**Yellow Alder, Sundrops Turnera ulmifolia
This bush is one of the highpoints in our garden. Every day of the year it is in bloom, covered with bright yellow flowers. It is beloved not only by us, but by all of the butterflies and hummingbirds that pass by.
Planting and Growth: Not only does this bush get high marks for being attractive, it is also one of the easiest to care for plants we have. It loves the sun and regular watering or rainfall, but will weather a dry spell just fine without help if it has to. Plant it in decent soil and give it some fertilizer when the mood strikes. You won't be disappointed.
Text & Photo Copyrighted © KO 2008

YELLOW ALLAMANDA

**Yellow Allamanda (1) Vine-like Bush Allamanda cathartica L.
Found originally in Brazil, this vine-like bush has brilliant yellow trumpet-shaped flowers the year round. It takes well to hard pruning which keeps its branches from growing all over the garden. We saw a spectacular border of a yellow allamanda in Coroico, Bolivia. The gardener must have loved the plant to do such a great job of caring for it. Like so many tropical plants, the allamanda is toxic. You might also want to see its cousin, a purple variety -- See The "P" Page PURPLE ALLAMANDA
Text and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO 2008

**Yellow Allamanda (2), Brown Bud Allamanda Allamanda cathartica 'Hendersoni'
This seems to be a second generation of the allamanda above. Its leaves are larger as are its flowers which have a velvety soft almost drooping quality and it is less of a trailing plant. Side by side though I could not decide which one I prefer so we have both.
From: Brasil
Planting and Care: Plant this second cousin to the allamanda above in full sun and don't worry to much about moisture unless you are in a very dry environment. Give the plants fertilizer now and then. This is another of my favorite plants in the garden, not only for its lush yellow flowers, but for its easy going nature.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2008

Yellow Cotton Tree Cochlospermum regium
Looking almost identical to the yellow oleander tree below, the yellow cotton tree is deciduas and originated in South America. As its name implies it has yellow flowers and grows to a modest height of between 10 and 20 feet.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2008

**Yellow Oleander Tree, Be-Still Tree Thevetia peruviana or Thevetia nereifolia or Cascabela thevetia
This highly poisonous tree grows only to about twenty-five feet and has lovely yellow trumpet-shaped flowers in full bloom in December and January and continuing throughout the year with a more modest set of blossoms. It is a fragile tree with soft wood subject to Caribbean termites and it has what I call "bad hair days." These are times when the leaves seem to shrivel and turn brown as if the tree were diseased. It isn't. Within a few weeks all the leaves are green and lush again.
Our lucky neighbor across the street has a very unusual variety of this tree. Hers has lovely soft peach flowers.
Text and Photo Copyrighted ©KO 2008

**Yellow Poui Tree, Silver Trumpet Tree Cybistax donnell-smithii or Tabebuia serratifolia or Tabebuia caraiba or Tabebuia argentea
One cubic foot wood from this tree can weigh 60 to 80 pounds and is known as Pao d’arco wood in Brazil and greenhart wood in Guyana. Just try to put a nail in it and you’ll find out how dense this wood is. This tree loses its leaves, waits a few months and then is covered in bright yellow flowers for a few days, usually in late April. It is said to be very resistant to termites, though ours has not proved to be so. Ours are not there yet, but they will eventually grow to 70 or 80 feet. It originated in central and northern South America.
Text And Photos Copyrighted ©KO 2008

Ylang Ylang Tree
This is a much desired tree in Montserrat although it is not particularly attractive. Its leaves are large and dark green and its flowers are hanging burnt yellow shreds. Its use as an ingredient in Channel #5 perfume gives it a cachet it would not otherwise have; Montserratians are terribly subject to brand name approval so the Ylang Ylang is very very popular here.
From: The Pacific, Asia to Australia
Planting and Growth: This is a medium large tree growing to a maximum of about 45 feet. It prefers to be planted in full sun or in a semi shady area.

YUCCA

**Spineless Yucca, Giant Yucca Yucca Guatemalensis or Yucca gigantea
This is a yucca tree which will branch and grow to about thirty feet. It has lovely large branches of creamy white flowers, but, all in all, nothing sold me on this yucca aside from its planting and care requirements.
From: Arid areas in Mexico and Central America
Planting and Care: You will be hard pressed to find a more accommodating tree. It will grow in full sun or full shade, it will grow in an acid or alkaline soil and it will survive droughts. Perhaps its last great feature for those who find themselves without food in the Caribbean is that its flowers are edible! Of course as with all other plants it will do better with a bit of care, more water and a bit of fertilizer, but it is nice to know you've got a friend when you are just too busy elsewhere.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted ©Krika 2008

**Yucca Yucca Sp or Yucca aloifolia 'Marginata'
This is a yellow and green variety of plant in the large yucca family, a great old standby in gardens from New England (where we had one in the garden when I was growing up) to Mexico and now to the Caribbean. As it was in the States and Mexico, here in Montserrat this yucca has so far proved immune to disease, fungus, and insects as well as being highly resistant to volcanic ash. As an added plus, it regularly sends out runners from which you can make new plants. Its downside is the extremely sharp points at the ends of its leaves, but that seems a small price to pay for such an attractive and worry free plant.
Text and Photo Copyrighted ©KO 2008