Mandevilla Dipladenia splendens pink

Credit: F. & K. Starr

Green foliage Mandevilla splendens Dipladenia

Credit: F. & K. Starr

Mandevilla splendens Dipladenia in pot

Credit: Sucre rouge

Pink flower Mandevilla splendens

Credit: Diogo Luiz

White flower Mandevilla splendens

Credit: Captain Tucker

Mandevilla splendens, a pink, red or white flowering plant

You don't have to go to Brazil to enjoy the beauty of Mandevilla splendens! This tropical plant of the Apocynaceae family is perfectly suited to our gardens, balconies and terraces, even in cooler latitudes.

How to recognize Mandevilla splendens?

Sometimes called Dipladenia, Mandevilla splendens is a flowering perennial with a bushy habit. It can grow up to 3 meters high and 2 meters wide.

The long, voluble stems have a woody base. Thanks to its woody base, Mandevilla splendens can cling to any support and be grown as a climber.

The evergreen leaves are up to 20 centimetres long. Oval or rectangular, they are shiny dark green.

Flowering, which is shorter than that of Mandevilla sanderi (Mandevilla sanderi), starts in spring and lasts until early summer. The five-petaled trumpet-shaped flowers can be pink, white or deep red, almost always with a yellow center.

After flowering, the plant produces a capsule topped by two follicles.

Is Mandevilla splendens toxic?

Mandevilla splendens is considered toxic. The plant contains a milky latex that causes :

Skin and mucous membrane irritation on contact;
Digestive problems if swallowed.

To avoid any risk, keep the plant out of reach of children and pets, and wear gloves when pruning or repotting.

Frequently asked questions about Mandevilla

Is Mandevilla a houseplant?

Mandevilla is an outdoor plant. It loves light, warmth and space: it can grow up to 3 meters high and 2 meters wide, a size suited to the garden, balcony or terrace. However, it cannot tolerate temperatures below 5°C. To protect it in winter, we recommend growing it in a pot. In this way, it can be housed in a greenhouse or conservatory.

Where to place a Mandevilla?

Mandevilla needs plenty of light for optimum flowering. In summer and spring, choose a sunny or semi-shady spot, depending on your region and exposure. When temperatures drop, move the plant into a bright spot with temperatures above 10°C, such as a conservatory or greenhouse, to protect it from the cold and provide sufficient light.

Does Mandevilla flower again?

Yes, Mandevilla is a perennial plant and can re-flower from one year to the next. But you need to protect it from frost in winter. If the plant is exposed to low temperatures for too long, it may die and never flower again. Keep your Mandevilla in a bright, frost-free place over winter to preserve it.

Our maintenance tips

Mandevilla splendens are cold-weather plants. Grow them in pots so you can bring them inside when it's cold.

You can also plant them in the ground and treat them as annuals: in this case, you'll need to renew them every year.

Watering

Water your plant generously during the growing season.

Allow the potting soil to dry for at least a centimetre. Water the substrate with rainwater at room temperature.

Empty any stagnant water from the saucer or planter. It will rot the roots and may kill your Dipladenia splendens.

Reduce watering during dormancy.

Mandevilla splendens are the enemy of excess water. Before giving your specimen a drink, always make sure the soil is at least five centimetres dry.

Like many plants, the plant prefers rainwater. But it's fine with tap water. Just make sure it's at room temperature.

Remove any water stagnating in the cup under the pot. It can rot the roots.

Spray

Mandevilla splendens love humidity. Spray their foliage to increase humidity and combat pest invasion.

Repotting

Place a drainage layer (clay balls, gravel) at the bottom of a pierced pot.

Pour in a bed of potting soil for flowering plants or geraniums. You can add perlite or sand to lighten it. If you want your plant to climb, install your stake.

Plant your Mandevilla splendens and add substrate. Stop a few centimetres before the edge to form a watering trough.

Water at room temperature to encourage rooting.

Fertilization

You can stimulate the growth of your plant during its growth phase, in spring and summer, with fertilizer.

Apply a flowering plant or geranium fertilizer to encourage flowering.

Prune

Remove wilted flowers. Cut at the base of the stem with a clean, sharp tool, or remove them by pulling with your hands.

Cut back the stems to three or four nodes so that your Mandevilla splendens branches out. This will also encourage flowering.

Caution: the plant is toxic! Wear gloves and rinse your shears after pruning!

Plantation

Once the last spring frosts have passed, you can plant.

Leave your Mandevilla splendens root ball to soak.

Dig a hole three times the size of the root ball. If you're planting several specimens, space them 20 to 30 centimetres apart. You can use stakes if you wish to grow your Mandevilla splendens as a climbing plant.

Plant your Mandevilla splendens. Fill in the hole with garden soil enriched with a little compost and water.

Cutting

Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.

Select a healthy stem at the top. Using clean, sharp pruning shears, remove a section about 15 centimetres long, without flowers and with several nodes.

Remove the leaves at the base. Keep only the top pair.

The plant is toxic. Wear gloves and clean tools after use.

Fill a bucket or pierced pot with potting soil for seedlings and cuttings. Make a hole in the center with a pick. Plant your Dipladenia splendens cutting and water.

Cuttings take better if they've been suffocated. You can place your pot in a transparent crate or cover it with a translucent plastic bag.

Remember to water regularly to keep the soil moist and aerate for a few minutes each day to prevent rotting.

Grow young shoots in the open air when the first signs of recovery appear.

Diseases / Threats

Aphids

Red spiders

Mealybug, accompanied by ants for its honeydew.

Mealybugs

Information

Family	Apocynaceae - Apocynaceae
Type	Mandevilla - Mandevilla
Species	Dipladenia splendens - Mandevilla splendens
Lifecycle	Perennial
Foliage	Evergreen
Exposures	Sun Half-shade
Substrat	Humus soil
Planting methods	Open ground In pots In tubs
Categories	Shrub Climber Flowery
Tags	Flowery Fritillary Toxic
Origin	South America
Hardiness (USDA)	11a
Leaf color
Flower colors