Even though it’s not a popular plant in American homes, you will find mandevillas in most Latino homes and apartments across the nation. A half-century ago, mandevillas were a rarity, but things changed after migration of Hispanics from Central and South America. These people grew mandevillas in their former countries, so it was only natural they would want to grow the plant after they settled in the U.S.

Mandevilla (pronounced man-da-villa) is known by a host of plant names. In South American countries, people know it as mandevilla, sometimes as the Chilean jasmine, Bolivian and Brazilian rose. Mandevilla is a native plant of Argentina, not Chile as originally believed. In Mexico and Central America, the plant is routinely known as the Mexican love vine.

While mandevilla is truly a vine, Latinos grow it as a house plant indoors over late fall, winter and spring.. Ideally, mandevillas are best grown outdoors in part sun-part shade, then moved indoors in late summer and early fall when daytime temperatures fall into the 60’s. When outdoor temperatures warm to the 70’s in late spring, mandevillas are moved outdoors again.

Evergreen throughout the year, mandevillas features light-green elliptical leaves and spike-like clusters of funnel-shaped blossoms at the tips of branches (shoots).

Some mandevillas available at better-quality nurseries and mail-order firms across the nation include:

* Dipladenia amabilis. Known as the Alice duPont Mandevilla, this variety grows profuse flowers, huge
clusteers of trumpet-shaped pink blossoms from late May to mid-October. The potted plant makes a spectacular accent as a sunporch or patio plant. For spectacular flowers, grow the plant in part sun-part shade.

* Dipladenia amarillo. This is the newest mandevilla, but it is also world’s apart from other mandevillas. This variety is an evergreen vine, but the leaves are oval shaped. Flowers are bright yellow, even the throat of the trumpet-shaped blossoms is a rich yellow. If you grow this variety, it must have full sun to produce spectacular flowers from early June to Halloween.

* Dipladenia amoena splendens. This variety features oblong leaves and rose-pink trumpet-shaped
flowers. Blossoms have a yellow throat. Best grown in part sun-part shade.

* Dipladenia boliviensis. In Bolivia, it’s called the White Mandevilla. The plant has shiny green leaves
and white trumpet-shaped blossoms with shades of orange-yellow in the throat. This variety ranks as the most popular plant in Bolivia. Best grown in part sun-part shade.

* Dipladenia laxa. If you are originally from Chile, you will want to grow the plant because this is the
true Chilean Mandevilla. Twisting vines often grow 15 to 20 feet in length, with heart-shaped leaves. Blossoms run two inches in diameter, are trumpet-shaped, and white to ivory in color. The plant never stops flowering during the summer, but once the blossoms are gone, the plant respectfully drops its leaves.

* Dipladenia sanderi. This variety has always been known as the Brazilian Rose because of its rose-pink
flowers exhibiting a pure yellow throat. Latinos favor this variety because it’s perfect for small spaces. By late summer, leaves often reach lengths of eight inches. Best grown in part sun-part shade.

* Dipladenia sanderi “My Fair Lady.” This is a newly hybridized mandevilla featuring abundant white
blossoms throughout the year. Plants seldom grow beyond two feet tall.

* Dipladenia sanderi “Red Riding Hood.” Plant lovers have nicknamed this because of its rose-pink
trumpet-shaped flowers. Leaves are glossy green. Most often grown as a hanging basket in part sun-part shade.

Starting with spring, here is a year-round program for growing the mandevilla.

Late February - Late May. Mandevilla springs to life in the closing days of February when day length approaches 11 hours. As you move the plant to stronger light, you will have to prune much of last year’s growth. Everything depends on whether you did any pruning last October when the last flowers dropped. Ideally, mandevilla should be pruned in October, but if you forgot, then you must prune in February before new growth begins.

Pruning is a matter of choice. There is “hard pruning” of mandevillas that grew like rockets the past summer (long, long vines), and “light pruning” of mandevillas that grew short vines the prior year.

Hard pruning is reserved for overgrown mandevillas. Ideally, you would prune in October after the flowers dropped (the best time), otherwise in February before new growth begins. Most vines can be pruned back to hard wood, but try to avoid removing any branches holding leaves from the past year.

Soft pruning is reserved for mandevillas with compact growth. Wherever the plant flowered the prior year, use a sharp hand pruner to cut all twiggy branches (these are called “shoots”) back to within two inches of “hard wood” growth last year. Hardwood simply means the woody stems are hard, not soft. You’re safe in pruning anything at this time because new growth will follow immediately after pruning.

Take time now to check drainage holes of the pot. If you don’t see roots coming out the holes. Repotting isn’t necessary. Just apply warm water to the pot, then a minute later, spoon off the top inch of wet soil and discard it. You will need a small bag of professional soil at this point, not the run-of-the-mill products you have used before.

At the nursery (not the chain store), buy a small plastic bag of Pro-Mix Potting and Seeding Mix. Pro-Mix comes in 8, 16 and 32-quart packages. Add a handful or two of the mix to a plastic dishpan, followed by hot water. With rubber gloves on your hands, swish the soil so it wets thoroughly, then use your hands to move the soil onto a sheet of newspaper on the kitchen counter. Let it surface dry for a few minutes, then spoon it into the pot to replace the discarded soil. It will serve the plant’s needs for the year.

If you find roots growing exiting the drainage holes, repot the mandevilla. Use a plastic pot two inches wider than the diameter of the old pot. Rely on Pro-Mix Potting and Seeding Mix in repotting the plant. Put down a half-inch of broken-up styrofoam pellets at the base of the pot, then your pre-wet Pro-Mix.

Having pruned and improved the soil (repotting or not), move your mandevilla into strong indirect sunlight in a warm room. Temperatures should be in the upper 60’s or low 70’s. Keep the soil lightly moist from then on to encourage new growth (again, these are “shoots”). Always water from the top of the pot. Having watered, remove excess water from saucers or trays below the plant.

Having moved the mandevilla into indirect sunlight, future growth depends on timely applications of plant food. While there are dozens of fertilizers on the market, they will not provide the full regimen of plant minerals needed by mandevillas. Jack’s Classic All-Purpose 20-20-20 Plant Food (a professional product) is the only water-soluble fertilizer recommended for mandevillas. In January before growth begins, call your nursery and ask if they are stocking Jack’s Classic 20-20-20, otherwise ask them order it for you.

Every two weeks from late February through mid-September, apply Jack’s Classic instead of water. Keep records when you fertilize so you will know when to fertilize the next time. October fertilization isn’t needed unless you are growing mandevillas in Florida or Southern California, in which case you would apply plant food the first week of October and stop fertilization thereafter.

June - September. Mandevilla flowers continuously from early June through September. Some varieties flower well into October. Where possible, mandevillas should be moved outdoors in late May or early June so plants bask in nighttime humidity. Because it is a semi-tropical plant, mandevilla flowers better in the presence of overnight humidity. Finger-prune withered blossoms as they occur.

During the summer, mandevilla will profit from some morning sun, but it must be shaded from noon on to prevent the fun from burning the foliage. Continue bi-weekly feedings with Jack’s Classic through the summer, and keep the soil lightly moist. The only exception to the rule is the “My Fair Lady” mandevilla. Allow the soil to dry between waterings.

Late September. When daytime temperatures fall into the 60’s, plan on moving the mandevilla into the house, preferably to a warm room with bright indirect light. Continue keeping the soil lightly moist. Your last fertilization will probably be in mid-September, after which you withhold plant food the rest of the year.

October. Most mandevillas drop their flowers in early October, but some will retain their blossoms almost to Halloween. Regardless, you want to prune the plant after the flowers drop. Go to the hard wood on the branch (shoot), and prune to within two inches of this hardwood. Repeat this to each and every branch that has flowered.

Having pruned, you now must cut back on how often you water the plant. For the month of October, let the soil go dry for three or four days, then apply tepid water. How will you know when to water?

Rest a finger on top of the soil. When you sense the soil starting to dry, wait three or four days, then apply tepid water in the morning. That’s all it takes.

November and Winter. After Halloween, the mandevilla is dormant for the rest of the year until late February the next year. You must continue to water when the soil has been dry for three or four days, but the critical factor now is temperature. Mandevilla needs to overwinter in a room where temperatures will consistently stay between 50 and 60 degrees. The plant still needs some indirect sunlight, but your primary concern is for cool temperatures over much of the winter. Run a thermometer test in the room of your choice to make sure the environment is best for mandevilla. At temperatures below 55 degrees, you can water every 12-14 days because the soil can be allowed to go bone dry. Don’t be alarmed if leaves drop from the mandevilla. Leaves will regrow in March when you move the plant to a warmer room.