I am new to plumies, but from what I hear they have a bloom to be experienced. I am in zone 6a, so I'm certain there won't be any plumies I can plant outside here.
Are plumies toxic to cats or other pets?
Will all plumies stay small if kept potted?
Are some varieties more suitable to pot culture than others?
Assuming I can keep a plumie as an indoor / outdoor house plant, are there any hardier varieties that can handle the seasonal indoor / outdoor transition easier?
Thanks to the FAQ posts in here, most of my other questions in regards to rooting cuttings, best type of soil, etc. seem to have been answered. :)
Thank you in advance for your consideration of my questions!
Peace,
-Joe G.
Newbie here. Best variety for size, scent, and hardiness?
Are plumies toxic to cats or other pets? To this I would say no. My dog has eaten a many of my branches and is still running around like a nut
Will all plumies stay small if kept potted? They will grow no matter what but your blooms will be better if planted. Get a dwarf variety if you want to stay small
Are some varieties more suitable to pot culture than others? Dwarfs
Assuming I can keep a plumie as an indoor / outdoor house plant, are there any hardier varieties that can handle the seasonal indoor / outdoor transition easier? I think they are all pretty equal as far as what I have growing. Aztec Gold seems pretty hardy and thick no matter which pot they are in. You may want to look into the hardy dwarf varieties. I have a great contact if you are interested in knowing more about the dwarfs.
Chris
Chris, thank you for your reply! I'd love to know more about the dwarf varieties! :)
-Joe
That's beautiful. Is it as fragrant as other varieties? If so, one will be mine. :)
-Joe
Joe, My buddy swears by the Dwarf varieties. there are many but he does agree the Singapore Pink or Singapore White are the best. They are really hard to root though since they are such slow growers so it is advisable to get a grafted or rooted one. (Grafted plants have a strong root stock)
Here are some dwarf varieties and their scents or info if I know what they are
Dwarf Singapore pink (sweet scent)
Dwarf Singapore White (Normal plumeria scent)
yellow
gem
Richard Criley
Deciduous(lemon, strong citrus~ White with yellow throat)
petit prince (rainbow colors)
watermelon (considered a dwarf but really has great growing potential)
orange
Dwarf Grace (Cream with yellow center)
King Kalakaua is not really a dwarf but small
Duvauchelle (Deep red)(Australia)
Dwarf George Brown (Australia).
Compacta Peach
Keane (semi-dwarf~ lemon)
LOL Joe....moving from the Gardenias (or was that jasmines?) to the plumies eh? You'll love their scent...just beautiful!!!
All of the above, Chantell. :))) The more the better.
-Joe
Hi Joe,
Plumerias are definitely not hazardous to animals. I have lots of them and dogs, cats, possums, and all kinds of creatures in my garden. The latex sap will sting if it gets into your eyes and shouldn't be consumed however, but animals don't usually eat the leaves or branches.
I agree with going with a dwarf if you wish. Different plumerias have different growth rates. If you check Florida Colors Variety List, you will see that they list the different growth rates so if you are going to grow a plumeria in a pot for its life, you would want a slow-growing one, a dwarf, or a compact one. Many growers just grow plumerias in pots, but the pot-size does eventually get large unless you go with a dwarf. Some growers do get to a stage, after a number of years, where they root prune and trim every year and repot in the same large pot using fresh soil.
Just to add my .02, the dwarf watermelon isn't actually a dwarf as its growth habit exceeds what would normally be considered a dwarf. I don't know why it was named that, but it could be from the small flowers. Even Dwarf Richard Criley Rainbow gets tall and lanky from what I understand. I don't think Duvachelle is a dwarf either. Some of those are hard to get in any case. The most common dwarves are these:
Dwarf Singapore Pink -- sweet but mild fragrance
Dwarf Singapore White -- strong fragrance that smells like Epiphyllum oxypetalum to me
Dwarf Deciduous -- larger white flowers, awesome fragrance
Some others might be considered compact. Dwarves are a hot topic right now as many hybridizers are producing amazing flowers on dwarf or compact plants. I do believe that dwarves will be in demand for a long time to come. My best friend who lives in Thailand is producing some wonderful dwarves at this time. I'll post his web site on another thread.
Dwarf Singapore White pic attached. This has come to be one of my favorites.
Edited to remove Mel Pa Bowman (not a dwarf)
This message was edited Apr 16, 2008 9:33 AM
Me thinks I NEED one of those...bad, Clare for reminding me!! ROTFLOL Your pretties blooming out there already for you? Hey, I've got leaves! LOL
LOL Chantell. I think we have the same kind of fragrance addiction. :)
-Joe
I would definitely agree with that!! :-)
Hetty, thanks for adding that. I don't have a MPB so I was just going on what I heard about that one. It is good to know that it isn't dwarf.
Hi Chantell! My Dwarf Singapore White started blooming last fall and didn't stop through the winter and is still blooming now. It is an amazing one. I had it in the greenhouse for the winter. Other than that, most of my plumies are still bare and coming out of dormancy slowly.
Edited to add missing word!
This message was edited Apr 16, 2008 9:31 AM
Yes..I'm definitely thinking that a Dwarf Singapore White needs to top my mom's day wish list...ok that and the scented geraniums...LOL...course there's that triple shepard's hook at HD too. Alrighty (sorry Joe) back to your regularly scheduled plumie questions....