Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont' (Pink Mandevilla) care

Light

Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont' needs sun on the leaves, not just bright ambient room light. Needs full sun to bright light for heavy flowering, with at least 6 hours of direct sun. In very hot climates a little afternoon shade prevents scorch. Indoors or in shade it grows leggy and flowers poorly. A south or west-facing windowsill in the northern hemisphere is the default; anywhere else, expect the plant to stretch and pale out within a season.

Watering

Water mandevilla 'alice du pont' keep evenly moist in summer; water when the top 2-3 cm of soil dries, often every 2-4 days in heat. The actual day count varies with pot size, light, and season — the finger test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a fixed calendar. Empty any drainage saucer afterwards so the pot isn't sitting in water. Wants regular water through the active warm season but not soggy roots. Containers in full sun dry rapidly and may need daily watering in heat. Reduce sharply in winter when overwintered dormant or semi-dormant; let it dry more between waterings then.

Soil and pot

Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont' grows best in rich, well-drained potting mix. Use a fertile, free-draining mix with added perlite or grit; slightly acidic to neutral pH. Good drainage is essential to prevent root rot. Incorporate organic matter to sustain the heavy summer-long flowering and vigorous climbing growth. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont' sits happiest at around 50-70% humidity and 18-29°C (65-85°F). A tropical vine that enjoys warm, humid conditions. Outdoors in summer it thrives in ambient humidity; indoors over winter, raise humidity and keep it away from dry heat. Dry air invites spider mites and stresses the plant. If you keep the room above 18 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed mandevilla 'alice du pont' sparingly. Feed every 1-2 weeks through spring and summer with a high-potash or bloom-boosting fertiliser to sustain continuous flowering. Avoid excess nitrogen, which favours leaves over flowers. Stop feeding in autumn and winter when the plant is overwintered cool and growth halts. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on mandevilla 'alice du pont' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Poor flowering — Too little light or over-feeding with nitrogen produces foliage but few blooms. Give full sun, feed with a high-potash fertiliser, and ensure warm conditions for the flush to continue.
• Cold damage — Frost-tender; suffers below about 10°C and is killed by frost. Bring containers indoors before autumn cold and overwinter frost-free, cutting back hard if needed.
• Spider mites and whitefly — Common indoors and in dry heat; mites stipple leaves with fine webbing, whitefly cluster underneath. Raise humidity, inspect leaf undersides and treat with insecticidal soap or oil.
• Yellowing leaves / root rot — Overwatering or poor drainage yellows leaves and rots roots. Use a free-draining mix, let the surface dry between waterings, and never leave the pot standing in water.

Propagation

Propagate from softwood or semi-ripe stem cuttings in spring or summer; dip in rooting hormone and root in a warm, humid, free-draining mix at 21-27°C. Wear gloves, as the milky sap is an irritant. Keep cuttings warm and out of cold drafts until rooted. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont' is mildly toxic to pets. Mandevilla is not individually listed by the ASPCA, so its status is uncertain; treat with caution and verify with a vet. It belongs to the dogbane family (Apocynaceae) and exudes a milky latex sap that can irritate skin, eyes and mouth and may cause stomach upset if eaten. Keep pets and children from chewing it. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of mandevilla 'alice du pont' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont' watering schedule
• Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont' light requirements
• Best soil mix for mandevilla 'alice du pont'
• Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont' fertilizing guide
• When to repot mandevilla 'alice du pont'
• How to propagate mandevilla 'alice du pont'
• Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont' growth rate & size
• Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont' cold hardiness
• Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont' temperature & humidity
• Is mandevilla 'alice du pont' toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is mandevilla 'alice du pont' toxic to cats?
• Is mandevilla 'alice du pont' toxic to dogs?
• Getting mandevilla 'alice du pont' to bloom

Featured in these plant shortlists

Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont' qualifies for 6 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
• Best trailing & climbing houseplants — Vining and trailing houseplants for shelves, hanging pots, and moss poles — selected by growth habit.
• Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
• Best flowering houseplants — Indoor plants grown for their blooms — selected from the flowering species in Growli’s plant-care library.
• Best houseplants for full sun — Houseplants that want direct sun — the species for a hot south or west-facing windowsill where shade-lovers scorch.
• Best fast-growing houseplants — Houseplants documented as fast or vigorous growers — quick to fill a pot, cover a pole or trail down a shelf.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

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Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont' is also commonly called Pink Mandevilla or Rocktrumpet.

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