Might your mystery plant be an Ixora? Sounds close...

Good bargain finds, Marshgirl. Oh, and a trip to Saint Simons...one of my favorite places to kick back and island-hop.

jeribelle

Yes, Yes Jerribell, it is Ixora. Thanks so much! I am such a dolt, what I described as balls on the end of the flower fringes are actually flower buds. They just started opening today. DOH! I guess I demonstrated just how much of a newbie gardener I am with that post. LOL!

Thanks for the help with the name!

No No NO, you are not a dolt! I am the newbie gardener here. I've been in GA 3 1/2 years, and this year I finally decided to try and grow something, lololol. Anyhow, glad we got that one figgered out, girlfriend.

Sorry I cannot help you with the mandevilla question though - I've never grown one. But I'm betting PB or Wilmingtonislander will see your post and respond soon...

jeribelle

I have over wintered my Mandevilla, in the green house, but most of the posts I have read about then, say just enjoy then for the season and then pitch them, as they are rather inexpesive, and not worth the trouble and space of keeping then inside. They will not winter over, in my garden here in Lillian Alabama.

Yes, almost impossible as I believe they are indeed a true zone 10 plant...just can't handle any cold.

Thanks for the reponses WannaB and WI. Your responses confirmed my fears. I think I'll leave it in a container and find somewhere for it to live in the house for the winter as an experiment. I probably won't do that next year but DD really loves the silly thing so it's worth trying to nurse it through this winter.

Thanks again!

marshgirl,
Mandevilla are easy to overwinter. There are two methods. Both work. In both cases place plant in a good sized pot with good draining soil. Then....
1. Cut the vine back to within 12' inches of the soil line. Place pot in a bright, sunny window and be patient. Or....
2. Before potting cut back the vine so that it is about 4' to 6' long. Now work along the length of the vine cutting off every side branch to within 4" of the stem. This is called 'saddle pruning'. Now, pot the vine and jam some sort of support for the vine in the pot. I loop a long, fresh cut piece of bamboo in an arch form which works well.
Again place in a sunny window.
Don't be surprised if your vine is grumpy over the winter and looks dead. As spring approaches it will spring to life. When you return it to the outdoors remember to give it a hardening off period to adjust.

thank you Nandina- I really want to keep my mandevillas. I paid $15 each for them at Home Depot- I need to find the $1.95 plants if I can't overwinter them

The landscape person I purchased my mandevillas from told me to prepare from winter by potting it in a big pot (3x the size of plant) and cut it way back and bring it inside ...... OR to keep outside, pot in same big pot, and dig a hole in the ground for pot and plant, cut back the plant and finally mulch alot around it so that it is protected from the winter freezes and that is here in southern Louisiana!
I've potted them , now I'll wait another 2-3 weeks before bringing them in. Hope it works because I really don't want to loose them. Don't think fertilizer is used during the winter months. Does anyone know?
Clary