I Have a Mandevilla Plant That Suffered Frost Damage and it Looks Dead: Will it Come Back?

Climate

• Mandevilla is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. In USDA zone 8, the plant may be killed to the ground by frost, but that doesn't necessarily mean the vine is dead. In many cases, new growth appears in spring because the roots are still alive under the soil. In fact, the roots of a mandevilla vine can survive about 5 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Clemson Cooperative Extension's website. Still, if your frost-damaged mandevilla doesn't sprout in spring, the vine is probably dead.

After Damage

• If your mandevilla suffers frost damage, cut it all the way to the ground. Mandevilla blooms on new growth. So, if you're lucky, the plant will grow again in spring and produce blooms by midsummer. If the mandevilla is in a container, cut it back to the container's soil surface, and take the plant indoors for winter.

Wintertime

• Prevent frost damage next year by taking your mandevilla indoors before the first fall freeze. Move an outdoor mandivilla into a house before the house's heater is turned on for the first time in fall or winter, suggests the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service on its website. Cut the plant away from its support system if necessary, but keep as much of the healthy vine as possible.

Care

• The healthier your mandevilla vine is, the better it will survive occasional freezing temperatures. Keep it healthy by ensuring it has well-drained soil and plenty of sunlight -- with some protection from afternoon sunlight if you are in a hot climate. Mandevilla climbs rapidly. The fastest growing varieties can grow more than 20 feet in one season, and almost all varieties need a support structure. So ensure your mandevilla has a large enough support structure, unless you want it to creep along the ground.