If you like climbing plants you probably know the mandevilla, also called dipladenia or Chilean Jasmine. It is actually a whole genus of plants of great beauty, but their care is somewhat demanding and sometimes they have problems surviving the winter, especially in cold climates.
If you want your mandevilla to pass the test that winter supposes without problems, join us in this Green Ecologist article in which we give you the basic care of the dipladenia or mandevilla plant.
Characteristics of dipladenia or mandevilla
The first thing to be said about the mandevilla, dipladenia or Chilean jasmine, as a precaution, is that she is pretty climbing plant it is toxic. It is not a problem to the touch, but it should not be ingested under any circumstances. Take this into account if you have pets or small children, and keep it out of their reach to avoid accidents.
With the safety recommendation already made, we can say that it is a tropical plant which has its origin in South America, with bright green evergreen leaves and large and showy flowers in shades of white, yellow, pink and red.
It is usually grown in pots, and although it is a climber it does not have tendrils and does not reach heights of more than 5 meters, so it can be pruned to keep it small.
If you like plants of this type, we recommend this other article on the Names of flowering climbing plants.
Types or species of mandevilla or dipladenia
There are a large number of species and types of dipladenias or mandevillas. Some of the most common are the following:
- Mandevilla boliviensis: Originally from Bolivia, this plant produces white flowers with a throat of shades between orange and yellow with a pleasant smell, although not more than 5 cm in size.
- Mandevilla sanderi: This species comes from Brazil and its leaves are oval and very bright dark green. Its flowers are pink and up to 7 cm.
- Mandevilla splendens: climber, this species shows its stems covered by a fine layer of fluff. Its leaves are large, and its white or red flowers are short-lived individually.
Dipladenia or mandevilla: basic care
In this gardening guide we give you the basic care of dipladenia or mandevilla:
Location and brightness
Mandevilla can be grown both indoors and outdoors, but it needs light, heat, and a humid environment, as with many tropical plants. Outside, place it somewhere where it receives partial sun, ideally during the morning, but never directly in the hours of greatest intensity. Indoors, look for a very bright room, but where it is protected from direct light in the hottest hours. Never place it next to heat sources such as kitchens or radiators, or in areas with drafts.
Both indoors and outdoors, it is good that you place it next to something like a trellis or pole that it can hold on to to grow.
Soil and compost
This plant needs well-drained soil to avoid flooding, which makes it susceptible to attack by pests and diseases. Use black peat with coconut fiber as a substrate if you plant it in a pot. In any case, limit yourself to organic fertilizers for the plant. Compost, bokashi, and guano work well.
Here you can learn how to make homemade organic compost for plants.
Irrigation of dipladenia
You should try to keep the soil of the mandevilla moist but not flooded. This means that, in summer, you will usually need to water it between two and three times a week, while the rest of the year it will be enough with once a week or even less. If in doubt, try sticking a toothpick in the dirt. If when you remove it, it does not have soil attached, it means that it is dry, and therefore you can water.
Pests in dipladenia
This plant can be attacked by mealybugs and spider mites. For mealy bugs, a cotton swab or swab dipped in soapy water is enough. For spider mites, spray the plant with potassium soap or neem or neem oil.
In this other article we show you how to combat pests in organic farming.
Pruning of the mandevilla
If you don't want your mandevilla to grow too large or you just want to keep it healthy, prune it between spring and summer. Trim stems that are getting too long, and be sure to remove any wilted flowers.
Mandevilla care in winter
This plant is quite susceptible to cold. Even indoors, if the temperature falls below 10ºC it will begin to lose its leaves, and it is very possible that it will not survive cold winters if care is not taken with it. You can put glasses of water around the mandevilla so that the environment remains humid around it, and even wrap its pot in a thermal blanket for gardening use, although taking care to keep the drainage holes free.
How to make dipladenia or mandevilla bloom
If youChilean jasmine or dipladenia does not bloom In spring and summer, it is probably because one or more of your needs described above are not being met. Most likely, the plant is receiving too little or too much light, or is near an area with drafts or nearby artificial heat sources.
Go over the points one by one and your mandevilla will soon give its flowers big and pretty.
If you want to read more articles similar to Dipladenia or mandevilla: care, we recommend that you enter our category of Cultivation and care of plants.
