Large, funnel-shaped flowers open in succession for months above evergreen foliage, on stems that trail and cascade unless you give them something to climb. Dipladenia (Mandevilla sanderii) is a tropical South American shrub for pots, baskets and bright rooms. Give it warmth and strong light, and it will flower from spring right through to autumn.
| Latin name | Mandevilla sanderii; Mandevilla boliviensis |
|---|---|
| Family | Apocynaceae |
| Type | Shrub, hanging vine |
| Length | Up to 10 ft (3 m) |
| Exposure | Well-lit (avoid harsh midday sun indoors) |
| Soil | Well-drained, rich potting mix |
| Foliage | Evergreen |
| Flowering | Summer (often spring to fall under glass) |
Caring for this plant—from planting to pruning and including watering—will give you magnificent flowers in summer. Follow our advice and your Dipladenia will bloom beautifully!
Dipladenia is typically grown as an indoor plant in temperate climates. In cold regions it can be set outdoors as an annual after frost, or overwintered indoors.
If potted, plan to repot every 1–2 years, preferably in spring. The nursery container is usually too small for more than one season—repot just after the main bloom flush.
Native to South America, Dipladenia thrives with warmth (≥ 68°F / 20°C) and bright light.
Regular deadheading (removing spent blooms) encourages more flowers.
Dipladenia flowers on new growth, so cutting stems back before growth restarts in spring builds the framework of young shoots that will carry the season’s buds.
Wear gloves when pruning dipladenia: cut stems ooze a milky latex sap that can irritate skin, and wipe blades afterwards so the residue does not gum up the pivot.
Make each cut just above a leaf node or pair of leaves with clean, sharp secateurs, as stubs left beyond a node die back and can invite rot. Pinching out the growing tips of young shoots encourages branching low down and keeps the plant bushy instead of producing a few long, bare trailing stems.
Propagation is easiest from stem cuttings (late spring to summer). Layering also works but takes longer.
Dipladenia prefers roots on the slightly drier side versus soggy. Avoid letting the root ball bone-dry, especially in heat.
In winter/dormancy, reduce greatly: about once every two weeks with small amounts, or not at all if naturally cool and humid.
Indoors, choose a very bright spot, avoiding direct midday sun through windows.
Potted dipladenia appreciates high humidity. Set the pot on a tray of moist gravel or clay pebbles (without the pot sitting in water) to boost ambient moisture.
Typical bloom runs from early spring to late autumn under warm, bright conditions. After flowering, winterize the plant in a cooler but well-lit room.
Often due to cold exposure or irregular watering.
Likely scale insects (cottony masses or sticky residue).
Symptoms of spider mites in hot, dry air.
The sticky honeydew dripped by scale insects and aphids often turns black with sooty mould, so wipe affected leaves with a damp cloth once the pest is controlled to restore light to the leaf surface.
Isolate a newly acquired dipladenia from your other houseplants for at least three to four weeks, checking leaf undersides and stem joints regularly, since new plants can introduce scale insects and spider mites.
Bud drop often follows a sudden change in light, temperature or position, but irregular watering, dry air and pests can cause it too, so check those and keep the plant somewhere steady, away from draughts.
Most dipladenia troubles show up on the leaves. Match what you can see to the likely cause before reaching for any treatment.
| Symptom on the plant | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves turning yellow | Cold exposure or irregular watering | Shelter from draughts and cold, keep moisture even, mist with soft water in dry air |
| Sticky white cottony clusters on leaves | Scale insects | Treat as for scale insects, a common indoor pest |
| Fine webbing and speckled leaves | Spider mites in hot, dry air | Raise air humidity and apply a red spider mite treatment |
Warmth, bright light and air that is neither stale nor bone-dry prevent most of these problems before they start.
Native to tropical Americas, dipladenia is a sub-group of Mandevilla and a relative of oleander. It flowers abundantly for months with large, funnel-shaped blooms. Left to its natural habit, it trails and cascades; with support, it can be trained to climb.
Because of its tropical origins, greenhouses or bright rooms with high humidity suit it best. Indoors, mist regularly with soft water and use techniques to increase ambient humidity.
Use hanging baskets or tall planters to showcase cascading blooms. Feed lightly every 2–3 weeks during the blooming period to maximize flower count and size.
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I purchased a Rio Dipladenia a couple of months ago and have it in a 10″ pot indoors. It has been a beautiful, wonderful, plant. Beginning about a month ago it about 15 of the stems became like a vine, (continuing from tips of stem), and they extend several feet above the plant. These vines have a few very small leave/s about ever 6″ to the tips. They attach to the other new vines and tightly wrap themselves around each other. A few of these vines have very small buds. Should I clip these vines off? Can they be transplant? Being indoors, I do not have a trellis for them to climb on.
Just bought a Rio dipladenia. I Repotted it and watered it 2 days
ago and it’s already dry. I read that they can withstand water for a while. With that said, when can I water it again and how often ?
Hi Barbara! Yes, dipladenia can go for a short while without water in the sense that it’s better to underwater than to overwater. However, especially in pots, it doesn’t mean you should treat it as a cactus. Best is to dip your finger near the side of the pot and if it’s dry down an inch (2-3 cm), give it a little water. Also, pay attention to signs like sagging or slightly wilted leaves, that’s a good sign you’ve waited just a day too long. Next time, just water a day earlier and it’ll be perfect!