I have a new favorite flower – it’s my beautiful mandevilla vine! This stunning plant is now covered with gorgeous pink flowers that have been blooming for months and shows no signs of slowing down.
One of my favorite places to sit outside during the summer in on my back deck overlooking my garden beds.
I have one very large container that has always held a tender hibiscus, since it won’t over winter in my garden. This year, I decided to try a mandevilla in the pot for a change.
The mandevilla vine is a common favorite patio plant for good reason! It adds a tropical touch to any back yard.
If you have just discovered this plant and want to know how to grow it, keep reading for some tips on mandevilla care.
What is a mandevilla vine?
Mandevilla (Mandevilla spp.) is a genus of flowering vines that are often seen in tropical or subtropical climates. The plant is native to North America, The West Indies, Central America, and South America.
Mandevilla belongs to the family Apocynaceae.
The plant has common names of Chilean jasmine, and rock trumpet – from the trumpet shaped flowers. Mandevilla vine is a fast growing plant that will delight you with its colorful flowers.
It's been a blooming year for my #mandevilla this season. Find out how to grow mandevilla vines to enjoy these blooms in your back yard. The Gardening Cook will show you how to grow her favorite flower! #flowers #prettyflowers 🌺🌺🌺 Click To TweetIs mandevilla a perennial?
In warm hardiness zones mandevilla vines are grown as perennials. Those in colder climates can enjoy mandevilla as an annual, if you plant it directly in the garden.
Mandevilla is only cold hardy in USDA zones 10 and 11. In colder climates, you will need to practice mandevilla winter cane which means bringing the plant indoors. For me, this means growing mandevilla vine in pots.
This tropical plant will not tolerate temperatures that fall below below 45 to 50° F. (7-10 C.) .
Mandevilla care tips
Mandevilla vines are easy to grow as long as you give them lots of light, warmth and moisture. These tips will help to make your experience with growing mandevilla vines a success.
Sun needs for mandevilla
Once the temperatures in your area is reliably warm, it’s time to plant mandevilla vines. The temperature should be at least 60°F during the day and no lower than 50 °F at night.
Mandevilla needs full sunlight to bloom well. This means at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day. If you don’t provide the plant with the right amount of sunlight, you won’t get good blooms.
However, keep an eye on the sunlight to make sure the foliage does not get scorched.
The vine will tolerate some shade and will even appreciate it as the hot days of summer arrives. This is one of the advantages of growing mandevilla vine in pots. You can move the container to a shadier spot if you need to.
Mandevilla vines love warm temperatures and prefer high humidity.
Watering requirements for mandevilla vine
Give the plant a drink when the soil starts to dry out. Be sure to fertilize with a balanced formula slow release fertilizer at planting time.
You can also use a liquid fertilizer every two weeks at half strength from spring to fall if you wish.
Although mandevilla can tolerate some dryness since it is native to hot climates, it does need a consistent level of moisture.
It works best if you allow the soil to be mainly damp but never let the plant sit with wet feet.
Water well, but slowly, to allow the soil time to soak up the moisture.
Spraying the foliage at watering time is helpful in keeping pests away. This also helps to raise the humidity around the upper part of the plant.
Mandevilla soil requirements
Plant mandevilla in soil that drains well. Adding compost will help with drainage and also give some extra nutrients to the soil which will help with flowering.
Mandevilla enjoys a neutral soil pH of 7. This is not an acid loving plant like another summer bloomer, the hydrangea. So there is no reason to put your coffee grounds in the soil!
Growing mandevilla in pots is my favorite way to enjoy this plant. Be sure to choose the right size pot. The vine should have enough room for the roots to spread out a little.
However, if you choose a pot that is too large, the plant will put its energy into producing roots, not those lovely flowers that we want to enjoy!
I have my mandevilla vine in a container that is 16 inches wide and 16 inches tall. If the flowers are any indication, this size seems perfect for it.
Mandevilla flowers and foliage
The mandevilla plant has trumpet shaped five-petal flowers that are fragrant and very showy. They come in lots of shades, from red, white, and purple to deep pink like my variety. Some flowers have yellow throats.
The flowers bloom all summer and they can even keep flowering in fall. Mandevilla will flower right up to the first frost in fall in the right conditions. In warm temperature hardiness zones, they can bloom year round.
The foliage of mandevilla is a glossy green color and the leaves are large and deeply veined.
Mandevilla vines will grow up to 20 feet tall and just as wide in nature. Most container varieties can be managed to stay around the 3-5 feet tall size with consistent pruning.
A benefit of the trumpet shaped flowers is that mandevilla vine will attract hummingbirds and beneficial insects. Of all the varieties, mandevilla laxa is considered a more deer resistant variety.
Use a mandevilla trellis
Since this is a vining type of plant, it will need some type of support for the vines to grow on. A trellis set into the pot behind the plant is ideal. However, make it a big one!
I planted my mandevilla a few months ago, with a five foot trellis, and the vines have already overtaken the trellis.
My clever husband was putting a railing on the garden shed in our back yard and had extra railing material left over. We put it to use as an addition trellis framework, that goes up the entire back of the house.
That should give my mandevilla vine some room to grow!
Another idea is to use a garden obelisk for the vines to climb on. I did this later in the summer and it look glorious now!
Pruning mandevilla vine
The vines of mandevilla will grow all over the place if you allow them to. (My plant is trying to get around the corner and into the house right now!)
To make the plant more bushy and keep those wandering vines from taking over, pinch back the stems in early spring. Even plants grown with a trellis can benefit from some regular pinching of the growing tips to keep the size manageable.
Mandevilla pests and diseases
This plant is not normally affected much by pests and diseases. Spraying the foliage with water at watering time is very helpful in keeping pests away.
Keep a look out for spider mites, scale, aphids and whiteflies. Treat with insecticidal soap if you do find an infestation. (affiliate link)
Propagating mandevilla
You can get new plants for free by taking cuttings of mandevilla. Stem cuttings of 4-6 inches in length work well. This is a good thing to do in fall, if you are not able to provide mandevilla winter care when it gets cold. You can take cuttings to start a new plant and bring it outside next spring.
You can also propagate mandevilla from seed. Note that many mandevilla vines have been grown from hybrid seeds, so if you collect their seeds and plant them, the offspring may be different from the parent.
Is mandevilla vine poisonous to dogs?
The ASPCA doesn’t list mandevilla as a toxic plant for pets, and the flowers are not edible.
However, mandevilla belongs to the dogbane family which also consists of members such as oleander and periwinkle, so it would be considered advisable to keep your pets away from mandevilla just in case.
Mandevilla varieties
The mandevilla genus has over 100 species. Some of the more popular types of mandevilla are:
- Mandevilla sanderi – also known as Brazilian jasmine. Fast growing with showy pink- red blooms.
- Mandevilla laxa – has a nickname Chilean jasmine. Has highly scented white flowers.
- Mandevilla boliviensis – also called white mandevilla. Highly prized for its white blooms.
- Mandevilla splendens – lovely pink flowers that change to a deep rose color as it matures.
- Mandevilla Summer romance– a hybrid with double pink flowres that blooms most of the summer.
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Where to buy mandevilla vine
Your local Farmer’s market it a good place to look. Big box hardware stores also stock it in early spring.
I found my mandevilla from a local nursery that also sells fruits and vegetables.
You can also find mandevilla online. Here are some places to look:
- Varieties of mandevilla on Etsy – Sellers there have many varieties including my type of mandevilla and others.
- Find mandevilla on Amazon – Lots of colors and sellers here.
- Buy mandevilla on GroyJoy – Good prices and nice variety.
Pin this post for growing mandevilla vine
Would you like a reminder of this post with mandevilla care tips? Just pin this image to one of your gardening boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.
Admin note: this post for mandevilla first appeared on the blog in June of 2015. I have updated the post to add all new photos, more information about growing mandevilla and a video for you to enjoy.
Mandevilla Vine: How to Grow Colorful Mandevilla in your Garden
Mandevilla vine is a fast growing tropical plant that has trumpet shaped flowers from spring until the first frost in fall. These tips show you how to grow it in your garden.
Materials
- Mandevilla plant
- Slow release fertilizer
- Organic matter or compost
- 16 inch pot
- Trellis
Tools
- Watering can or hose
Instructions
- Add well draining soil to a 16 inch pot.
- Amend the soil with compost or other organic matter.
- Dig a hole and place the mandevilla plant in the pot.
- Water well and add slow release fertilizer.
- Choose a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sun a day
- Water regularly but don't allow the soil to be too wet.
- Spray the foliage at watering time to keep insect pests away and keep the humidity high.
- Add a trellis behind the plant for the vines to climb on.
- Pinch the growing tips to make the plant bushy.
- Flowers bloom from summer through to late fall.
- Only hardy in zones 10-11 USDA.
- In colder zones, treat as an annual or bring inside over the winter.
Notes
Mandevilla belongs to the dogbane family which also consists of members such as oleander and periwinkle, so it would be considered advisable to keep your pets away from mandevilla just in case of toxicity.
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