Dipladenia Hot Pink

Dipladenia 'Hot Pink' (Mandevilla sanderi 'Hot Pink') is the pot plant to choose when a courtyard or balcony needs colour that lasts all summer. It grows to about 1.5m tall and 1m wide as a bushy shrub, and it carries deep pink trumpet flowers continuously through the warm months. Unlike its climbing cousins it needs no support to stand up.

Why you'll love it

• Months of flower, not weeks. It blooms from spring right through summer and into autumn in warm gardens, rather than in one short burst.
• Compact enough for a pot. At 1.5m by 1m it holds its shape in a 400mm container without taking over a balcony.
• Heat and humidity suit it. Humidity and dry inland heat are both within its range, and it is drought tolerant once the roots fill the pot.
• Low maintenance. No staking, no deadheading and only a light prune once a year to keep it bushy.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. Use a pot at least 400mm wide with a drainage hole and good quality potting mix. A pot lets you move it into shelter over winter, which matters in cooler gardens.

Balconies and courtyards. It flowers in a warm sunny corner where many plants sulk, and the reflected heat off paving and walls suits it.

Borders and small gardens. In frost free gardens it works in the ground as a low flowering shrub near a path, or as a feature at the front of a bed.

Growing Dipladenia 'Hot Pink' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering, with some afternoon shade acceptable in the hottest inland gardens. It is genuinely frost tender, so tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens can grow it outdoors year round. Cooler southern and inland gardeners should treat it as a container plant and move it under cover before the first frost.

Soil. Free draining above all. In pots use a premium mix; in the ground add compost and coarse sand to heavy soil, or plant on a raised mound. Wet roots in winter are the usual cause of failure.

Water and feed. Water when the top few centimetres of mix are dry, roughly twice a week in summer and much less in winter. A controlled release fertiliser in early spring plus a liquid feed every few weeks through the flowering season keeps the buds coming.

Pruning. Cut back by about a third in late winter, before new growth starts, to keep it dense and flowering low on the plant. The stems carry a milky sap that can irritate skin, so wear gloves.

What to expect when it arrives

This variety is grown in tubes and in 140mm pots sold in packs of ten. Tubes are young plants a few centimetres tall and the value option for potting up a group or filling a border. The 140mm plants are further along and usually carry buds or flowers in the warmer months.

Some flower drop after transit is normal and new buds follow within two to three weeks. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read our guide to choosing the right pot size
• Browse other plants suited to containers
• See what else works on balconies and small terraces
• Compare the wider flowering plant range

Common questions

Does it need a trellis?

No. This is the shrubby Dipladenia form and it holds itself upright. Given a small trellis it will twine lightly, which is useful if you want a little height in a narrow pot.

Will it survive a Melbourne or Canberra winter?

Not outdoors. It is frost tender, so in those climates grow it in a pot and shift it to a sheltered verandah or indoors near a bright window from late autumn.

Is it safe around pets?

It is not one of our pet friendly plants. The milky sap irritates skin and mouths, so keep it out of reach of a dog or cat that chews foliage.