Dipladenia

Dipladenia

Features of Dipladenia

Before entering the subject, it is important first that you know how to identify this climbing plant from the others. So, too, you can get an idea of ​​what it is you need to be able to develop without problems.

Well, this plant is known by the name of Mandevilla , which is the botanical genus to which it belongs and which comprises more than 100 species, among them Mandevilla laxa , or the Mandevilla sanderi , although between you and me, it is much more known as Chilean Jasmine, Jasmine from Chile, Jasmine from Argentina, or Jasmine from Jujuy.

Native to South America, it is of the Apocynaceae family, just like the Adenium, but it does not have the thick trunk. In fact, it has no trunk as such, but are thin stems that grow by grabbing as they can (do not have tendrils) to the branches of trees and other tall plants. Its leaves are perennial , coriaceous, bright green.

It is ideal for small gardens, since they do not exceed 6m in height. In fact, there are those who have it as a small plant in a pot, and pruning it to prevent it from growing too much. Despite the pruning, it blooms. When? In summer. Its flowers, as we said before, have a trumpet shape, and depending on the species, they can be white, pink, red or yellow … all of them perfumed.

By the way, it also has something negative: it is toxic , because you should not ingest it under any circumstances.

Dipladenia plant care

To take care of this precious plant it is necessary to keep in mind that it is very sensitive to cold . If in your area the temperature drops below 10ºC, you should always have it in a pot to be able to enter it inside the house when it starts to cool. But apart from that, we must provide a series of care, which are:

Location

It has to be in a very bright area, but without direct sunlight. If it is indoors, it must be placed in a room where there is plenty of natural light , but away from drafts, passage areas and windows.

Irrigation

Watering must be frequent, especially in summer. It should be given about 3 times per week in said station, and once every 7-10 days the rest of the year. Flooding should be avoided at all times, so in case of doubt, it is best to check the moisture of the substrate before pouring water. To do this, it will be enough to introduce a wooden stick (from the ones that you give in Japanese restaurants) to the bottom and extract it carefully. If when you take it out you see that it is clean, it is because the earth is dry and that, therefore, it can be watered.

Fertilizers

Very important if you want to survive the winter. I recommend paying one month with a universal mineral fertilizer, and the next month with an organic one; or even better, use only organic fertilizers , cast ground horn or horse manure (no more than a handful) to the substrate, and fertilize periodically with guano for example.

Soil or substrate

If you are lucky enough to live in a warm climate, you can plant in your garden near a pergola so you can climb it in spring. It grows in many types of soil, although it prefers sandy ones.

In the case that you have to have it in a pot, mix black peat with coconut fiber or river sand in equal parts .

Pruning

It can be pruned throughout the growing season (spring and summer), cutting off those stems that are growing too much, or that look weak. You also have to remove the withered flowers.

Problems of Dipladenia

This is a plant that can be affected by cochineal , especially cotton and red spider in summer, which is when temperatures are higher and the environment is drier. The first can be removed with a swab of the ears moistened with soap, but the others must be sprayed with Neem oil or potassium soap.

In cold environments, its leaves will start to turn yellow and then fall . It is necessary to avoid that the temperature of the home falls below 10ºC.

How is Dipladenia reproduced?

Would you like to have new copies? Then I encourage you to sow seeds in spring, directly in pots with substrate composed of black peat and sand or pearlite in equal parts. But if you’re in a hurry, you can choose to make 10cm cuttings in spring or summer , cleaning them before planting with water and impregnating them with rooting hormones in powder.

Get him to survive the winter

In addition to everything that has been said so far, to survive the winter there are several tricks that can help a lot. The first is to put around glasses or bowls with water so that the surrounding humidity is high. In many houses, especially in winter, the humidity drops a lot, and this can seriously harm some plants. And, why not spray directly? Because they could literally suffocate the leaves by plugging their pores. Also, you have to clean them from time to time so they do not have dust.

The next trick is to wrap your pot with a thermal garden blanket , which is like a white cotton cloth. The plastic is a material that cools or warms up very quickly, so if you wrap the pot with this blanket (eye, leaving the drainage holes free), it will be as if you were sheltering the roots.

And there is still a third trick: fertilize with Nitrofoska . It is true that it has been said that it has to be paid in spring and summer, but in winter the Nitrofoska will not be a contribution of extra food, but rather it will fulfill the same function as a jacket of those woolen ones that shelter so much. Pour a spoonful of coffee, mix it with the earth, and water. So once a month.

Fourth trick (extra): water with warm water . Cold water can freeze the roots, but this will not happen if you have a little earlier.