Showy and colorful, nothing brings the tropics to a home garden quite like a dipladenia vine (Mandevilla spp. and Dipladenia spp.). Now known commonly as mandevilla, the Brazilian plant is prized for its profusion of bright blooms, which appear in early summer and can last until fall. Dipladenia generally is perennial only where winters aren't very cold.
Dipladenia is perennial, or hardy, in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. In USDA zone 8, it usually dies to the ground in winter but in spring sprouts from its roots. In any zone, the vine can be grown outdoors as an annual or in a container that is taken indoors for winter. As a container plant, it can trail over the container's rim. Dipladenia can be trained to climb a lattice, an arbor or a nearby tree.
Whether grown as an annual or perennial, container plant or garden staple, a dipladenia vine needs proper care to produce masses of blooms. Indoors, the vine thrives in bright but indirect sunlight, which can be achieved by filtering window sunlight through a sheer curtain. The plant grows best indoors where the daytime temperature is above 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the nighttime temperature is about 10 degrees cooler. Grow a dipladenia in a container filled with potting soil mixed with equal portions of peat moss and builder's sand, and keep the soil mixture moist but never soggy.
An outdoor dipladenia vine grows best in partial shade. The plant thrives in rich, well-draining soil and especially in sandy soil. Because it is a vine, support its climbing stems with a frame, or train the plant to grow along an existing support structure, such as a fence. That measure is especially important if the plant is a perennial in your location.
Note of Caution
The dipladenia vine will cause low toxicity if any parts of it are eaten, according to an article on the North Carolina State University website. Although dipladenia's toxic element is not known, it is related to other, far more poisonous plants. In addition, any plant may pose a health threat if parts of it trigger an allergic reaction, or if is eaten and becomes lodged in a person's or animal's throat. Therefore, keeping young children and pets away from the plant is the best practice.