Plumeria

Another of the cuttings in the care package I received from Louisiana was a plumeria.  When I received the cutting, it was about 12 inches long and looked like a piece of green wood.  It came with instructions to let it dry for about two weeks before dipping the base in rooting compound and planting in well-drained soil.  I watered it sparingly and waited for it to grow.  And waited.  And waited.  Yes, it took a very long time to show any signs of life, but the cutting remained green and healthy looking, so I knew it was ok.

Now, my plumeria is about 4 feet tall.  In the summer, it has a nice, rounded canopy of glossy, large green leaves.  While night time temps are no lower than 50 degrees, my plumeria lives outdoors in a sheltered, sunny location.  In colder weather, it lives in the four season patio.  This plumeria is a deciduous variety, so by mid-December, it looks like a green log with maybe one or two leaves left at the very top.  Those leaves eventually drop off and the plumeria looks like it has died.  During that time, the plumeria wants no fertilizer and wants its soil kept on the dry side.  Keeping the soil too moist during this dormant period will result in root rot and death of the tree.

In a couple months, I'll see new leaves begin to emerge, and if I'm lucky, maybe a bloom or two.  When new growth begins in the spring, I'll begin watering it to keep the soil just barely, but evenly, moist and fertilizing it with a high phosphate fertilizer, a 10-50-10 formulation.  The plumeria requires heavy feeding to produce blooms, so it needs to be fertilized every two weeks during the growing season.  I'll also move it into a full sun location and when it's warm enough outdoors, I'll gradually acclimate it to a full sun location out in the yard.

Last spring was the first time my plumeria bloomed.  It produced one beautiful, heavenly scented light pink flower.  That means I will have one more branch on my tree this year.  Plumerias only produce a branch when they bloom.  I am anxiously awaiting the time when my many-branched plumeria is covered with enough beautiful and fragrant blossoms to create my own fresh Hawaiian lei.