What the heck is this thing??

Hi guys, I'm new to this forum. 2 years ago I purchased plumeria and now the tag is so faded I can't make out what is says exactly. It was handwritten, the top line looks like 'Jessica' and underneaththat it says something like 'Salem Orange'. I just looked through all 17 pages of plant files and there were no Jessica's or Salem anything. I saw one called Sally Morange and thought maybe the tag could say that - see how similar it is to Salem orange??? But what is the Jessica part??? AGH! Fortunately, it bloomed last summer so I have some pics to help ID it. It's more pink than anything, so I was puzzled as to why it would be called salem ORANGE.....

Could you pros take a peek and see what ya think?? Thanks!!

Another thing.. I noticed some of the first blooms of the season were bigger (the petals were wide) and the later in the season it got, the skinnier they got... and the colors changed a little too. hmm.

Another pic up close - when the flowers were "bigger"

And here's when the flowers started getting smaller and darker

another

Last one

It is probably a seedling hybrid that somebody made up a name for for selling purposes. It doesn't look like a named and registered variety that I'm aware of, but it is a very nice flower:-)

Edited to add: most plumerias that you find in nurseries are going to be unnamed seedling hybrid ones unless you buy from a specialty nursery like Florida Colors.

It's definitely not Sally Moragne.

This message was edited Apr 20, 2008 3:55 PM

It's lovely but I don't recognize it either.

Ok, thanks! I guess I should just enjoy it regardless of what it is!

Question for the experts: Is it common for the petal shape to change like that?

Not common but it does happen. My Lemon Chiffon has a similar habit.

Thanks, Hetty.

Kathleen, different conditions of heat, light, and energy of the tree can change both the shape and color of blooms, which is another reason why it is difficult to make an identification from a photograph. Sometimes, the first bloom and the last bloom are the largest because of the amount of energy put forth by the tree.

rntx22, where did you buy your plumeria? Perhaps you can check with the seller to see if they know the source. There are many characteristics that must be compared in person before identification can be made, and even then, most experts are hesitant to do so. I have lots of unnamed trees in my collection, and I love them just as much as my named ones. Whatever the name is, it is a lovely flower.

This message was edited Apr 21, 2008 10:04 AM

Clare, that's good to know. Now I won't panic if something like that happens. Considering the 'splash' effect, one would almost think of a virus causing something like that.

It was from a lady in a local neighborhood - I was driving by and she had a sign up "plumerias for sale" so I stopped. I don't know if she is still there, as I have not seen the sign up yet this year. Apparently she has been selling plumerias for a while - my parents say they have seen her sign up for years.