Mandevilla Plant Care Tips: How to Grow Mandevilla Vines

Mandevilla is a genus of flowering vines in the Apocynaceae family. Sometimes known by the common name rocktrumpet, mandevilla plants are native to tropical climates. In North America, they can grow in USDA hardiness zones ten and eleven. With proper care, they can also do well as indoor houseplants but will typically produce fewer flowers when grown indoors.

Mandevilla flowers come in many hues—including white, pink, and red—and are renowned for their intense fragrance. Some flowers also feature yellow throats. They attract pollinators like hummingbirds and bees. The plants’ natural vining tendencies make them popular as trellis covers or as climbers up the side of a fence.

There are several popular varieties of mandevilla.

1. 1. Chilean jasmine: Famed for its fragrant white flowers, Chilean jasmine (Mandevilla laxa) is a hearty climber plant that can produce vines extending upwards of twenty feet.
2. 2. Brazilian jasmine: Known for pinkish-red flowers and twining, woody stems, Brazilian jasmine (Mandevilla sanderi) grows quickly in full sun and can be trained to cover a trellis.
3. 3. ‘Alice du Pont’: Mandevilla x amabilis ‘Alice du Pont’ is a hybrid mandevilla cultivar. A good choice for hanging baskets, this dense vine produces evergreen foliage and pink trumpet-shaped flowers. Its leaves are oval, dark green, and glossy.
4. 4. Shining mandevilla: Mandevilla splendens is a tropical plant with narrow leaves. It produces pink flowers that gradually turn a deep rose color as they mature.
5. 5. White mandevilla: Native to Central and South America, white mandevilla (Mandevilla boliviensis) has funnel-shaped white flowers that grow from its tropical vines.

Provide the following conditions to help your mandevilla plants thrive.

1. 1. Slightly acidic soil: Mandevilla plants do best in soil that is neutral to slightly acidic. They can do well in loam or sandy soil provided that it drains well. Poor-draining soil, such as dense clay, can lead to root rot. When planting mandevilla indoors as a houseplant, use a mixture of potting soil, peat moss, and builder's sand for drainage.
2. 2. Warm temperatures: Mandevilla is a tropical plant that grows best in USDA hardiness zones ten and eleven. It does best in daytime temperatures that routinely exceed seventy degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime temperatures in the sixties. The lowest temperature mandevilla can tolerate is forty-five degrees. In cooler climates, you can overwinter a mandevilla plant in a large pot filled with indoor potting mix.
3. 3. Plenty of sunlight: As a tropical vine, the mandevilla plant thrives in full sun. It can also tolerate partial shade.
4. 4. Consistent watering: For best results, keep mandevilla plants in consistently moist soil. Water your plants regularly, but do not let your mandevilla rest in standing water.
5. 5. Seasonal fertilizing: Begin fertilizing your mandevilla plant in early spring at the start of the growing season. You can use a slow-release fertilizer at the beginning of the season, or you can apply a small amount of liquid fertilizer every other week. Choose a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus to stimulate new growth and abundant flowers.

Gardeners in tropical or semi-tropical climates will find that mandevilla plants are relatively low-maintenance plants. These flowering plants can also survive inside, whether grown as year-round houseplants or brought inside for winter care.

1. 1. Pruning: As part of your mandevilla care routine, prune your plants in the late winter or early spring to stimulate new growth.
2. 2. Pest protection: Numerous pests can attack mandevilla plants, including spider mites, whiteflies, mealybugs, and aphids. Apply neem oil or insecticidal soap to prevent infestations and rid your plants of existing pests.
3. 3. Repotting: Mandevilla does best as an outdoor plant in full sun. If you keep the plant inside, plan to repot your plant every year. Your first pot should only be slightly larger than the root ball. With each repotting, select a container with drainage holes that is one pot size up from the last. Place it in a sunny spot in your home and keep the soil moist but never wet. Be aware that when grown in indirect light, mandevilla plants do not produce as many flowers as they might in a sunny spot in your garden.

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