Well Robert, I can not say I can blame you on this one !

It seems to have such a nice flower. I saw these last week when I was there and almost bought one myself.

I hope you like it and it brings you years of joy.

Mike

Hi Mike!

Thank you. I hope I can keep it alive for many years to come.

Did you happen to sniff any of their blooms while you were at Logee's?

I received my plant yesterday and although it's fairly large and healthy alas there were no blooms.
Guess I'll have to wait until next year! :)

-Robert

Robert!

Have you ever smelled the fragrance of a White Champaca (Michelia alba) in blossom?

Oh my goodness.Not to tempt you or anything like that, but wow! Their mother tree was in full bloom at the time.
I am happy to say I now have one..lol

As far as I know, scent for Chilean Mandevillea is pretty reliable across the board, and you shouldn't have to worry about getting a scentless plant. They grow and flower quite reliably here in California, and from ones I've seen, the warmer the summers, the more blooms, and they tend to bloom less nearer the coast with cooler summer nights and more fog. I live near the coast myself, and suspect the fragrance carries further with warmer temps, but they always smell quite nice if you put your face up close.

Mike,

You're as bad as kemistry tempting me with new plants. :) No. I've never smelled Michelia alba but I want one (even though I've no room for a tree inside during winter).

bahia,

Thank you for the information. I've potted mine in a small hanging basket and think I'll keep it growing inside during the winter so it will have a head start come spring. :)
Can't wait to smell the first bloom.

Robert

I have 4 mandevilla laxa seedlings growing their 2nd pair of leaves and I was wondering how long it will take for them to flower .. any thoughts?

Michelia alba fragrant is very pleasant. Ladies in Asia wear 1 or 2 flowers with their necklace or in the pocket as nature perfume. it resembles Star Magnolia in size,shape, and color. Michelia alba plant is expensive It is not a easy plant to successfully grow here during the winter. If Mandevilla laxa's fragrant resemble Michelia alba's. I would consider add it to my collection when it is on sale.

Olympia gardener,

Mike just went off topic when he mentioned Michelia alba. He was just trying to tempt me into buying yet another impractical tropical. ;)
He was not meaning to say that Mandevilla laxa smells like Michelia alba.
I've never smelled M. alba.
I did read in Roy Gender's Scented Flora of the World that Hedychium flavum smells like Michelia champaca however you'd have to grow a ginger in a pot and place in outside in the summer if you'd ever hope to get some blooms.

-Robert

AAh now i'm curious ;) I've been wondering what M champaca smells like.

About Michelia alba.. i love that plant. The flower smells exquisite and it can last up to a week. And the foliage smells pretty nice too! :o)