Dipladenia – Identification

Q: I purchased this plant in an attempt to beautify my yard with red flowers for my brother’s wedding held in my backyard. The container it came in only said “blooming trellis”. Will this will bloom year after year? How do I take care of it?
A: I’m familiar with three plants that have flowers like yours: allamanda, mandevilla and dipladenia.

Allamanda is a vining plant producing yellow, pink or red flowers.

Dipladenia is really part of the mandevilla clan: Mandevilla sanderii. It has very little vining habit – more like a spreading bush. It has pinkish flowers but it won’t cover your mailbox like a common mandevilla vine, Mandevilla splendens, or allamanda will.

Since yours seems more bushy than viney I think it’s dipladenia.

If you decide to buy any of the three plants mentioned, plant them outdoors in late April in partial to full sunshine. You can overwinter them indoors by digging the plant before the first frost. Place it in a three gallon pot and cut it back to a foot tall. Place the pot in a spot that does not freeze, where some light can shine on the plant. A few leaves will appear along the stems but do not fertilize. Water only once per month. You can take the plant outdoors once again after mid-April.

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Dipladenia or Mandevilla sanderii. You may call it by either name.
Mandevilla and Dipladenia – Differences

dipladenia

dipladenia

mandevilla

mandevilla