LOL...I am big time!! Nice photos. The second looks like a Nebel's Gold. The first one looks like a Tomlinson variety.

Nice...

I used to have around 45.

Tropicalfreak

I am, for sure, loving frangi...not that I have a handle on the 'how to' yet, but WOW...even the dead winter sticks are SO worth the blooms. They look beautiful, the smell beautiful...there's just something soooo exotic about a frangi. If you ever find an arm of that rainbow one that needs a home, well...let me know! :)

ME ME ME!!! Lovely photos!

I have seen people grow huge staghorns in them...kind of takes away from the 'dead' look. Tee-hee!
I'm thinking I'm going to have to get one..or more!

TF...'used to'??? What happened to them...or did you move?
Beth...You're first on my list...LOL!

not me! I have one stick, and it has 3 pathetic, itsybitsy tiny leaves sticking out from the top and it doesn't do anything but sit there and make me feel guilty. pah!

Some Plumie Tidbits from the Maui Plumeria Gardens forum: A couple favorites of mine.

Lakandon (vicinity of Chiapas, Mexico) myth holds that the gods were born from Plumeria flowers.

A popular legend among sailors shipping overseas from Hawaii during WWII was to toss a lei into the waters as the ship passed Diamond Head. If the lei floated ashore, the tosser would return. If it floated toward the ship, he wouldn't be coming back. (Related to this is the notion that in the language of flowers, Plumeria are said to stand for love long in absense, as for a sailor long at sea.)

Plumeria is very rare in China, and even more precious than orchids. Therefore, the young folks came up with an idea: giving Plumeria flowers to a sweetheart ! In a culture where expression of personal feelings is very much prohibited, giving Plumeria flowers to someone is the closest thing to saying; you're special, I love you! -Lap Huynh-

Tropicalfreak

Abendwolke,

I grew plumeria in zone 9 up in north west Orlando. I would take them in the garage for the winter. I always kept them in a pot and sunk it in the ground in spring. Easier to pull/dig out for winter.

Is yours in a pot? What kind of soil are you using? Do you fertilize when the leaves come out? Is it in full sun? If the soil is well draining, they like some water. They just can't be sitting in it or they will rot.

Hope that helps a little?

Tropicalfreak

Thank you, lellie!!!!! Now I'm even MORE excited for your new addiction!!! LOL

ooo...love it, TF ...just adds to the exotica :)

Cliff - that's wonderful information.
My father told me the Hawaii/WWII story but I hadn't heard the others.
Thank you for posting it!

I even like them in the stick stage. Very architectural.
Especially when they are large and well branched.
I only have a few small ones but need more!

Kate,

Isn;t fun to learn the sayings, myths and representations behind plants to different cultures.

Landscape Nursery on Apopka-Vineland had nice size ones around 3-4 ft tall for $10 each. They always had great deals.

Cliff

I'll be going there this week! Thanks!
When I was working in Tampa I often stopped at Exotic Plumeria in Seffner. Beautiful plants and very knowledgeable owner. But a small plant was $15 and even the 2-3" rooted plants were $30+.

thanks Tropicalfreak, maybe I will not give up hope afterall, I do want it to grow. Really!

This past winter I did not bring it into the garage, seemed warm enough, but I will do it next winter.

It sits in a pot, in container potting mix in full sun.
I keep it on the dry side, don't want it to rot. and it gets fertilizer, the liquid miracle grow.

Let me know if I should change anything, please :-)

Evelyn

Evelyn,
If it makes you feel any better, only two of mine have bloomed this year. I treat them pretty nice although I don't think I feed mine as well as you or Cliff do. Next year - more fertilizer!

Hi
Are there evergreen types??? keeep hearing rumors but have never seen one.Much like evergreen caladiums lol
Also the type called "Bridal Veil" with the odd leaves is that really a F. or another family??? gary

Hi everyone:

New to the board. My hubby & I went to EPCOT for the flower festival and saw these. I fell in love and had to have one, but now I think it will be more than one, maybe two, three . . . well you know how it goes!

Beverly

Gary, it is evergreen. It is called Plumeria Pudica. It grows like a vase shaped shrub. AKA Bridal Bouquet. I have 3 of them.

Pudica is given as a wedding gift in Hawaii. They believe it will bring much love and luck for a long lasting marriage.

Abendwolke,

I use cactus mix you can get at wal-mart fairly cheap. It is a perfect mix for plumeria. Nutricote is a good fertilzer to use. It is a garnular and it last as long as the container says. Boombooster I use in both garnular and instant form. The granular I sprinkle in top of the soil a inch or so away from the trunk/cutting, to keep from burning teneder roots. It also keeps from washing the fert thru when you water. The roots are able to take it up. When I water I quit when I see it starting to run thru the drainage holes.

You just have to watch for rust in the rainy season. Small rusty orange colored spots on leaves. Oh, when you water try no tto get water on the leaves. You will get discolored leaves and you will think your plumie is sick or something. The treatment for rust is as simple. All you have to do is get a bag of Bayer Advanced Lawn Fungus Control for Lawns. It is a granular. Just sprinkle a top the soil away from trunk/cutting. You can go ahead an use it before rainy season gets here so it can get into the plant's system. I used it once a month depending on how often it rained and how quickly it dissolved. It's basically a preventative. Just a little more helpful info.

Tropicalfreak

thanks Tropicalfreak, I will follow your instructions. copied them to the notepad and stored on the drive.
Hopefully my one little guy will bloom for me next year :-) ... or how big do those cuttings have to be to bloom?

E.

I am becoming a huge fan, they are pretty much maintenece free. I also noticed that Leu gardens has some in their arrid garden believe it or not! I do have a problem with rust this year on my big yellow guy. What do you do after you already have rust? What is rust, exactly anyway?

TF Thanks for the tips on the orange rust! I'll have to pick up some Bayers. I have the Bayer Tree and Shrub liquid I was thinking of using, but you are saying the lawn fungus granules is a better choice?

Cindeea,

Yes, because of it being a granular it is a continous treatmeant. Granular are made in layers. Each layer dissolving as you water etc. It is still a systemic.

Cliff

Thanks for the info on the rust Cliff! I just went out 2 nights ago and picked off every leaf that had even one little nodule in the hopes of heading it off this year. I was just about to go get some Bayer Shrub so I'm glad I read this first!

If anyone is looking for Pudica, I have to recommend Gardino's in Delray. I got an overstuffed one gallon for around $15, must be 3 feet tall with 3 branches. So far it has been blooming non-stop and supposedly is resistent to rust!

I can't convince mine to bloom. They have lots of leaves and look very healthy, but no flowers. These are 2 year old plants from cuttings that are pretty large and well branched.

Both are in big pots in full sun and they have been given oscomote. I water them regularly. I want flowers.

Any suggestions? Cliff?

Maureen

Crapo-Cliff. I went to Lowes since I was going past there today and didn't find the Bayers. All they had was the rose treatment stuff. I'll have to check HD next time I am near there.

I was told to discard all the leaves that fall off in the fall. That also helps to prevent rust the following year.

No, pudica doesn't get rust, lovely white flower, but it isn't fragrant.

Cliff,I'll have to try that Bayer's too, thanks for the info.

They carry the line of Bayers at Target, too. That's where I usually get the shrub and flower stuff. I picked up all the leaves last year and I'm all ready seeing it. :( So far I've been vigilant about picking off the infected leaves but really want to try the systemtic Cliff is recommending. The Bayer flower one didn't do the job last year...maybe I didn't use enough of it but I was trying to be cautious to make sure I didn't burn them.

Just went out to check my babies...and it looks like I'll have a nebel's rainbow opening soon!

Me too, I love plumerias too! I'm in Bradenton lellie, I'll come out to the island and look for the ones in your pictures. I have 2 smaller ones but they're happy and growing; have plans to add more soon, just trying to decide which ones.

Thanks for the rust information cliff, I hate to pick off all those leaves.

Suzanne

Check Home Depot. I had had bought some from a lady here in Florida year last year. I can't remember her info. I will try to get it again. I'm needing more too. You need the Bayelton that's in it. Also, when you use the treatment you shoudl put down some granular fert. It helps to keep the treatment from taking anything away form the plant. I would put the granular down water a little to wet the pellets and then out the treatment down and water it in a little too.

When I get the source I will let you know.

Cliff

For when you do get the granular. This is who helped me with a program/routine to keep my Plumies rust free.

Hello,

High humidity, rain, wind, insects will contribute to and the spread of
rust.

Bayelton Granular

Choose a preventive program for rust by treating with bayleton granular at
the start of the growing season. One tablespoon per 3-gal pot. and retreat
again with the granular this time of the year (early spring when they begin coming out of dormacy) and again at the end of summer
this will help to prevent the rust from forming in the first place. Basically every 6-8 weeks.

When you remove leaves that have rust, put them in a trash bag and tie closed. Rust can be spread by wind.
Dennis

Tropicalfreak

I didn't read this whole thread but...

FYI-in today's Tampa Tribune there is a full page insert ad from The Exotic Plumeria. It is located 453 W. Martin Luther King Blvd. in Seffner (near Tampa). The web address is www.exoticplumeria.com

It says they have over 200 varieties...something else to lust after-hehe.

Suzanne...howdy neighbor!!! LOL!
The second Plumeria I posted...'Rainbow', which, incidentally is NOT the correct name, I found out, is located in Bradenton Beach. Dunno the name of the street, but if you turn down Bridge Street...go to the end (the pier), make a left, then you're very next left!...the tree will be on your right at the corner rental house.
Good luck!

I feel right at home here :)

I just broke down and bought my mom a rainbow pinwheel cutting that will be her 50th bday present.

Way to go auryn, I am sure she will LOVE it!

Don't forget about Florida Colors Nursery in Homestead. Can get a cutting or a grafted plant. Great prices too. Luc and Carol are very nice people.

Tropcialfreak

OK Cliff tell me about grafting. Let's just speculate that I graft my (Love you) Miami Rose with my (Love Lady) Aztek Gold. What kind of flower would I get. Would it produce a "Fruit Cocktail" kind of mutt bloom?? This has been rolling around in my brain. If I graft a Rose to Gold, or graft a Gold to rose. What should I expect?

LOL...I'm no expert on grating. LOL Luc grafts his pulies on Moonlight root stock. He noticed this variety had a denser root system and held up to the hurricanes better. It is a very vigorous grower. The color of the cutting stays true. Grafting doen't alter it.
Pollination and seeds are the ways to get the different colors. When I first bought from them I worried and asked over and over about the colors changing.

Will ask aroudn to see if anything has happend when someone has "tried" to do this to get differernt color combos.

Cliff

I think I need to wait till I wake up before posting. Jeez. lol Spell check please. lol

I hear ya...check my Tony post...COFFEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are some of mine.

Aztec Gold

Miami Rose

My Growing area in backyard.

Nice photo's, Cliff!

Well maybe I will try again, there seems to be so many who have easy success and I see them growing everywhere.

I've killed 3 of them so far, my first 2 I bought from Exotic Plumeria. It was the first time I had ever seen these beautiful exotic plants outside of photos, purchased on impulse and resisted throwing up on the way home.

My second attempt, I picked them up at the USF floral sale, none made it past two winters.

It's me, I know, I've also killed 4 or 5 butterfly bushes that are supposed to grow like a weed. Mine never make it more than two seasons, ever. Things do grow in my yard, it's hit or miss with me.

The info in these posts are having a magnetic pull type affect on me as I recently came across a vegetable stand that sells them for a reasonable cost.

So Lellie, have you decided what you want???
I'm rooting for ya!
Kathy

Maureen,

Do you use Bloom Booster?? Along with regular fert I give them this too.

Cliff

Cliff I am moving to your house!!!

This evening I cleaned out the area on the other side of the garage, Dug out the planter and put in a NOID from WannaRun from last year's trade. A styrofoam cutting she gave me is looking fantastic! It is the bookend to your Miami Rose on the other side of the garage door. It is so funny. Your Rose is spitting out tons of blooms and all the leaves are still puckered up! BUT it's happy happy!

Great pictures, Ciff.

Suzanne - Lellie - Laura - Hi there neighbors. I am in Sarasota. Glad to meet others from this side of the state.
I have lots of plummies that I put in the ground this past March. I can't wait till they bloom.
Susana

It's funny when I first moved here in November, and someone pointed the tree out to me, I thought what an ugly tree, why is everyone so excited about it. Then spring rolled around the leaves came out and it bloomed. After that I was hooked :)

Question though, when you root them, after they root, do you cut them back to make them branch?

Brat

About the rust issue, I have had good success with neem oil which is an organic alternative. I worry about using systemics since the labcoats are theorizing that maybe all the bee's disappearing my have to do with immunoclid (sp?).

LOL kathy! How could you kill one? My friend moved away and gave me one that he had dug up and had the roots in a plastic bag. a YEAR later when I got around to planting it, it had green leaves on it. It may have been longer than a year and I just left it in the corner of the yard. Never watered it, put dirt on it or anything. In fact, its blooming right now.

My other one I got 3 years ago from my parents when they were moving from the keys. I cut a limb off of theirs about 2 feet long, stuck it in a pot and rooted it. I planted it in the yard and now it is 6 ft tall.

Since this thread has been bumped again, I have another question, I was out looking at the yard this morning and noticed that something snapped off a smallish 7" limb this morning from my yellow plumie. It is a fairly green shoot, not terribly woody at all, can I root this or not? Should I let it sit for a while before I try to root it, or should I do it right away? Thoughts?

leah
Ive found that when the cuttings arent very woody
they tend to rot before the root or dry completely for that matter.
Its still worth a shot though.

One of my customers brought me a couple of pieces from his plants two years ago. I stuck them in one gallon pots after a couple of days and left them on the patio. I'd heard they would rot if they got too much water while they were establishing roots. They are still in the same pots (no flowers yet) out in the garden. **Note to self** Fertilize those babies. LOL

Lellie - Laura - Susana, last Sunday I was lucky enough to have a tour of the yard of the Gulfcoast Plumeria Society president - I think he's right that he has 1,000 plumerias in his yard! Front, side, and back are mostly planted and on the other side he has his collection in pots and then the ones he's rooting. He said no one ever leaves his house without a loaded car and he's right. I thought we'd just be happy to see a lot of beautiful plumerias but we came home with a bunch of new babies too! I was amazed!

Here's the link to the GPS home page, it's the only plumeria society in Florida and we're lucky enough that it's right here. I am planning to go to the July meeting, it would be fun if some of you could go too.

Suzanne

Lelly, we did drive out and found the trees on Anna Maria - it was early on Sunday morning so we didn't knock on their door.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gulfcoast Plumeria Society