Raspberry's inflo. appears a tad smaller than the K.H.
How Long Does It Take from Inflo. to Flowers?
'Kona Hybrid' is a little more advanced stage than Rasperry. Looks as if the flowers are going to be larger than 'Raspberry' as well.
Raspberry inflo. today.
The contrasting 'Kona Hybrid #26'
Subbing ! Thanks ! I'm a newbie...
Received Plumerias in a swap .... just repotted 3 today... I see that the 'inflo" is what it blooms on... interesting...
I'm taking any and all advice... may try to post some pics....
Thank you !
Mary
Hi Mary, congrats on becoming a new owner/grower of these lovely plants. Forgive the abbreviation. Inflo. = inflorescent where the flowers are being formed (google the term and you can learn alot more about plants). From what I've observed the inflorescent itself will be there to continually send out flowers, wave after wave. So the advice for novices (at this type of plant ...and some other such as hoyas) is to avoid cutting off those inflorescent after the first wave of flowers are done. From my personal experience. Plumerias will self abort the inflo. when it's spent. I don't know exactly what is their life span, that is to say the inflo.'s life span. I just sit back. Care for the plant as best as I could and will not interfere with its reproductive process.
As you know, this is tropical plant. So they will need protection from frost at the end of the growing season. Other questions? Just ask. Good luck, and enjoy.
'Raspberry' inflorescent today. I can't wait for these are going to be my first of this cultivar blooms. One can look at picture, but to actually see it in your garden? It's nothing else likes it.
Here is 'Kona hybrid #26'. today. KH has two inflos. currently. The 2nd one is smaller, just appeared recently. Another cultivar 'Dwarf Pink Singapore' is also sending out two more inflos. which I don't have picture of them yet.
Oh wait, I do have 'Dwarf Pink Singapore' inflo. This is a true miniature form of plumerias. One of these days when I have to give up on all the large variety. DPS is going to be my keeper. For it's small enough to haul around. It's roughly knee-high off the ground.
Thank you Lily for the pictures and information ! Yes - I do remember the gentleman who gave the plumerias to me said to bring them in at 52 degrees....
The main concern I have now... is that they do not like a lot of water correct? it has been raining every day for 2 weeks it seems...
Since I just got these in April... I also wonder how long I must be patient until they bloom? They sure have done well though.... they have put out many leaves.... Hubby lost one a few years back that was about 4' tall and mostly stick... just a few leaves...but when it bloomed it was beautiful and very fragrant...I think he didn't have well enough protected and it froze...
Hugs,
Mary
PS: I received these in April at the Swap in Alabama... were you there ? :o)
Mary, I'm smack in the middle of Alabama. Where were you at the swap? And no I wasn't there. As far as your concern regarding watering the plant. That's where potting soil becomes important for potting up plumerias. As so long the soil is well dranage, and no standing water, plumeria can take alot of moisture. I mixed most of mine potting soil myself with basically 2 part commercial potting soil and 1 part sand. That worked well for me.
Thank you Lily !
I used part Miracle Gro potting soil.... part compost.....and a little perlite..... It's what I was told to use for my hibiscus....
My first and only swap was in Alabama right above Crestview FL.... In fact I stayed teh night in Crestview and drove 45 minutes north into Alabama for the swap....
I almost feel as though Florida and Alabama are 'home' for me.... grew up in FL and many family and family reunions are in Alabama. I actually have some land in Lamar County.... and we had a family reuinion up near there last year...
I would love to have a swap here at my house but I'm not sure I'd get a lot of folks .... PLUS I do think I enjoyed the first swap because I did drive far enough to find plants that I wasn't as much familiar with.
The #1 plant I was hoping to get were the plumeria since hubs had one that grew to 4' and we lost it.... and I brought home about 6... gave 2 away to family.... and have four? maybe five left....
Are they THAT easy to propogate? If so.. I may want to try myself...
It's easy if you know how to go about it Mary. If you need specific instruction please ask.
'Kona Hybrid #26' inflo. is coming along. I don't recall having any bud that is this deep maroon in color not even 'India'. Can't wait until the first flower unfurls.
can't wait to see the flowers on that one ! Yes - if you don't mind... I would love to know how to take cuttings...
Cutting lesson 101;
Take cutting ideally during the growing season -- summer if we can. I've rooted mine during the winter-- indoor with supplemental light with success.
Size = roughly 1 - 1.5' long cuttings. Preferrably tip cuttings. Allow the cuttings 5-7 days to callous over before potting them up. This is important, the cuttings will soak up too much moisture if not pre-treat by this simple method. (keep the cuttings indoor away from direct sunlight).
One helpful hint; trim off some of the leaf of the tree-- and leave off the stems intact on the tree -- a day or two before we take cuttings. This way, the tree will bleed (excret a milky substance and heal) minimally and less stress, it promotes fast healing.
Soil = cactus mix or similar quick drainage potting medium.
Sun/water requirement = I pot mine in small containers, keep them in dappled shade. Water them one a week or when the soil is dried 1" deep from surface. Burry the cutting about 2-3" deep.
Roots will take place in weeks, so be patience. Pot the cuttings up once new leaves appears to a desired long term container. Some will go on and flowers while being rooted dependent on the maturity of the orginal tree where the cuttings were taken.
Sit back, observe, but do not pamper the cuttings. They need tough love to thrive.
Questions are welcome for all that're interested.
Happy gardening everyone.
At the meantime, Kona Hybrid #26; (I wonder if there are 25 other KHs out there?).
KH today;
looks like the KH show will be happening soon. woo hoo!
'Raspberry' too is coming right along, Mr. D. 'though Raspberry is not as big and impressive as KH.
And not to leave out 'Dwarf Pink Singapore'. The demunitive plant has 5 inflos. Yes five all in one tiny short, short little plant! Two old inflo. from last year, and 3 new ones like this just budded out this season.
Looking down on the short, short, short 'Dwarf Pink Singapore'. :)
Here is a different view of the dwarf tree in relation with others in the area. Last year, I got a chance to enjoy this plumeria blooms when I brought it indoor for the winter. This year, the blossoms started earlier in the season.
Hello Lily Love ! (and all.... ) Check this out..... :o)
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1204857/
Thanks Mary for the link. Here was 'Dwarf Pink Singapore' in Jan. this year. :))
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=8183148
Okay here comes Kona Hybrid #26 finally opens up to the world today! Yes!!!!
What a beautiful color ! I've never seen a red one.... ours was yellow.... not sure what colors I have now.... :o)
Plumerias do come in a rainbow of color. I've a white one with yellow center but it was busy putting energy out to an old inflorescent that -- instead of generates more flowers it reverted back to making leaves from the inflo. So I took cutting of that very inflo. (with the leaves) and rooted it into a new plant. Like Mr. D has mentioned before, those will eventually grow into a new plant. I'll post some picture of that 'unique tree' that I propagated in the near future.
Oh BTW, KH flowers, I just sniffed at the blossoms. They don't have the intense fragrant like that of 'Wilka Wilder' blooms that were posted on the beginning of this thread.
'Raspberry' today;
.....
Lily - you may have mentioned before... but do they have a very small root ball ? I had one that was in a pot with a brug...we had run out of pots after the swap...and both were doing fine and growing... but this weekend.... the plumeria just completely fell over... So I had hubs re-pot it today... it's kind of hard to prop it up but he tied to a stake... hoping we did that right.
The rootball will be as big as the pot is provided for them. Brug's and Plumeria's culture are entirely different. Brugs. prefer lot, lot of moisture and frequent watering. Plumerias requires less frequency of watering, so it's better to have the two separated. Staking them is one of the way of keeping them up right. Good luck, Mary.
Thank you Lily !
You're quite welcome Mary, hope you've had a good weekend? I'm back to the garden today. This is 'Raspberry' very first inflo. (from cutting stage).
'Kona Hybrid #26' today. The blooms still lack of any fragrant that I can tell. Though, like that of 'Raspberry' blooms, the flowers petals show a central yellow tinge. Neither does 'Raspberry' have any fragrant. :((
Love the color on Kona#26!
love that kona hybrid #26. i hope that it develops a fragrance. it is just too darn purty not to have one. my lava flow seedling has blooms and i didn't pick up a fragrance from the first flower. i am praying the their is a fragrance. i'd hate to come this far only to trash it! =(
Hmmm, to trash it? NOOOOOOO! Mr. D you've got to be kidding. Let's see Lava Flow siddling's seedling's pix. It will revert back to something entirely different than the parent maybe. But, it would be worth keeping.
This message was edited Aug 8, 2011 1:07 PM
Two of Kona's flowers one of my NOID pink in the mix with my veggies. The NOID pink was my starter-plant several years back. It has a very noticible fragrant, but KH. I'll try to check the flowers in the evening to see if it's a fragrant tonite.
Sniff sniff, still no discernable aroma out of KH #26 even after hours. But the big robust inflo. and flowers with the richness of color is more than making up for what its lacks.
