Is there an expert on Plumeria ID?

Hello frangi lovers!
Just wondering if there is someone who is good at Id'ing plumeria blooms? They all look so similar, but different if you know what I mean. Does the trunk and leaf come into play when ID'ing?
I have 5 types and don't know the names of any, but have taken cuttings which I would love to sell at the markets, but would like to have names for them if possible.
This is one that is flowering now (summer here in Australia) We get to grow them outside as the chance of frost is very low. Any info on the ID thing would be marvelous.
Sue

Sue that is a lovely bloom but you guys in Oz have many varieties that we don't have here, so I think you'll need an Aussie to help you ID it.....

I agree with Hetty. Australia growers and sellers are naming so many of their hybrids these days that oftentimes there are ones that have two names. I would check with the Plumeria Society there and also check with some of the major sellers. Here are a few:

http://www.djsway.com/
http://www.sacredgardenfrangipanis.com/frangipani_01.htm
http://www.frangipaniheaven.com/
http://bradsbudsandblooms.com/privacy.php

I think the Plumeria Society there is really trying to catalog and document their named plumerias to keep them all from being renamed by various sellers. There are already quite a few with two or more names just to name a few (taken from MPG's AKA thread):

Cairns Red - Joshua, Deep Fuchsia
Cooktown Sunset - Col's Cooktown Sunset
Old Gold - Yugambeh Spirit
Pink Australis - Fairy Wings, Aussie Pink, Common Aussie Pink, Gentle Pink
Wishy Washy - Cooktown Queen
Solar Flare - King Napranum
Seldom Seen became Gold Coast Peach now Gold Coast Peachy
True Blue - North Queensland Blue

This problem isn't exclusive to just Australia either. There are several cultivars here that have been named twice, and it happens in other countries as well.

Also, here is a link on identification: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/687547/

Sue, your flower is very pretty, but I don't recognize it as being a named cultivar. I think that there are a lot of names given to various plumerias by the "finder," but only a handful of these are registered with the Plumeria Society of America, which registers cultivars internationally. I know that Brad and Chris of Frangipani Heaven registered about six cultivars last year, but I think those were the first ever Australian cultivars to be registered.

If you check with the Australian Plumeria Society and let them know where you found it, then they can see if it has been found and named by someone else. And, yes, they would compare all the characteristics of the tree including growth habit, leaf length, leaf shape, flower size, flower color on the front and on the back, peduncle color, pedicle color, fragrance of the flowers, petal shape, etc. There are many that look alike so comparison of all characteristics is necessary.

All that being said, chances are very high that you have an unnamed hybrid. Most people don't care about names when they buy plumerias in the market and are only interested in the flowers so, if you bring some that have inflo's on them, I'm sure that they will sell fine as unnamed hybrids.

This message was edited Jan 15, 2008 6:45 PM

Thanks Clare, such alot of usefull information! I didn't realise ID went so far as the peduncle and pedicle colour! Whew, I'll go and look at your links and see what I can see! You're right. market buyers will buy anything in bloom, no matter what it's called.
P.s, I have a Cairns red, so called because it has a red flower and came from Cairns! LOL
Sue

Dear weed _woman
The Plumeria Society of America is responsible for the keeping and registration of names of all plumerias. We are working with the Frangipani Society with this endeavor. Please visit the PSA website at www.theplumeriasociety.org for more information on naming.
Thanks for your sincere interest in not renaming a plumeria. It would just add to the confusion to the already massive list of aka names.

Paula Furtwangler
President
Plumeria Society of America

hi paula, my paula's pink likes it in Richmond, tx