My Fair Lady

My Fair Lady is a twining dipladenia (Mandevilla sanderi 'My Fair Lady') that climbs to about 2.5m on a support and spreads around 1.5m, carrying white trumpet flowers with a yellow throat through the warm months. It is the simplest way to get a long flowering climber onto a balcony screen or a courtyard trellis. One thing to know before you buy: the milky sap irritates skin and the plant is toxic to cats and dogs.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers for months, not weeks. In warm weather it produces flushes of white trumpets continuously rather than one short burst.
• Twines rather than clings. It winds around wires, mesh and slim trellis and has no clinging roots, so it will not mark render or paintwork.
• Built for heat and humidity. Heat tolerant and humidity tolerant, so it keeps flowering through a coastal or inland summer that stops fussier climbers.
• Small footprint. It is happy in a pot, which makes it one of the few climbers that suits an apartment with no garden bed.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. A 400mm pot with a slim obelisk holds one plant for years. Use a premium mix and repot every second season.

Balconies and courtyards. Trained on wires against a wall it gives height and flower without taking floor area, and it cuts back to fit each season.

Feature planting in small gardens. One plant on an entry arch or a letterbox frame reads as a deliberate feature rather than a filler.

Growing My Fair Lady dipladenia in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with light afternoon shade an advantage in hot inland gardens. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate districts. Being frost tender, cool and southern gardens should keep it potted and shelter it over winter.

Soil. Free draining is the priority. In the ground, improve heavy soil with compost and coarse sand and plant on a slight mound. In pots, never let it stand in a saucer of water.

Water and feed. Water deeply when the top few centimetres dry, less in winter. Feed with a controlled release fertiliser in spring and a high potassium liquid feed monthly through summer.

Pruning. Cut back by up to a third in early spring. Flowers form on new wood, so an early prune gives a fuller, better flowering plant. Wear gloves, as cut stems bleed milky sap.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes: a pack of ten in 140mm pots, and a pack of six in 200mm pots. The 140mm plants are young and the value option when you are planting several supports. The 200mm plants are further along and give a display sooner.

Plants travel packed upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect growth to restart within two to three weeks in warm weather, and flowers inside the first season. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full climber range
• Plants that suit balconies
• Making the most of a small garden

Common questions

Is it safe around pets?

No. Dipladenia is toxic to cats and dogs, and the milky sap irritates skin and eyes. Plant it out of reach of pets and children, and wear gloves when pruning.

Does it need a trellis?

Yes. It twines rather than sticks, so it needs wires, mesh or an obelisk to climb. Without support it will scramble along the ground instead of gaining height.

Will it survive a frost?

It is frost tender. In frost prone districts keep it potted so it can move under cover for winter, and cut back damaged growth in spring.

Why has it stopped flowering?

Usually too little light, too much nitrogen, or no spring prune. Move it brighter, switch to a high potassium feed, and cut it back by a third next spring.