Nature Field Guide
Golden Trumpet
- Spanish name
- Campana amarilla
- Scientific name
- Allamanda cathartica
What Do Pico & Tati Think?
Pico wants to sketch the plant’s shapes. Tati suggests looking for three clues before guessing its name. What would you notice first?
Species overview
About the Golden Trumpet
Golden trumpet is a South American ornamental cultivated and naturalized in Costa Rica. Large yellow funnel-shaped flowers and glossy leaves arranged around the stem are key clues. Observe without handling its milky sap.
Identification
Key Features of the Golden Trumpet
Large yellow funnel-shaped flowers
Glossy leaves in whorls
Climbing or sprawling woody stems
Habitat & range
Gardens and disturbed moist to seasonally dry sites.
Local observations
OTS records Caribbean and northern lowlands, Central Valley, Central Pacific and Osa. These assignments include cultivated and naturalized plants. Regional tags are evidence-based connections, not a guarantee at every location or an exhaustive range.
When to observe
Visit in daylight and compare leaves, flowers and fruits. Flowering and fruiting vary by place, weather and individual plant; a plant may not be in bloom during your visit.
Conservation & care
Observe from paths and leave leaves, bark, flowers and fruits attached. Do not taste wild plants or offer them to pets. Ask a knowledgeable guide to confirm the species. Avoid contact with milky sap.
Observation activity
Draw one leaf and one other feature without picking anything. Compare your sketch with the illustration and record whether you saw flowers, fruits or neither.
Explore by location
Caribbean · Central Pacific · Central Valley · Northern Plains · South Pacific