Vine
Mandevilla
Mandevilla × amabilis · Apocynaceae
Also called: Rocktrumpet, Dipladenia (closely related/often sold under this name)
Mandevilla (Mandevilla × amabilis) is a moderate-water vine well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It's a fast-growing vine.
Mandevilla at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade in Tucson; benefits from afternoon shade or filtered light to protect blooms and foliage from intense low-desert summer sun and reflected heat. Too much dense shade reduces flowering.
- Mature size
- Vine to 6-10+ ft on a support (often kept smaller in pots); dipladenia types stay more mounded at 2-3 ft
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Bloom
- Pink, rose, red, or white trumpet-shaped flowers, Late spring through fall (warm season); peaks in summer
- Cold hardiness
- Frost-tender (hardy to about 40-45°F; damaged below ~32°F). In Tucson grow in containers to move into a garage/indoors over winter, or as a warm-season annual; protect or relocate during frost.
- Soil
- Rich, well-draining soil amended with organic matter; tolerant of containers with quality potting mix. Avoid heavy, poorly drained native caliche soils without amendment and drainage.
- Native range
- Tropical Central and South America (hybrid of cultivated origin)
- Best used as
- Flowering vine on trellis, arbor, or fence, Patio container and hanging baskets, Summer color near pools and entries
- Wildlife
- Tubular flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
- Toxicity
- Toxic. Milky sap can irritate skin and eyes; all parts are considered toxic if ingested and can cause stomach upset in pets and children. Wear gloves when pruning.
How to grow Mandevilla in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Grown as a warm-season flowering vine, often in containers, in Tucson. Keep soil consistently moist during the hot growing season—containers may need water daily in summer heat; reduce watering in cool months. Provide good drainage to prevent root rot. Drip irrigation works well in landscape plantings.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Heavy bloomer—feed every 2-3 weeks during the growing season with a bloom-boosting fertilizer higher in phosphorus (e.g., 10-20-10), or a balanced slow-release at planting. Iron chelate helps if leaves yellow (chlorosis) in alkaline desert soil.
Pruning & care
Prune in late winter/early spring before new growth to shape, remove dead/frost-damaged stems, and encourage branching and more flowers; it blooms on new growth. Provide a trellis or support for the twining vine.
Notes
A tropical vine treated as a summer showpiece in Tucson; thrives in the heat but must be protected from winter frost—most growers keep it potted so it can be sheltered. Afternoon shade and steady moisture keep it blooming through the hottest months. The trade name 'Dipladenia' usually refers to the bushier, more compact forms.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Arizona Master Gardeners (Pima County); Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder