Mandevilla Vine (Red, White or Pink Flowers)
- Moderate water preferred
- Medium to full sunlight for best flowering
- Can climb up to approx. 10 feet
- Flowers all year, but heaviest in the summer
- Not native to Florida
Native to southeastern Brazil, this very ornamental vine is enjoyed as a garden plant in mild climate areas around the world. Mandevilla is a tender woody vine much beloved by gardeners in warmer climates. Mandevilla blooms heaviest in summer, and tends to decline in the winter. This vines fuzzy young stems twine around supports, eventually scrambling to heights up to 10 ft. The handsome leathery leaves are dark green, up to 8 inches long and 3-4 inches wide. Mandevilla is fast growing, and requires proper attention to soil, pests & water exposure here in south Florida. Aphids love this plant!
This plant was formerly known as Dipladenia splendens and it is sometimes sold under that name. This name is now considered a synonym and is no longer correct.
This vine can be trained to climb posts and lattice. It is a perfect choice for colorful quick growing screens. Let mandevilla drip from an arbor or garland your front porch or entryway. Here in Florida this vine is probably the favorite vine for growing up lamp and mailbox posts. Mandevilla does well in containers and makes a great houseplant if given bright light and reasonable care. Gardeners in more northern zones are beginning to appreciate mandevilla's heat resistance and other qualities. It is often grown as an annual or cultivated in containers so it can be overwintered indoors.
Grow mandevilla for its pretty and prolific flowers (which come in several colors: yellow, pink, white & red)...which are beautifully presented against the dark handsome foliage. It is a fast grower and is a great way to quickly screen an eyesore. It's a popular plant that is easy to procure at virtually all large chain garden centers in Florida and other warm climate areas.
Confederate Jasmine Vine
- Regular water preferred, but can tolerate some drought once established
- Medium to full sunlight
- Vines can reach up to 40 feet
- Flowers all year, very fragrant
- Not native to Florida
This beautiful and energetic evergreen vine creates a special scene all through the year as clambers 40 ft up tree trunks using its holdfast roots to pull itself almost to the top. During April and May the plant goes two-tone as it flushes light green with new growth. Shortly thereafter the scene transforms again when the delicate 1 inch white pinwheel flowers delicately breathe enchanting fragrances into the spring air.
Confederate jasmine grows as a neat tangle of slender wiry stems that exude white latex when cut. These are covered with thick glossy evergreen leaves that are 2 inches long, oval shaped, and pointed at both ends. The stems will twine and clamber over supports and cling to walls and hard surfaces with great ease and abandon.
It should be noted that Confederate jasmine is not a true jasmine. The common name of Trachelospermum jasminoides honors the wonderful jasmine-like perfume produced by this vine. There is a variegated selection variegatum that has cream-splashed leaves and is a less vigorous grower than the species.
Use Confederate jasmine to cover fences and pergolas or to clamber up tree trunks. Use to soften concrete and brick walls and absorb heat in urban landscapes. Works well in containers and urns and the variegated variety is especially nice in hanging baskets. It makes a great indoor or greenhouse specimen. When grown indoors it will reward with fragrant blossoms if supplied with at least a few hours of sun in the winter. Confederate jasmine make a good groundcover for large areas where it will scramble all over itself and may be sheared to maintain a height of about 2 ft.