A few days ago I noticed a bud forming on a vine that I considered a weed for nearly 27 years. It came with a palm that I had dug up from my parents' home after they had both passed away. Every spring and summer the vine would emerge and cover the palm in rampant growth, attach itself to the house and climb the walls. By summer's end I would try to rescue the palm from its burden of tangles. Using snippers, and perhaps even Roundup a few times, I would cut it back to the root and think, " I have gotten rid of it."
It really went wild this summer and managed to set a bloom. The moment I saw it I realized it was not a native weed or vine, but something more exotic---Allamanda cathartica (Golden Trumpet).
A search on the internet showed it is a popular ornamental, and probably something my mom and dad had collected for their garden. Somehow it had escaped my notice as a flowering plant.
I am still not sure how desirable it is since it smothers things so quickly. Perhaps with a bit of nurturing it will flower more.
In some places it is considered an invasive species because of its rapid growth. It has proved itself to be exceptionally hardy. Further research shows that it has toxic sap and may cause rashes, but I have never experienced any of that in my battles with it previously.
