I had the same problem and by the third year it was gone.

I had a very nice one several years ago...till I accidentally forgot to cover it one winter ( pretty bad freeze) and it died). I've never replaced it...its not an easy one to find around here :o(

I had it planted in a large Clay pot ( with a small trellis on the back part of the pot) it was planted in Al's Gritty potting mix...received mostly shade with only an hour or two of morning sun...let it dry out mostly and then drench it. Fertilized it "weakly" weekly in half strength of an all purpose fertilizer during the warm months...it wasn't a heavy bloomer for me but it did bloom once in a while and the scent was heavenly!

When it bloomed....

I have one about 7ft tall in a huge pot. It is on a bamboo trellis (4 big bamboo poles taped together at the top w electrical tape). I'm sure its way longer if I unwound it from the stakes. I just keep weaving it back around lol.
I can't remember how long I've had it, over 6 yrs at least.

It is in Miracle grow with extra perlite mixed in and good drainage holes. I have never put it in the ground. It likes one certain spot in the yard and pouts and drops leaves anywhere else no matter if its the same exposure etc. In its happy place, it gets full morning sun and dappled afternoon shade. It likes fertilizer. I just use MG and also some fish fertilizer once in a while. It really loves spray n grow for some reason...just like our mandevilleas do..really goes crazy with blooms! I haven't bought any spray n grow for a while so maybe that's why it isn't blooming yet this year lol. Plus at first I had it in a 'Not happy place" and it pouted and dropped all its lower leaves. I moved it back to its favorite spot (spring through late fall) and it grew all its leaves back and started putting out new branches.
I keep it in the gh in the winter. It does okay. I only keep my gh just above freezing only lighting the heater on nights 32F or lower.
The hawk moths really love the blooms at night.

I have noticed that it seems to like potting soil mixes with a lot of peat in them so that's why its in MG potting soil. It pouted when I tried changing it to a differnt kind once when I potted it up so I switched back. I think this plant is a drama queen lol.
ETA: It is currently in a plastic pot. I haven't tried clay yet so can't comment. If its not broke, don't fix it seems to be a good motto for my stephanotis lol.
~SJN

This post was edited by sultry_jasmine_night on Tue, Jun 17, 14 at 18:46

Here is a pic of mine years ago at my old house. Little smaller then but its been cut back several times to keep it 'in check' in the greenhouse.

Thank everyone for your wonderful response.Puglvr ,great pics, never heard of Als Gritty, did you get from nursery or box store?May have to go MG route per Jasmine (great instructions)I'm in real trouble as its in southern location, wrapped around trellis with not more then a few green leaves at top,Any suggestions for making this job as easy as possible without damaging poor little "Stephanie" more then the poor darling already is(per all your pics)many thnx

I just bought one, locally for cheapie, cheap, I am hoping not to kill it! I am going to keep it in a pot so it can be moved for frosts and it appears it may be a bit finicky? :)

Puglvr, are you anywhere near Apopka?

thanks Davie, Al's mix is a potting mix with Turface, Pine bark and perlite/crushed granite...if you interested you can put "Al's Gritty Mix" in the Container Forum and you will get a TON of info :o)

Leahrenee, unfortunately I'm about 2 hours south of Apopka...in Highlands County

Congrats on your excellent purchase price of one though :o)

Hi All ! it seems to me that everyone is growing steph in a pot, is it the general consensus that she doesn't do well in the ground? I have been able to dig her up trellis & all , found a spot eastern exposure under an oak tree in the front but hesitant to put her in the ground.What do you do with your planted pots when the rains come? I'm really short on covered space on the lanai. Would love to hear your thinking on this ?.It might be easier to just to pot & move with the weather. Afraid she might drown with our rains, also have beautiful potted hydranga,should they be left out???really confused, first time doing containers in Fla......Davie

I'm in the same boat as you...very limited space when it comes to shelter from the heavy down pours we experience here this time of year. I do have to move my plants around when we get soaking rains on a daily basis...have had to put a couple of my "favorite" plants in the garage to let them dry out...but having them potted in a very fast draining potting mix helps a lot. One of the reasons I really like "Al's Gritty Mix or his 5-1-1" mix is it doesn't keep the soil mix saturated...

You can probably plant Stephanotis in the ground under some Oak trees...but be prepared to cover/protect it during a freeze....the Oaks will give it shelter from a light frost but a hard freeze is a different story...