Tropicals & Tender Perennials: my plumie forgave me!, 1 by Clare_CA

Clare_CA wrote:
Nery, you are so sweet! Come here right now so that I can hug you. ((Computer hug)) You give me much too much credit. I've only been growing plumerias for a couple of years, but I do love them. Thank you so much for the vote of confidence:-)


Ardesia, it sounds like you had Black Tip Fungus, which can actually kill a plumeria. It occurs during cold, damp conditions, usually in the winter and spring. If the sun dries it up or if you cut the tip off and treat with a fungicide, then new branches will form below the damaged area. I wouldn't worry about the leaves being together. As the plumeria grows, those leaves will fall off. You can remove some now if you like. You can also prune off any branches that you don't want growing. Nery is right that they could relax a bit over time as they grow and get heavier. Some plumerias are more susceptible to Black Tip Fungus than others. Singapores are famous for getting it. This is one of the reason why Singapores are so well-branched plumerias. In the future, you can spray your plumeria tips in the fall with a fungicide to ward off Black Tip Fungus. Here's a link: http://www.plumeria101.com/problems/black_tip.html

Here is my Dwarf Singapore White. It got Black Tip Fungus within a day or two of being inside my humid portable greenhouse. I immediately cut the ends off and sprayed with a fungicide and moved it to a warm, dry location inside my house. It is now outside and growing branches around the cut areas.