s), bright area hosts a limited range of plants, but it has proven my best bet for plants that are resistant to a light frost and native to more-temperate subtropical areas or to mountainous tropical regions. But even without a clue to a plant’s provenance, it’s worth giving almost anything a try. After all, the worst that can happen is that it will die, which it otherwise would do for certain.
For my cool, bright conditions, I use an area in my basement that is illuminated by fluorescent lights or high-intensity discharge lamps on timers. Plants stored this way get basically the same treatment as those stored in warm, bright areas: Water them when soil is dry, turn the pots regularly to prevent uneven growth, and carefully reintroduce them to full-sun conditions in spring.
Although most plants in cool, bright settings don’t grow much at all and appear in a kind of suspended animation, a few eventually drop all their leaves. If that happens, move them right into cool, dark storage to ride out the rest of the winter. This is where I often discover which plants can enter a deep dormancy akin to that experienced by plants native to my setting.
Be prepared to fend off whiteflies and mealybugs. A dab of rubbing alcohol diluted with an equal part of water on any infestations should do the trick; a spray of horticultural oil or soap works, too.