Shrub · Apocynaceae
Dipladenia
Mandevilla sanderi
Give it full sun, warmth, and sharp drainage, and dipladenia will reward you with trumpet flowers from early summer all the way to fall.
Full sun
Every 3–7 days
45–84°F · 7–29°C
USDA 9–11
Overview
Dipladenia is the friendly, bushy side of Mandevilla sanderi, a tropical vine from Brazil that earns its keep with glossy leaves and a long, easy run of trumpet-shaped flowers. It sits in the dogbane family, alongside oleander and periwinkle, so like its relatives it carries a milky sap inside every stem. Plenty of nervous first-timers grow it happily as a patio and container plant that keeps blooming once the weather warms, and you can too.
The name is mostly about trade and shape, so do not let it confuse you. Plants sold as Dipladenia stay compact and bushy with a habit of trailing, which makes them a natural fit for pots, baskets, and window boxes, while those labeled Mandevilla climb harder and grow larger. It is hardy only in zones 9 to 11, so it lives outdoors all year in the warmest gardens and is simply grown as a summer annual or brought inside for winter everywhere else.
Give it sun and quick drainage and it is genuinely forgiving. Offer heat, light, and soil that drains fast, and it blooms steadily right through fall. If the roots sit in soggy soil or it meets a cold snap, you may see yellow leaves and dropped buds, but that is a signal you can read and put right, not a lost cause.
Care
The short version: give it full sun and warmth, soil that drains fast so the roots never sit wet, a high-phosphorus bloom feed through the growing season, and a pair of gloves whenever you trim the sappy stems, and you will do just fine.
Light
Dipladenia flowers best in full sun, and the more direct light it soaks up, the more buds it sets for you. It will get by in partial shade or bright indirect light indoors, though the flush of bloom does thin out without strong sun, so give it the brightest spot you can.
Water
Keep the soil moist but never soggy through summer, letting the top of the pot dry out between drinks. This plant really dislikes wet feet and can rot at the root if it stays waterlogged, so ease right off the watering in winter when growth slows down.
Soil
Plant it in rich, free-draining soil, either a sandy mix with humus or a peat-based potting medium. It is relaxed about acidity and grows well anywhere from pH 6.0 to 8.0, so do not fuss over the exact number, because fast drainage counts for far more.
Temperature
It is happy between 45°F and 84°F (7°C to 29°C) and wants steady warmth to keep the flowers coming. Nights below about 50°F (10°C) will stall it and frost will finish it off, so bring it indoors before the cold sets in and it will be fine.
Humidity
Dipladenia enjoys high humidity and tends to draw spider mites indoors when the air goes dry. Group it with other plants or stand it over a pebble tray through winter to keep a little moisture in the air around it.
Feeding
All through spring and summer, feed every two weeks with a high-phosphorus bloom fertilizer such as a 10-20-10. That extra phosphorus nudges the plant toward flowers rather than leaf, which is exactly what you are after.
Pruning
Pinch back the tips of the new shoots to keep it bushy and compact, and snip lightly to shape it and clear away any spent blooms. Wear gloves while you work, since the cut stems weep an irritating milky sap.
Repotting
Move it up a pot size every 1 to 2 years in spring. When you see roots circling out of the drainage holes, water running straight through, or growth and flowering that have slowed, that is the plant letting you know it is ready.
Size & spacing
12–59 in (30–150 cm) tall
When to plant
Dipladenia loves warmth and has no patience for frost, so there is no rush to set it out. Keep it indoors or under cover until the cold is well past and nights settle above about 50°F (10°C), then move it out for the season, and it will flower from early summer right through fall.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: After all danger of frost has passed and nights stay above about 50 degrees F
- Harvest: Early summer through fall
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 9–11
Temperature: down to -7°C
Troubleshooting
Most dipladenia hiccups turn up on the leaves, either from sap-feeding pests or from roots that stayed too wet, and almost all of them are fixable. Spot the early signs and the cure is simple. Find what matches below, then act before it gets a head start.
Faint webbing and a pale, speckled cast across the leaves
Take heart, because this is almost always spider mites, which settle in when a plant comes inside to dry winter warmth. Tip a leaf over to look for tiny moving specks and thread-fine webbing, or tap it onto white paper so you can spot them. A firm rinse, a round of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, and a little more humidity will turn things around, and the plant bounces back nicely.
Fix:
- Rinse foliage with a strong spray of water
- Treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, repeating per label
- Raise humidity around the plant
Cottony white fluff and a sticky film along stems and leaf joints
Those white tufts and that tackiness usually mean mealybugs or scale, and whitefly or aphids may have tagged along. Look into the leaf joints and along the stems for the fuzzy bugs, the small hard bumps that will not budge, or a little cloud of whiteflies that puffs up when you brush past. Touch small patches with an alcohol-dipped swab, follow with insecticidal soap or oil, and move the plant off on its own so nothing travels.
Fix:
- Wipe off light infestations with an alcohol-dipped cotton swab
- Apply insecticidal soap or horticultural oil and repeat as needed
- Isolate affected plants to prevent spread
Yellow, drooping leaves and buds falling before they open
Try not to worry, since this is most often root rot from soil that stayed too wet, or a chilly draft that gave the plant a fright. Ease it out of the pot and feel the roots, because the healthy ones stay firm and white while the failing ones go brown and soft. Let the top of the soil dry before the next drink, sort out the drainage, and settle the plant somewhere warm above about 50°F (10°C) and out of the cold, and it will recover.
Fix:
- Let the top of the soil dry before watering again
- Improve drainage and ensure pots have drainage holes
- Move the plant to a warm spot above about 50 degrees F away from cold drafts
Tan to brown blotches that yellow the leaf and then let it fall
This one is anthracnose, a fungus that gets a foothold when foliage stays damp for too long. You will see tan to brown spots widen, the leaf turn yellow, and then drop. Pick off the marked leaves and bin them, keep water off the foliage, and only reach for a labeled fungicide if it keeps returning, which clears it up gently.
Fix:
- Remove and dispose of affected leaves
- Avoid overhead watering and keep foliage dry
- Apply a labeled fungicide if the problem persists
Toxicity
This plant asks for a little gentle care. Every part holds a milky latex sap that can sting skin and eyes and upset a stomach if chewed, and nothing on it is safe to eat. Pop on gloves when you prune, and keep the foliage out of reach of pets, livestock, and small children, and you have nothing to fear.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Mild
If your cat nibbles a leaf, you might see some drooling and a touch of stomach upset, and now and then a little vomiting. It stays mild and usually settles on its own.
Dogs Mild
A dog that mouths the foliage may drool a bit and feel queasy, with the occasional vomit. The signs tend to be brief and pass quickly.
Horses Caution
Most horses are put off by the bitter milky sap, yet a mouthful can still irritate the mouth and gut. Keep the plant clear of the paddock just to be safe.
Rabbits Caution
This is not good browse for a rabbit. The irritant latex can sting the mouth and upset the gut, so it is best kept right off the menu.
Livestock Caution
Goats, sheep, and cattle seldom go for it, but the same sap can irritate the mouth and digestion if they take a nibble. Fence it away from anything grazing.
Birds Caution
There is really no reason to let a pet bird near the leaves or sap, since the irritant latex could trouble a small bird fast. Keep it well out of reach.
People Caution
Nothing on this plant is meant to be eaten. The milky sap can redden and sting skin and eyes, so slip on gloves before you prune and steer curious little ones away from chewing it.
Wear gloves when pruning, as cut stems release a milky latex sap that can irritate skin and eyes; wash hands afterward and keep sap away from the face.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
Most dipladenia you will find today comes from a handful of breeding series, each chosen for compact, free-flowering plants that thrive in pots and baskets. These are the names you are most likely to come across.
'Rio' series
A neat, bushy Dipladenia that flowers freely and was bred for containers and baskets, carrying blooms in red, pink, and white.
'Sundaville' (Sun Parasol)
A series that mounds and trails while holding glossy leaves and trumpet flowers all summer, with compact choices made for hanging baskets and window boxes.
'Madinia' series
A well-branched, bushy Dipladenia offered for patios and pots, loved for its large flowers and dark glossy leaves.
How to propagate
You can grow more dipladenia straight from the plant you already have, either by rooting a cutting or by layering a stem while it is still attached. Both just ask for a little patience, and both leak that same irritating sap, so keep your gloves close.
Stem cuttingsModerate
Spring to summer · 4 to 8 weeks to root
Snip tip cuttings from shoots that are not flowering during spring or summer, and pull on gloves first because the cut stems weep an irritating milky sap. Settle them into a moist, well-drained mix with warmth and bright indirect light, and you can expect roots over the next 4 to 8 weeks.
LayeringModerate
Spring to summer · Several weeks to months
During spring or summer, bend a low, supple stem down to moist soil and pin it so it can root where it lies, which usually takes anywhere from several weeks to a few months. After the fresh roots take hold, snip the rooted piece free from the parent.
Myths
Dipladenia and Mandevilla are two different plants.
They sit in the same genus, and Dipladenia is simply an older trade name for the bushier forms of Mandevilla sanderi. What really sets them apart is habit, since Dipladenia stays bushy and mounding while the ones still sold as Mandevilla climb hard and grow bigger. Botanically they are one plant, and the genus Mandevilla now covers everything once called Dipladenia.