Are Mandevilla Flowers Toxic?

Mandevilla vines (Mandevilla spp.) produce bright trumpet-shaped flowers in a variety of colors. While the beautiful blooms may add a pop of color to your garden, they are considered mildly toxic if eaten either by people or pets.

Mandevilla vines grow in the warm climates of U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. The somewhat drought-tolerant vines are in the Apocynaceae, or dogbane, family. Members of the dogbane family are all toxic, in varying degrees, to people and animals. All parts of the vines, including the flowers, are considered mildly toxic if eaten. You might experience symptoms like mild indigestion if you eat mandevilla flowers.

Mandevillas produce a milky sap containing an unknown toxin that can irritate your skin. You'll only encounter the sap when trimming the plant or if you bruise any parts of it, so wear gloves to avoid touching the sap. Stop the flow of this irritating latex sap with a powdered rooting hormone when replanting cuttings from a mandevilla, which will also encourage your new plants to flourish.