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Late bloomer

17 years ago

I thought I would share an interesting experience with rooting a plumeria "log" this year. I purchased a piece of a plumeria trunk (3" diameter) that had been snapped by tropical storm winds. The person I purchased it from had chainsawed the trunk into pieces and potted them up. I purchased one of these trunk pieces this past Spring and took it out of the pot to plant it in the ground. At that point I discovered that there were no roots developed yet, although a branch was already growing out from the trunk.

Over the course of the summer a second branch grew from the trunk. I saw no flowers all summer/fall, although an inflorescence stalk started to appear in early November. Now it is the end of December and blooms are just starting to open! I am in zone 9b and we have had a pretty mild winter so far, but still several cold snaps. Most of my other plumerias have lots the majority of their leaves, and this one lost some but is still actively growing. In fact, new branches are forming from the spot the inflo is growing out of. I certainly wasn't expecting this so late in the season...

Maybe it's the luck of living in a neighborhood that has a street named Frangipani Drive!

Photo taken yesterday

Below is the plumeria photographed earlier this year

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Comments (10)

mrpearson253
17 years ago
It may be like my cutting from MPG (Maui Plumeria Gardens) that John (I think) surmised was intending to bloom before they cut it, and I was just the lucky recipient! The branch was probably pushing out the inflo before the tree's meeting with the chainsaw...lucky you! :)

Aloha,
Mark
plumeriafl
Original Author
17 years ago
Here are some of the blooms that have opened.
I posted photos on the MPG forum for identification and two people thought it might be Miami Rose. If any of you want to take a guess, you're welcome to!
The flowers are about 3.5" diameter and have a faint lotion smell, maybe coconut. Definitely not strong.
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freshwater
17 years ago
Shame about it having a weak scent, but hey! What beautiful buds and flowers! Lucky you. :-)
wanda662
17 years ago
I believe you will find it will have more scent, color and size to it if it was blooming in the summer.
kbauman
17 years ago
Hi,
what a great story, beautiful beautiful flower. Yes, we have had warm and cold snaps.. yea!!! this one made it.
Karen B.
plumeriafl
Original Author
17 years ago
Still blooming...
john_luvs_frangipani
17 years ago
plumeriafl that definately looks and sounds like (from you smell definition) a Miami Rose. I have a buddy here in Fort Pierce that has several large seed pods on his. I believe they are good producers of pods. Does this look like your sign?
{{gwi:1206332}}

John
plumeriafl
Original Author
17 years ago
John,

Yes, that's my sign... actually I live one street over from that sign.
Good to hear that there seems to be consensus on it being Miami Rose. As you can see, my plant has semi-glossy leaves with sharply pointed tips. The leaves are also quite heavy and "crispy" (inflexible). Do you know if the leaves of Miami Rose are like this?
john_luvs_frangipani
17 years ago
plumeriafl,
Yes my leaves look very similar to those. The tree I have is quite a bit older than that one. It was also pretty neglected at the nursery where my son bought it. I say that because the only picture I can find looks pretty sad as far as the leaves go. Hopefully I can nurse it into better health and it will look as green and lush as yours. Had quite a bit of rust when I got it.
Take care,
John
maddie-gardener
15 years ago
HI my name is john my email address is john_j_kay@yahoo.co.uk
Plumeria cuttings where in the UK may I purchase them and seed Thanks

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