How To Care for a Stephanotis Vine

Overview

Stephanotis is a vine that puts out waxy, white, powerfully fragrant flowers. In warm climates, it's a perennial that can grow up to 30 feet long and as much as 15 feet in a single season. In most parts of the United States, people grow stephanotis inside.

Caring for Stephanotis Indoors

Step 1

If you bought your stephanotis already potted to grow indoors, check the soil to make sure it's loamy and will drain well. If it stays soggy for quite a while after you've watered the plant, discard the soil in the pot and replace it with loose potting soil. Put the vine back into the pot and push the soil up close to its base.

Step 2

Water the stephanotis well after you've planted it. In the summer, water it carefully to be sure it doesn't get soggy. In the winter, only water it enough to keep the soil from completely drying out. In both seasons, mist the plant gently with water in a spray bottle from time to time.

Step 3

Set your indoor stephanotis where it will get bright, indirect sunlight. If the weather gets really hot, move it into a shadier spot. Protect the vine from drafts.

Step 4

In the winter, keep the temperature of the room where your vine lives at no lower than 55 degrees F.

Step 5

Once the plant flowers, don't move it--the blossoms are very fragile and fall off the vine easily.

Caring for Stephanotis Outdoors

Step 1

Plant your outdoor stephanotis where it will get a lot of indirect sunlight. If your area gets really hot in the summer, make sure the vine is in the shade during the hottest part of the day.

Step 2

Install a trellis behind the place where you intend to plant the vine, or plant it against a wall or a fence, so it will have something to climb on.

Step 3

Make sure the soil where you plan to put the stephanotis vine drains easily. If it's mostly clay, mix in quite a lot of compost to improve drainage.

Step 4

When the vine starts growing, train it up onto the trellis, fence or wall, to give it some support and keep it out from underfoot.

Step 5

Prune your stephanotis vine from time to time, to curb its natural inclination to run wild.