Plumerias in the Caribbean

12 years ago

I've tried to look around the internet (and this forum) to find an answer to this, but to no luck. I moved to the Virgin Islands from the northern US a few years ago and recently got interested in gardening due to the ability to grow practically anything in the near-perfect weather here. I heard Plumerias were native to parts of this region, but when looking at the ones around here, they look very different from the photos other members post. Particularly, most are leafless, or near leafless around the Virgin Islands (or at least the dozen or so I've been able to spot).

Could this be because the ones I see here are in full, tropical sun all day long (too much sun?), or a matter of dormancy (although I can't imagine them having to go into dormancy when the temperature never falls below 70 all year 'round)? It's a relatively dry island too - could it be that?

Reason I'm trying to understand is to get my Plumerias to look more like the green, leafy ones that every here has (they're all so very impressive), rather than the leaf-less ones I see planted into the ground. I've just started, so I have small ones, but wondering what to expect a few years out. Thanks in advance.

(By the way, I have to start getting into photography to send pictures of the amazing flowers, plants, and trees around here; it really is paradise!)

Featured Answer

arctictropical

12 years ago

Isn't it interesting that each plumeria plant has a mind of it's own, and can either go dormant during the winter months, or keep it's leaves. You never know!

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Comments (10)

tdogdad
12 years ago
Your plants are probably just dormant. Dormancy in the Caribbean is a matter of the dry season and not temperature. They should get started growing new leaves very soon. You may want to put some epsoms salts around each plant (a large spoon per plant. ) and then water in some 10-10-10 fertilizer a week later to help get the growing season off the ground. There are probably no exotic varieties where you are as few import what they see as native plants. You may want to check on the ag. laws for shipping or bringing into the islands any plumeria cuttings and then you can create quite a beautiful collection in paradise. Also, you may want to get some tuberroses (not a great plant but the best smelling flowers). Good luck. Bill
paradiseplant
Original Author
12 years ago
Great, thanks for the information, Bill. Makes sense.

Only thing I'll disagree on is the best smelling flowers I've found come from the ylang-ylang tree - I have a couple around my house and it's absolutely intoxicating. But I'll definitely look into the tuberoses; thanks for the suggestion.
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Plumerias are from the Caribbean islands, the west indies, and central america. They grow in sandy or volcanic soils which water runs right through. They are like a cactus in that they have a thick stem to hold water between rains. Thus if you are in very hot locations (90+) and have very fast draining soil you can water often during hot periods. Otherwise, too often and too much water without heat to evaporate or denser soils that hold water will often result in root damage and or stem rot. To take the guess work out, go to a garden center and buy a cheap water meter and drench then wait until the meter is between dry and moist before your next water. Epsoms salts are magnesium and sulphur which in conjunction with fertilizers help your plant have green leaves and set flowers. a couple of table spoons each month or two until late summer or flowering begins is a normal dose. Buy the garden variety made for plants at most garden centers. You can also look for sulpo-mag which does the same as epsoms. Bill
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tdogdad
12 years ago
plumerias at the end of Feb

plumerias in the summer

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tdogdad
12 years ago
I really like the tropical scents. I have many gardenias, pink jasmine, Arabian jasmine (pikake), tuberroses, white passiflora, and hundreds of varieties of plumerias. I can't live in the tropics but I can bring it to my yard in So. Calif. I would love to smell the ylang-ylang as I have never seen or smelled it, but I have many Filipino friends I will have to ask.
tuberroses amongst the plumies"

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Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
12 years ago
Hello Everyone,

They all sound wonderful...Love to smell the Ylang-Ylang and the Tuberroses...

Bill, Your yard does smell like the tropics!!! Looks like it too! : )

Take care,

Laura
paradiseplant
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks for the photos, Bill. Yes, the February photo looks like a lot of them around here. It must be a factor of how dry it is, like you said.
tdogdad
12 years ago
Since plumerias come from the Caribbean and central america, they have a genetic program to drop leaves and shut down during the winter dry season. This is why in Hawaii and Thailand, where winter is a wet season, they still drop their leaves but tend to do it for a much shorter time because the dry never comes. In the temperate zones people think they drop because of the cold but I think cool nights just trigger the program as I notice my psycho white has failed to recognize winter at all this year and still has hundreds of leaves.
karyn1
12 years ago
I was in Grand Cayman in late Jan and most of the plumerias there were dormant. Last Apr in Puerto Rico it looked like they had recently begun to leaf out. By May I'd expect them to be nice and full. Lucky you to live in such a nice climate. I agree, the ylang-ylang tree has a wonderful fragrance. Bill I love the scent of tuberoses too.
qaguy
12 years ago
I was in Hawaii (both Big Island and Maui) a week ago and
most of the plumeria there were short on leaves and many
of them had no leaves. But some had flowers and no leaves
too.

Plumerias in the Caribbean

arctictropical

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