Mandevilla boliviensis hybrid

White mandevilla and white dipladenia

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Known for many years as ‘Dipladenias’ in local garden jargon, Mandevillas are amongst the most prolific and free-flowering of all the woody climbers available. MANDEVILLA x amabilis ‘Alice du Pont’ is undoubtedly the best known of all of them in South Africa. The trusses of large, rose pink, trumpet-shaped flowers persist for months on end, from late spring to late autumn. Until the recent introduction of SundavilleTM ‘White’ there was no large, pure white flowering Mandevilla available in this country and it is fast becoming a popular climber for warm, sunny positions in frost-free gardens.

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A hybrid bred from Mandevilla boliviensis, which originates from Ecuador and Bolivia in South America, SundavilleTM ‘White’ bears individual trumpet-shaped flowers that are two or three times larger than its parent. They can attain a length of up to 10 cm and are often as wide across the diameter of the petals. The throat is a rich golden yellow shade, fading with age as the flowers mature. Each truss or raceme produces up to seven flowers. Leaves are lush, glossy and rich green in colour, presenting the perfect background to show off the magnificent blooms. Flowering continues unabated from spring through to autumn, adding significantly to the many attributes of this most desirable evergreen climber.
SundavilleTM ‘White’ requires a means of support in the form of a fence, trellis or frame on which it attaches itself by means of twining stems. It grows best in an open, sunny position that allows free air movement around the plant – so it can’t be grown against hot and reflective solid walls. It enjoys rich, well-drained soils and monthly feeding with a fertiliser high in potash (potassium). Be on the lookout for insect, scale or red spider mite infestations, especially during and after periods of hot, dry weather. Treat immediately upon detection to minimise damage to the plant. Older, woody plants can be pruned back hard in September (spring) in order to rejuvenate and regenerate tired looking specimens. Easy to grow and richly rewarding, this spectacular climber is bound to make an impact in our gardens for many years to come. Its crisp, clean image and prolonged flowering season set it apart from all the other white flowering climbers for sub-tropical gardens.