Mandevilla There are two main types of Mandevilla being offered today to welcoming gardeners. Mandevilla Splendens, best known by the name Alice du Pont, is the evergreen vine with the lovely pink trumpets. Foliage is glossy and ovoid. Blooms appear in clusters spring-fall.

Mandevilla Splendens has the ability to reach 30' in height but is commonly grown as a container plant in the U.S. and is smaller when thus confined. Provide a stake, trellis or fence for this lovely vine to twine round. It requires ample water. M. Splendens can be grown in full sun in coastal areas but should be partly shaded in inland regions. Rich pink colour and charming habit make Mandevilla Splendens a wonderful specimen.

The second variety of Mandevilla most grown in N. America is M. Laxa, or Chilean Jasmine. Prized for its gardenia-like fragrance, M. Laxa features pure white trumpets that are very appealing. Unlike M. Splendens, it is deciduous. In the north, Chilean Jasmine is usually grown as a pot plant which is brought indoors during the winter. Its ultimate height is about 15' and it must be provided support such as a stake, a frame, or a fence to grow on. Gardeners are always delighted to encounter this family of vines. They make a refreshing change from what you may have grown to expect of a climber, and they add such elegance to the landscape.