Tropicals & Tender Perennials: A few greenhouse blooms..., 1 by Clare_CA

Clare_CA wrote:
Hi MG! I see you are in good hands with Hetty and Michael. Thanks for the compliments that you paid me, and I'm glad that I could help you to have a new obsession! LOL! I think Brugs were my first obsession along with wisteria, lilacs, and plumerias! Well, I'm obsessed with just about any deliciously fragrant and beautiful plant, tree, or vine. Be sure to check out my articles at http://www.plumerias.com Click on the link that says "Clare's Garden." There is an article on plumeria care that will help you on your way.

When I first started out with plumerias, I was unemployed, and I'm actually still unemployed, but I'm working on that! LOL! Anyhoo, I was cash poor, but I managed to find a plumeria or two at Home Depot for $10 each. And, as Michael pointed out, gifts were given and trades were made for plumerias. I also recommend Packer's Nursery for beginners because that is how I got my start. You can't beat $2 for a plumeria, and it is a good way to start to learn to root cuttings. I bought 13 from Ed Packer back in 2001, and I still have eight of them today which I love. His rainbow, apricot, and reds are not easy to root, but the whites, yellows, and Celadine were easy for me. Here's a link: http://www.alohapalms.com/cgi-bin/store/agora.cgi For $10 plus the cost of shipping, you can get a nice economical start. A plumeria does not have to be expensive to be loved, admired, and enjoyed. They root so easily from cuttings so they can be shared easily if someone has enough growth on their trees to cut. If I had more growth, I would be sharing left and right, but all of my plumies are very small still, and I have cut off all that I dare to cut. In the years to come, I will be able to share a lot.

Michael has a good set up, and you could certainly do the same with plumerias as you do with brugs. You can keep them growing throughout the winter with heat and light, or you could let them go dormant and keep them very dry and let them sleep through the winter. As Michael and Hetty said, there are many people in cold areas that grow plumerias. Paula, the PSA (Plumeria Society of America) Director, digs hers up every fall and stores them in her garage for the winter. Here are some pictures of hers below which will give you an idea of what she goes through every year for the love of plumeria. You can do it so don't be afraid and dive right in. Spring and summer are a great time of year to root cuttings because they root well in heat so get your order in to Packer's as soon as you can. Your order could take about a month or so to arrive. Ed has had some health problems including a heart attack, but he is still reliable, but sometimes, the orders take time to arrive from him.

Chantell, you definitely need Celadine, Singapore, and Samoan Fluff. The white in the picture is Samoan Fluff, I believe.

Here is a picture of Paula's driveway one year:

Edited to fix spelling and spacing.

This message was edited Feb 13, 2006 1:54 PM