Diplomatic property (Mandeville)

Climbing flowering plant Mandevilla, or dipladenia, is part of the Kutrovy family. Under natural conditions, such a plant can be found in Central and South America. According to various sources, this genus unites 120-190 species, among which there are both annuals and perennials. Many gardeners also call the indoor greenhouse and garden mandeville jasmine, or Brazilian balsam, or Chilean jasmine, or Bolivian rose, or the Mexican tree of love. This genus got its scientific name "Mandeville" in honor of Henry J. Mandeville, who was an English diplomat and amateur gardener, while he was serving in Argentina. Translated from the Greek language, "Diplomacy" means "having double glands." Indoor diploma is a very spectacular plant, which is distinguished by its capriciousness and high demands on growing conditions and care. However, it is still becoming more and more popular with flower growers every year.

Brief description of cultivation

1. Bloom... Lush and long lasting (from the last days of March to November).
2. Illumination... Needs bright, but diffused light. Recommended to be placed on a window sill of either western or eastern orientation.
3. Temperature regime... During the growing season - from 18 to 26 degrees, and during the rest period - from 12 to 15 degrees.
4. Watering... It should be abundant twice or thrice a week. The soil mixture in the pot is moistened only after its surface dries to a depth of 10 to 15 mm. On very hot days, the bushes are sometimes watered twice a day. Beginning in September, watering is gradually reduced.
5. Air humidity... Should be elevated. To do this, the flower is kept in a special glass window or the plant pot is placed on a pallet filled with wet pebbles.
6. Fertilizers... Feeding begins in March, from this time liquid nitrogen fertilizers are applied to the substrate 1 time in 7 days.However, with the beginning of bud formation, the flower should be fed with a potassium-phosphorus complex fertilizer, which is applied systematically once a week until August.
7. Pruning... It is carried out systematically in the autumn, immediately after the end of the growing season.
8. Transfer... If necessary, after the root system of the bush becomes very cramped in the flower pot. Adult shrubs are not transplanted; instead, the top layer of potting soil is regularly replaced.
9. Reproduction... By cuttings and seed method.
10. Harmful insects... Whiteflies, mealybugs and spider mites.
11. Diseases... Powdery mildew.

Peculiarities of diploma

Mandeville is a lush, evergreen liana that grows rapidly. The stem is curly woody, it is decorated with opposite saturated green leaf plates, they are glossy leathery to the touch of an oval shape. If you break a leaf, then milky juice, which is poisonous, will ooze from it.

Under indoor conditions, diploidia is cultivated as a climbing plant or a compact bush. Fragrant funnel-shaped flowers consist of 5 petals, which can be pink, red, white or crimson. On an adult bush, up to 80 flowers can open at the same time, and they will delight with their beauty for more than a week.

Caring for Mandeville at home

Illumination

In order for the indoor Mandeville to grow and develop well, it needs to provide conditions that are very similar to natural ones. As for lighting, the vine needs a lot of bright light, otherwise it will not be able to reach the peak of its attractiveness. Best of all, this flower grows on windows of either western or eastern orientation. Also, the bush can be placed on the southern window sill, but in this case it will have to be shaded at midday from direct sunlight, because they can harm the foliage.

Temperature regime

In winter, the diploma should be kept cool (from 12 to 15 degrees), and in summer it is moved to a warmer place (from 18 to 26 degrees). However, if the room in the summer is warmer than 26 degrees, then the plant will not suffer from this, on the contrary, the color of the flowers will become more saturated and bright.

Liana needs fresh air, so the room where it grows will have to be ventilated very often. But do not forget to protect the flower from drafts, as they can destroy it. In the summer, if possible, it is transferred to the veranda, balcony or garden, and a place is chosen that is protected from drafts, direct rays of the sun and wind.

Trimming and garter

Since Mandeville is a climbing plant, when growing at home, do not forget to tie it up in time, and also cut it off. The height of the support should be 1.5 times the size of an adult bush. Its stems will climb the support and gradually master it completely.

Watering

Like other plants that are native to the tropics, Mandeville needs timely, abundant watering. It is necessary to moisten the substrate in the container only when it dries out 10-15 mm in depth. For irrigation, which is carried out on average twice or thrice a week, use exclusively warm water. In the hot dry season, you have to water the liana once or twice a day. In September, the number and abundance of watering begin to gradually reduce, but make sure that the leaves do not start flying around the vines due to lack of water.

Remember that this crop reacts extremely negatively to lime. In this regard, the water with which the flower is watered must be defended (at least 24 hours) or filtered. Once every 30 days, so much fresh lemon juice or citric acid is added to the water intended for irrigation so that it becomes a little sour in taste.

Air humidity

The plant needs high humidity at any time of the year. In this regard, it is recommended to grow it in a special glass display case. If you do not have the opportunity to place a flower in a showcase, then medium-sized wet pebbles are poured into the pallet, and a pot is already placed on it. You can also put a container with a vine in a large planter. After that, all the free space between the walls of the planter and the pot is covered with wet sphagnum moss or peat.

You can also spray the foliage with warm water every day to increase air humidity. This procedure is especially recommended for the flower during flowering and bud formation.

Top dressing

When growing such a flower, do not forget to feed it in a timely manner. To decorate the liana with spectacular leathery leaves, it must be fed with fertilizers containing nitrogen. However, immediately after the buds begin to appear on the bush, and even during flowering, it is fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. For top dressing, liquid fertilizer is used, while it should be applied to the substrate regularly 1 time in 7 days, but not all year round, but from March to August. In winter, the vine does not need feeding.

Diplomatic transplant

Mandeville grows best in a loose, moderately acidic substrate that is loaded with nutrients. A soil mixture consisting of sand, peat, humus, leafy and soddy soil is well suited, and they are taken in equal parts. Instead of sand, you can take fine perlite or expanded clay, thanks to them, the soil mixture becomes looser, as a result of which the root system of the bush can receive a sufficient amount of oxygen.

The transplant is carried out only when it is necessary, or rather, after the root system becomes very cramped in the container. To do this, inspect the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, if roots peep out of them, then the Mandeville must be transplanted. When the vine becomes an adult, it is better not to transplant it; instead, the top layer of the soil mixture in the pot is systematically replaced with a new one.

Pruning

This flower is fast growing and therefore needs regular pruning. If it is not carried out, then the bush will grow very quickly, and after a while a real jungle will appear in your apartment. The formation of buds occurs on the stems of the current year of growth. In this regard, in the autumn, the vine must be cut off at the very end of the growing season. Unbranched old stems are pruned by 2/3 parts, and branched shoots - by 1/3 or ½ part of the length after the fork. As a result, after pruning, only 1/3 of the unbranched shoot should remain, and a third of the branched shoot after the fork. If the plant is cut correctly in the fall, then it will tolerate wintering well and will actively grow young stems during the next growing season.

Wintering

The dormant period in diplody begins in late autumn, and it ends in early spring. During this period, the vine should be in a room in which it should not be colder than 12 degrees and not warmer - 16 degrees. After the bush is cut in the fall, a sharp reduction in watering is carried out. During the dormant period, it is watered only after three days have passed after the substrate in the container has completely dried out.

In spring, when Mandeville begins to wake up, it is transferred to its usual place, after which the watering regime usual for summer is gradually resumed. From this time on, fertilizers begin to be applied to the soil mixture.

Reproduction methods

Growing from seeds

An adult diploma has a rather high price in a flower shop, so it may not be affordable for every grower.But if you really want to decorate your home with such a vine and are not afraid of possible difficulties, then try to grow it from seeds, and there are seed materials of various varieties of Mandeville on sale.

Take a container, at the bottom of which there are holes for drainage, and fill it with a slightly acidic, light and loose earth mixture into which the seeds are sown. Crops are transferred to a well-lit (light should be diffused) and warm (from 22 to 28 degrees) place, and they are provided with regular watering, while making sure that the substrate is slightly damp all the time, but do not allow the liquid to stagnate in it.

The first shoots will have to wait for a very long time, about 2-4 months, and throughout this time you will need to systematically water the crops, as well as remove condensate from the surface of the shelter. After the emerging seedlings have formed 2 true leaf plates, they are picked in individual cups that have holes for drainage at the bottom, and the substrate is used the same as for sowing. After some time, when the bushes grow up, they are transplanted into permanent containers.

Cuttings

From the second half of the spring to mid-summer, the vine can be propagated by cuttings. In spring, the upper parts of young stems are taken as cuttings, and in summer, pieces of lignified mature shoots are taken. When working with dipladenia, remember that its shoots and foliage contains juice containing poison, so do not forget about precautions: protect your hands with rubberized gloves and do not let the juice get on the mucous membranes and skin.

For rooting, cuttings are planted in small cups, which are filled with a moistened substrate, which includes peat and sand (1: 1). Also, if desired, you can add one part of dry sphagnum to it. When planting for rooting, the cutting must be deepened to the first pair of leaf plates. Then it is removed to a mini-greenhouse, where it should be constantly very warm (no colder than 25 degrees). Bottom watering (through the pallet) is recommended for cuttings. Most often, after 30 days, the cuttings will grow their own root system, and when this happens, they are planted in permanent pots. There are times when flower growers root diplodenia cuttings in a glass of water. And when their roots grow 10–20 mm long, they are planted in pots filled with soil mixture.

If done correctly, the cuttings should root easily. But there are times when the cuttings of Mandeville terry do not want to take root. In this case, the solution will be to grow terry varieties from seeds.

Diseases and pests

Possible problems

With improper care or when the Mandeville is kept in inappropriate conditions, various problems can begin with it, for example:

1. Yellow foliage... If the foliage on the bush turns yellow during the warm season, it means that the humidity in the room is very low. And if yellowing is observed in winter, then this may be due to the fact that the room is too cold. Also, yellowing leaves can be a sign of the presence of pests on the vine or its defeat by a disease.
2. Flying around foliage... In such a plant, the leaves turn yellow, and then crumble due to the fact that it is very cold in the room or the bush is watered incorrectly (lack of water or its stagnation in the substrate).

Harmful insects

As a rule, harmful insects settle on those bushes that are weakened by poor care, for example:

• unsuitable water is used for irrigation;
• the substrate used for growing a flower is infected with fungi or pest larvae:
• the plant does not have enough light or it is too cold;
• dust is not removed from foliage in a timely manner.

As a rule, all these violations most often cause whiteflies, mealybugs or spider mites to settle on the liana.Most often, whiteflies settle on those bushes that are outdoors in summer. In this regard, when in the autumn time you transfer the bush back to the house, make a mandatory inspection of its foliage. The fact is that it is on the seamy surface of the leaf plates that whiteflies prefer to hide, which are outwardly similar to a small moth. If you see pests on a liana, then it must be sprayed with an insecticide (Aktara, Aktellik or Fitoverm), otherwise, after Mandeville is in the house, the pests will quickly move to other indoor plants.

Mealybugs are sucking pests that puncture the stems and foliage and suck the juice out. Also, such a pest is considered one of the main carriers of viral diseases. You can understand that the bush is affected by worms by the following signs: the foliage loses its turgor, the bush becomes sluggish, the buds are deformed, and insects similar to small mosquitoes fly around the plant. And lumpy formations appear on the surface of the substrate in the pot, and on the flower itself you can see small white oval-shaped bugs. To get rid of the worms, the plant can be sprayed with garlic infusion, for the preparation of which the head of garlic is passed through a press, and then combined with 1 tbsp. freshly boiled water. The infusion will be ready in four hours, then it is used to wash those areas of the bush that are affected by the pest. If necessary, the following chemicals can be used in the fight against the pest: Aplaud, Phosphamide and Bi-58.

The greatest danger to the plant is represented by spider mites, which are arachnids. Dry air in the room contributes to their appearance on the bush. In the event that dots of black or brown color form on the foliage, then conduct a thorough inspection of the plant, and pay special attention to the seamy surface of the foliage, since it is there that ticks prefer to hide. Also, the presence of a pest is indicated by the thinnest cobweb found on the liana. Wipe the foliage of the plant with slightly sour water, in which a little of any soap is dissolved. If this method turns out to be ineffective in the fight against the pest, then the bush is sprayed with an acaricide solution, for example, Fitoverm. And an increase in the level of humidity in the room helps to cope with the pest.

Diseases

Of all diseases, powdery mildew poses the greatest danger to diploidia. In the affected bush, a whitish bloom forms on the surface of all aerial parts. In order to save a sick flower from this fungal disease, it is treated with a solution of colloidal sulfur (1%). To do this, the agent is applied to all affected areas of the plant, and after 24 hours it must be rinsed by arranging a warm shower for this. Most often, in order to completely defeat the disease, the flower has to be processed twice or thrice.

Types of diplomatic possession with photos and names

Not too many types of Mandeville are grown by flower growers in indoor conditions. The ones that are most popular in culture will be described below.

Dipladenia brilliant (Dipladenia splendens)

This species is a climbing evergreen, cultivated by flower growers most often as ampelous. While the shoots are young, there is pubescence on their surface, and they are decorated with lush oval-shaped foliage, which reaches about 20 centimeters in length, and has a heart-shaped base and a pointed tip at the top. As the stems grow (they can reach 4–5 m in length), they are exposed, and the amount of foliage on them gradually decreases. During flowering, loose clusters are formed, consisting of 6 flowers, white on the inside and deep pink on the outside, which reach about 100 mm in diameter. The bracts are purple in color.

Bolivian Dipladenia (Dipladenia bolewiensis)

This thermophilic species is native to Bolivia, while it is most popular with flower growers. And he fell in love with them for their long stems, which adorn the rich green ovoid leaf plates, reaching 50–80 mm in diameter. The racemose inflorescence is formed on axillary peduncles, while it consists of three or four white flowers, reaching up to 50 mm in diameter. The throat of the flowers is yellow, the tube is cylindrical, and there is also a saucer-shaped limb.

Excellent Dipladenia (Dipladenia eximia)

This evergreen liana has smooth shoots with a pale red color, and they are decorated with rich green leaves of a round-ovoid shape, which reach a length of 30–40 mm. The racemose inflorescences consist of 8 flowers, reaching up to 70 mm in diameter, their tube length is about 50 mm, the calyx is red, and the corolla is usually pinkish-red.

Dipladenia sanderi

On smooth shoots, thick oval-shaped leaf plates with a slightly pointed upper part grow, the length of which reaches 50 mm and even more. During flowering, axillary brushes appear, which include from 3 to 5 rich pink flowers, up to 70 mm in diameter, their throat is yellow.

Loose dipladenia (Dipladenia laxa)

This highly branching species can grow very strongly in indoor conditions, so it requires a lot of space. Warty shoots can be about 5 meters long; opposite leaf plates of an emerald green hue and an oblong-ovoid shape grow on them. The front surface of the foliage is smooth, and on the back there is pubescence, in length it can reach about 10 centimeters. The composition of the inflorescences includes from 5 to 10 corrugated flowers of a creamy white shade, which have a diameter of about 90 mm.

The most popular of all varieties of Mandeville are the following:

1. Allamandu... This plant is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and large rich yellow flowers.
2. Cosmos White, Fair Lady and Summer Snow... These varieties bloom long and luxuriantly with snow-white flowers.
3. Pink Parfait... The plant is decorated with fragrant multi-petal flowers. The variety is also called "Thai rose".
4. Red hood... The flowers are cherry pink.
5. Scarlet Pimpernell... In the sun, the flowers of such a vine can shimmer with all possible shades of red.
6. Yellow... The flowers of this variety shine with gold.
7. Cosmos Rose... The bush is decorated with fleecy large flowers.
8. Classic Red... This large liana has deep red flowers.
9. Lax, or Chilean Jasmine... This Argentinean variety is distinguished by the pungent smell of gardenia.
10. San Parasol Crimzon... The flower petals are pointed, like those of scented tobacco.

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