The efficacy and safety of phytotherapeutic medicines are intrinsically related to the quality of their plant-based raw materials, which is directly influenced by agronomic cultivation practices. In this scenario, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of colored shade nets and foliar application of D-limonene on the growth and secondary metab-olism of Mikania laevigata Sch.Bip. ex Baker. The experiment followed a completely randomized 4 × 5 split-plot design, with three photoselective shade nets (red, blue and black) compared to full sunlight (control) and five D-limonene doses (0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, and 2.00 mL L⁻¹). Our findings revealed significant effects on plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, and leaf dry matter. The red net promoted greater shoot biomass accumulation and increased leaf dry mass. Regarding secondary metabolites, the red and black nets enhanced coumarin content by 18.80% and 15.36%, respectively, compared to full sunlight cultivation. D-limonene positively influenced biometric traits up to 1.20 mL·L⁻¹, followed by a decline. These findings indicate that colored shade nets could be an effective approach to enhance the phytochemical yield of M. laevigata, while D-limonene contributes mainly to morphological development and biomass accumu-lation.