Mandevilla sanderi

Mandevilla sanderi in the garden of my sister Holly in Sydney

An attractive twining climber, Mandevilla sanderi (syn. Dipladenia sanderi) comes from South America and is sometimes known as Brazilian jasmine. It belongs to the plant family Apocynaceae. It has pretty, funnel-shaped flowers in colours of pink, white or red from late spring till autumn. It seems to do best in a large pot, growing over some sort of support such as an obelisk or trellis (as pictured above).

Mandevilla sanderi at The Boat House, Palm Beach, Sydney

Mandevilla sanderi at The Boat House, Palm Beach, Sydney

The plant needs to be kept well watered in summer and flower bests in a position with some shelter in the hottest part of the day in summer. It is said to grow to 4.5 m in height but I have never seen one of that dimension: in our climate, where it is at the lower end of its comfort zone, it is usually quite compact and can even be grown as a sort of pendulous shrub. I have also seen it grown as a sprawling groundcover. It is propagated from cuttings taken in spring or summer.