I have a small grafted Maui Beauty. It has a hard brown pod like growth on it that has been there since last year, although I'm not sure when it appeared. Is this a seedpod? Will it fall off when it is mature?
Plumeria Seedpod?
Sure looks like a pod to me. I have never seen one before, but can't think of anything else it could be. Hope someone comes along and helps you out with your question. Lucky you, to get a pod.
Uh-oh! Did you see that old movie, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"? Just kidding. :)
LouisianaSweetPea:
Your response is hilarious and I laughed out loud. I just finished writing a paper and the entire process was extremely stressful! Thanks for the belly laugh!
delecie it's a seed pod. It will split open on it's own. Be sure you check it often. If it gets windy the seeds will blow everywhere. If you need more if I'll try and help.
Carefully wrap the pod loosely with cheese cloth so the seeds won't blow away.Make a pouch for the pod and make sure you totally enclose the pod. :-)
Thank-you desert_rose and Eclipse. Now I'm really excited! I've loosely enclosed the pod in a piece of nylon stocking in lieu of the cheese cloth.
I fell in love with plumerias when I lived in Hawaii but I've never grown any from seed. As a novice gardener, this is such a thrill for me! I can't wait for the pod to mature so I can plant the seeds.
Seriously now, I'm glad I chanced upon this thread. Recently, I purchased my very first Plumeria and it arrived yesterday. Now I have to do some reading to determine the best planting medium and sun exposure.
But I AM glad I have a 'heads-up' on those seed-pod things. If I saw that on one of my plants, I might have beaten it to death with a rake! LOL. -- Jean
Jean:
You are too funnny! I laughed out loud again and almost choked on my salad! :-)
If you haven't already, check out www.plumeria101.com It is full of extremely useful information.
Which plumeria did you buy? In addition to the Maui Beauty, I have a Candy Stripe, Bridal Bouquet Pudica, Plumeria Species, and an unnamed seedling that the nursery owners said they're naming after me. I hope you enjoy your plumeria.
Veronica
Veronica, the plumeria was another of my eBay purchases. The Seller, in the auction's description, explained that he couldn't remember the plant's name, but that it would come to mind eventually. I forgot to ask, but I wrote to the Seller, as I'd like to know.
I received a big, healthy, rooted plant, about 16-inches tall. The roots/soil are still in the plastic bag in which they arrived. I have added a ring of barbed wire around the plant to ward off my three plant-destroying curious cats. :)
Here is a picture of the little plant. It was nicely packaged when I received it, and had soil around the roots.
Thanks for the link to the plumeria information! I don't know anything about them, but I'm guessing that it takes a bazillion years to grow into a mature plant and flower (which I'll never see, as I'm OLDER THAN DIRT already)! -- Jean
Jean:
It won't take a bazillion years to flower, only a million. LOL I'm just kidding. Your plant appears to be a seedling so based on what I've read, it could take three to five years or less before it flowers. It depends on the plant.
My Maui Beauty is a one gallon plant but it has already flowered because it is grafted. I bought it from Florida Colors Nursery which has a site you might want to check out for additional information and beautiful pictures. http://www.floridacolors.com
Luc and Carol are the owners and you can even e-mail them if you have questions.
It'll be really exciting to see future pictures of your plumeria's growth. I am blessed to live in South Florida so I'm able to plant things into the ground year-round. All of my plumerias were planted this year except the Candy Stripe which was planted last year. They're all growing beautifully and the Candy Stripe has an inflorescence, which is where the flowers appear. If it stops raining this week, I'll photograph it and post it.
LA sweet pea if you go to plumeriapeople.com That is the home page for the Plumeria Society. They have care info and alot more. It won't take that long for them to grow big in your climate. I'm in TX and they grow like trees here even with bringing them in every year.
Delecie--I think I have about 30 varieties and a friend of mine has 70 varieties. It's scary.
Thank you all for the excellent information!!! I definitelyl have to further check out that link, delecie. Great to see the pictures too! And thanks for the link and the encouragement, destert_rose. Our gardening zones are probably pretty close.
I found out that the cultivar I have is MOON LIGHT. I paid $11.00 for it on eBay, which doesn't seem too bad of a deal after seeing some of the prices at Stokes Tropicals.
But if I save my nickels and dimes, I might eventually get this cutting from Stokes, called Abigail (a grafted one). But THAT little puppy is $49.00 for a CUTTING!
http://www.stokestropicals.com/product_info.php?cPath=479&products_id=326
Jean:
That's a lot of money for Abigail! Florida Colors has Abigail for $15.00 for a cutting and $18.00 for a GRAFTED plant. Compare their prices with Stokes and other places before you buy to ensure that you're getting the best price and a quality plant. Look at the Florida Colors website today if you can because under Abigail it reads, "Very limited supply".
desert_rose:
Thirty varieties! You must be living in a paradise of beautiful fragrant blooms!
Veronica -- THANK YOU! I would have croaked if I had paid that much at Stokes when it is available elsewhere. See what ignorance of a subject can cost you? So I'd better get it in gear and start reading.
From what you and desert_rose wrote, it sounds as if collecting/growing plumeria is addictive!
It sounds as if you have grown (or at least seen) mature specimens. I have seen only a few pictures. There may be plumeria growing locally, but if so, I haven't noticed them (and I think I would have noticed). If you all (yeah... 'you all' is an official southern term) have any pictures of how they grow/look in the interim, would you share them?
Wait a minute.... Veronica, you LIVED in Hawaii? And a nursery is naming a plumeria after you? What?...are you a movie star or something? LOL. Really, how fortunate to have been able to actually experience the seemingly-gorgeous state of Hawaii! They wouldn't have been able to drag me away with a rope! :)
Again, thanks to all for the help!
Jean
Jean:
When I was married, I lived for three years on Oahu. My former husband was in the U.S. Army, stationed at Schofield Barracks. We lived on Barbers Point NAS. However, Barbers Point NAS no longer exists because it was put on the BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) list and closed.
When I met Carol and Luc at Florida Colors Nursery last year, I only planned to spend a few minutes buying plumerias. However, Carol and Luc are two of the nicest people I've ever met and I ended up spending HOURS there with Carol showing me around, and Luc showing me how to graft plumerias. One of the plumerias I wanted to buy had no name, it was only identified by number. Carol decided they'd list "Veronica" in their book with the ID number. I was tickled pink! I am a movie star, but in an alternate universe! LOL
I snapped a few Plumeria photographs this evening. The first photograph is 'Candy Stripe'.
Candy Stripe flowers this evening...
Candy Stripe's newest inflorescence...
Bridal Bouquet Pudica with two blooms...
This is Plumeria species. I paid $12.00 for it at a Member's Only Plant Sale at Fairchild Tropical Garden last year.
Oh my! I LOVE the way they look! The flowers are beautiful, but I love the foliage and the tree-form too. Now I'm really excited about having a plumeria for the garden.
delecie, what are those tall plants in the background with the purple leaves?
And I am just curious -- were you in Homestead when 'Andrew' swept through? I'm a hurricane-follower because my area (coastal Louisiana) is prone to hurricanes too.
Jean:
The plants in the back are cordylines but I don't know which cultivar.
I lived near downtown Miami when Andrew came. I moved to Homestead four years after Andrew and the scars were still visible. Actually, some of the neighborhoods in this area have never recovered from Andrew.
Cordylines. I'm going to have to look that up. They are pretty and seem to be a nice landscape plant.
And what's that inflorescence thing? Looks like something that ought to be pruned! LOL. If mine gets one and it doesn't make a flower.... it's TOAST :)
Jean:
Naughty, Naughty! LOL Never, ever, prune an inflorescence. Although it may look like something from another world, it's the beginning of the plant's flower cluster. For lack of a better word, each "dot" on the inflorescence will hopefully become a flower.
Cordylines are listed as cordyline fruticosa or cordyline terminalis. This link has beautiful cordyline images: http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/images/thumbnails/html/cordyline_fruticosa_thumbnails.htm
Delecie, If you aren`t going to plant all of the seed I would love to try a couple. I have some cuttings and blooms on my yellow(no name) but it has never made a seed pod. Do you know how old or what it takes to make them make seed pods?
Oh no! Now they're gonna be EVERYWHERE!!! (Remember that movie.....) (smile). - Jean
busybee:
When the pod ripens, I would be happy to share seeds with you. My Maui Beauty is a grafted plumeria and the graft was done last year, shortly before I purchased it. The seed pod was not on it then and I think I first noticed it in late fall or early winter. Because the plant flowered last year, I assume it was pollinated by a butterfly or a moth.
Jean:
You're right, they WILL be everywhere. This is the new invasion of the pod people. LOL
Thanks Delecie, I will be looking forward to them. PS___ Disregard LouisianaSweetPea, She is paranoid, spiders are out to get her.LOL Not the Pod People.
Okay busybee, when that thing starts growing in your garden and starts developing into human form.... watch out!
We have to watch those old movies like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" to find out these things! LOL.
Ha Ha, when they hatch out I will put a large sign out there with your name and address (also directions) to your house for them. You are their #1 target you know. They are out to get you. Don`t you go to hollering in the night either with night mares. NO ONE WILL HEAR YOU.LOL.
You are SO cruel!!! LOL
Jean and busybee:
You two are riots! Once again, I'm screaming with laughter!
I checked the plumerias when I got home today. The seed pod is still attached to the Maui Beauty, and one flower on the Bridal Bouquet Pudica has bloomed.
Photograph One............
Bridal Bouquet Pudica photograph two.......
I like everything about this plant, especially the folage. The flower seems larger too. Does it have a lemony smell?
Yeah.... go ahead delecie, bend down REAL close to the plant and smell it :)
The plant and flower both look great! I just potted up my little baby plumeria and showed your pictures to it, so it'll know what to do.
LSP You had better stop it. You are going to scare your ownself. You are going to be terrified of a little plant. Shoot, I bet you think of (THEM) when you look at your plant.LOL. I can just see it now. (((You begging your DH to go outside with you just to water.)) CAREFUL CAREFUL
busybee:
Unfortunately the Bridal Bouquet Pudica is an unscented plumeria. I bought this one because it is evergreen and flowers year round.
I could live with that. I really like the leaves on it.