Mandevilla Plant

Mandevilla is a woody vine belonging to the Apocynaceae family. Native to Brazil, this plant is botanically known as Mandevilla splendens, and commonly known as Pink Allamanda, probably because it resembles the large yellow-colored allamanda flower. Being an attractive evergreen vine, it is an excellent all year round showy plant with its bright green foliage and large flowers that perch themselves.

This vine can grow up to ten feet in height, but is a light woody vine, making its movement, training and shaping a lot easier than other summer vines. The leaves are very bright, wide, elliptical or rectangular in shape and nearly 6-8 inches long. The flowers are large with five single petals. With over a hundred species, this tropical woody vine comes in various sizes that can not only suit trellis or fences, but also large pots and containers, as well as cascade down the hanging pots. Although they flower round the year, they flower more abundantly in the summers.

How to Grow Mandevilla

These plants can be grown indoors as well as outdoors. But as they are subtropical plants, they need both places to be a sunny spot, at least six hours of sun to flower well. Propagating mandevilla is very easy, take a few 6-8 inches long hardwood cutting in spring or summer, dip the lower end in the rooting hormone solution and push them firmly in the soil. Keep the soil moist. New roots and shoots will sprout within the month.

If planting in pots, choose a container with lost of drainage holes and one that will hold the plant at least for a couple of years. It does well in soils which are slightly alkaline, sandy, acidic or loamy. As the plant is drought tolerant, avoid water retaining soils. Plant your Mandevilla in a sunny, location. In ground the hole should be at a depth and width two inches more than the root ball. Enrich the soil with organic compost.

Mandevilla Care

Mandevillas have enlarged root systems that makes it easy for them to survive dry spells. Water this woody vine once the top soil appears dry. Fertilizer does good for them only in the growing months, that is when new leaf and flower buds begin to appear. Feed plant with water soluble fertilizer every fortnight.

Pruning is essential to mandevilla vines as they can get quite dense and tangled. Train them on trellis or fences when they are young. Prune after the flowering season is over Get rid of all old stock to promote new growth. During the flowering season keep dead heading the flowers to allow space for more blooms.

Mandevillas are susceptible to mealy bugs and spider mites where they find a safe haven within its dense foliage. Although, they can't really kill they plant, they make the vine look ungainly. Adequate insecticidal sprays gets rid of this problem. Sunshine is very important to keep fungus growth at bay. Winter protection is very important for the plant, especially to its flowering next year. If the plant is in a pot, move it indoors, else mulch around it and cover with a frost cloth. Water sparingly and withhold fertilizer.

With little care, except in the winters, this plant can offer blooms throughout the year in colors so bright that it can light up the landscape!