By Delilah Onofrey, Suntory Flowers
Photos courtesy of Suntory Flowers
Be on the lookout for exciting new colors and forms at your favorite garden retailers.
As summer heats up, the garden party is just beginning for gorgeous, tropical mandevillas. Most northern gardeners treat them like annuals, but many do bring them indoors to keep them alive through the winter in a dormant state to move outdoors again in late spring, when temperatures are warmer. The supply is so abundant at retail, we recommend treating them like annuals and starting fresh each year, unless you have a greenhouse or an especially green thumb and know how to take care of plants in a dormant state. Mandevillas need high light and warm temperatures to thrive. For that reason, most of the plants are grown in Florida.
Suntory Flowers is the world leader in breeding mandevillas and dipladenias in the Sun Parasol and Sundenia lines. We’ve expanded the flower color palette beyond red, white and pink to include sunny yellows, oranges and peaches.
‘Sun Parasol Giant Peach Sunrise’
New for 2024, this classic giant type is a true vining climber that produces large flowers in shades of peach with striking dark orange and yellow throats. This plant is best suited to a trellis, whether it be in a planter or the ground. Bamboo teepees or obelisks are additional ideas for supports. I would love to see how Georgia O’Keefe would have painted these blooms.
‘Sun Parasol Original XP Sunbeam’
This breakthrough dipladenia type of mandevilla is loaded with sunny yellow blooms and has a more controlled growth habit. It’s the first high-performing yellow on the market and quickly became a top seller available at most leading plant retailers. Use in hanging baskets and planters. Mixes nicely with other heat loving annuals. XP varieties represent the new generation of Sun Parasol breeding, denoting “extreme performance.”
‘Sun Parasol Original XP Bluephoria™’
New for next year is our first mandevilla on the blue spectrum! Bright pink buds open and become mesmerizing shades of blue and purple. Colors deepen with sun and heat. This brings an entirely new color scheme to tropicals! It is also a dipladenia type.
‘Sun Parasol Original XP Mauvelous’
Introduced in Europe as Sundaville Flamingo Pink, this new variety joins the Sun Parasol Original XP line as Mauvelous. Beautiful brush strokes and a pixilated effect add an artist’s touch. Look for it at retail in 2025. This one also falls into the dipladenia category.
‘Sun Parasol Original XP Double Pink Blush’
Have you ever seen a double flowered mandevilla? This beautiful variety is a first in a compact, dipladenia type. Light pink flowers have contrasting dark pink petals in the center instead of the typical trumpet style throat. New for 2025.
‘Sun Parasol FiredUp™ Orange’
Now for something completely different! This bright orange dipladenia is a natural born thriller with an upright habit. Plants create a whole new tropical look with slender foliage and pinwheel-shaped blooms. Colors deepen in warmer temperatures. It’s a perfect focal point for heat-loving combos. No need to trellis. In fact, don’t.
As you enjoy your plantings this summer, you can anticipate which new mandevillas/dipladenias you’d like to try next year. There’s still time to buy Sun Parasol Giant Peach Sunrise and Sun Parasol Original XP Sunbeam at your local retailer. But come August, the assortment shifts to fall and mum’s the word!
Few bulbs are easier to grow than amaryllis-and few bloom with greater exuberance and beauty. But many just toss them at the end of their initial show.
Importantly there are tricks to get them to bloom again. Click here for an informative article about extending the life of amaryllis.
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