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Magnificent Mandevilla Vines |
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If you are looking for something different when you’re out shopping in the garden centers, give the Mandevilla vines a second or third look. I purchased one a couple of years ago and simply love them.
They belong to the family Apocynaceae and their origins are Southeast Brazil, so they are grown as an annual or wintered indoors.
There are about 100 species of Mandevilla formerly called Diplatena. Zoned 8-9 they are only hardy to approximately 40 F but I have had good success overwintering mine inside.
You need a trellis or frame as they can grow 15-20 feet and even in containers will get rather large. Or try growing one in a large hanging basket. They do really well this way.
In a container you could try growing it with blue morning glory for a really spectacular look.
The variety I have is Mandevilla ‘Laxa’ or Chilean Jasmine and it is extremely fragrant. The flowers have a powerful gardenia like fragrance. This variety is either white or pink with clusters of trumpet shaped flowers about 2 inches across. The oblong leaves are dark glossy green about 2-6 inches long. Can grow up to 15 feet long.
Alice Du Pont is one of the most spectacular varieties. Grows up to 20 feet and has clusters of trumpet shaped flowers in bright pink with dark pink throats. The flowers are 2-4 inches across and the dark green glossy leaves are 4-8 inches long.
Other varieties are “Best Red’; starts out red and ends up more pinky in color. ‘Ruby Red’; holds the red color better. ‘Red Riding Hood’ has deep red flowers. ‘White Delight’, or ‘Monte’ a Blush Pink Parfait. Very fancy with large double-flowered or rose form flowers. It has slightly fewer flowers because of its double form. ‘Summer Snow’ has sparkling white flowers and ‘Yellow’ has wide bright yellow flowers and is lower growing and shrubbier.
They are fast growing and easy to grow. Use well drained fairly rich soil and keep it moist but not wet. Fertilize frequently during the growing season as they flower pretty much non-stop although the most flowers are born on the vines in summer.
To overwinter, cut back to about 8-10 inches and pot up in a fairly large pot. Don’t fertilize or over water. Place in a sun room or very sunny window. I have a grow light for mine and it did very well.
You can try propagating in the spring using 2-3 inch stem cuttings. Use a rooting hormone and sandy peat soil, and place in a propagating case until roots form.
Lindi Karmason
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