Plumeria season 2023

[Barry]

Decided to start a new thread for the plumerias this year.

“Ruby Batik” blooming now!

 

[Tracy]

Plumeria season was late to get started for my garden due to an abundance of May Gray and June Gloom.  Ironically the first to bloom this summer is a San Diego Sunset which was also the last blooming variety in my garden, with displays of flowers on one specimen in December and January.  Plenty of other buds waiting to open in the coming days and weeks.

[N8ALLRIGHT]

Plumeria flowering gets here a bit later than most. I've been pumped to see these 2 finally flower. Both are jungle jacks dwarf varieties. 1st is sunsplash and it's my favorite but it doesn't have much of a scent. 2nd is divine and it has a heavy floral scent, pretty good looking as well 

[Silas_Sancona]

24 minutes ago, N8ALLRIGHT said:

Plumeria flowering gets here a bit later than most. I've been pumped to see these 2 finally flower. Both are jungle jacks dwarf varieties. 1st is sunsplash and it's my favorite but it doesn't have much of a scent. 2nd is divine and it has a heavy floral scent, pretty good looking as well 

Looking good!!.. I'd wondered about the scent on Sunslash since some say it has a scent, while others say there isn't much of any.. 

Divine is ..simply divine.. Mine is typing to pop a few buds from the inflo, after it had finished flowering a month or so ago. 

Ordered a few things from them over the weekend.

[N8ALLRIGHT]

We've had a pretty good rain (3.5 in yesterday) and I had wondered if the scent had been watered down by the rain.  Still waiting on the "tex huestis" to bloom,it has a small inflo, hope there is enough summer here in zone 6 to enjoy it. Also a new to me yellow variety in the same boat. 

Side note. How does your divine look with all that Arizona heat? More purple? Just curious 🤔

[Silas_Sancona]

18 minutes ago, N8ALLRIGHT said:

We've had a pretty good rain (3.5 in yesterday) and I had wondered if the scent had been watered down by the rain.  Still waiting on the "tex huestis" to bloom,it has a small inflo, hope there is enough summer here in zone 6 to enjoy it. Also a new to me yellow variety in the same boat. 

Side note. How does your divine look with all that Arizona heat? More purple? Just curious 🤔

I noticed the same thing too ( w/ Divine ) after watering one night..  Could be the same thing w/ Sunsplash, or the scent might be greatly diminished in the heat ( ..which ironically brings out the Orange " Eye " )

As far as color intensity here,   Our heat definitely brings out some purple on the edges of the petals, and intensifies the colors overall.. 

First flower on 6/23: Still " cool = 105-108F here" ..by June standards, but color is definitely more intense compared to what is pictured of JJ's site.




7/ 7, about a week into the 110+ heat.. stopped flowering shortly afterwards. Not the greatest shots since the sun is behind the flowers, but you can see how the heat is effecting the flowers.. Esp. the newer flower ( forward facing flower below the upward facing one ) in shot #2





Was placed where it gets some morning sun, but is protected by overhead canopy from direct sun  from  ..roughly.. 11am,.. thru the rest of the day.  I'm hoping what buds look like they're developing develop this time around so i can see how the flowers look as we head into the fall ..yea it's still hot here, but nothing like what the kind of heat we had last month..

[N8ALLRIGHT]

Wow the difference is incredible. You are spot on about the difference between their sites pictures ( my divine looks like theirs) and yours. We've had a fairly warm summer so far, but nothing like you guys. Jesus I b!+ch about my electric bill for the ac,

I'd have to get a 2nd job 😐

[Barry]

3 hours ago, N8ALLRIGHT said:

Plumeria flowering gets here a bit later than most. I've been pumped to see these 2 finally flower. Both are jungle jacks dwarf varieties. 1st is sunsplash and it's my favorite but it doesn't have much of a scent. 2nd is divine and it has a heavy floral scent, pretty good looking as well 

Beautiful varieties, really love the fragrant ones! 

[Silas_Sancona]

29 minutes ago, N8ALLRIGHT said:

Wow the difference is incredible. You are spot on about the difference between their sites pictures ( my divine looks like theirs) and yours. We've had a fairly warm summer so far, but nothing like you guys. Jesus I b!+ch about my electric bill for the ac,

I'd have to get a 2nd job 😐

Haha, no joke for sure..  I can't imagine living in a big house, say anything over 2K sqft. Had heard some people were getting bills exceeding $6-800.. For just ONE  month..  ..Then of course you have stories about some landlords not fixing AC units when they go out.. 

Thankfully, while it may get hot for a couple days, ..for the moment, it looks like the extended stay in the 110+'s are about over for this year..  104-108-ish? ..Got another 3 or 4 weeks to go before those come to an end.

Big thing right now is the lack of rain.. Every year the Monsoon is a really weak, or a complete dud ends up a roast fest here, though this year has been a step up from that, lol.  We were almost completely void of any drought, but ..something like 25% of the state is now back in the " severe " drought category atm..  Still time to get good rains, but, clock is running out on the season fast.



As far as Divine.. Though it was tagged when i bought it, i too have done a couple double takes when it flowered. There was something else that seemed off on this one vs. the description.

I figure, ( Not that i'll get rid of it, lol )  but, if it does the same thing next year, i may e-mail JJ to see if maybe ( Though they seem to be good regarding accurate labeling ) someone accidentally put the wrong tag on this one and pick up the real deal.

I've had other cultivars look really different under certain Wx conditions,  compared to pictures of how they were " supposed " to look. 

[meridannight]

Love these plants. Do these succeed in containers in your experience? My zone is a bit too cold for them, but I've thought of trying a couple varieties in containers.

[Silas_Sancona]

2 hours ago, meridannight said:

Love these plants. Do these succeed in containers in your experience? My zone is a bit too cold for them, but I've thought of trying a couple varieties in containers.

Depends on the cultivar..  Standard / Tall cultivars will generally be tougher to grow well -long term- in containers ..though it can be done.   Compact and Miniature cultivars are the best candidates for long / longer term cultivation in containers.  Numerous compact and miniature varieties out there these days too. Some can have smaller-sized flowers ( 2" width ) while other miniatures / compact growers can have flowers which are more standard sized ( approx: 3.5"- 4 or 5" width )  ..No idea what might be available there in Europe though. 

As far as those that handle some deg. of cold?  ..Look for cultivars where " Cold Resistant / Tolerant " is included in the description..  A few " common " cultivars that are considered cold " tolerant " include:  Aztec Gold: Standard / Tall,  Celadine: Med / Compact,  Thornton Lemon Drop: Med / Compact,   Slaughter's Pink: Med or Tall,  Samoan Fluff: Med / Tall-ish,  Mary Helen Eggenberger: Med ..or Tall,   ..and numerous cultivars created by Jungle Jack's.

Another thing that helps them withstand more cold during the winter ..Cold ones esp?   11-22% K / Potassium application ...3X's a year,  but most importantly in the mid September - early November time frame..  and no more than 1 application of Phosphorus in spring as plants are waking up from their winter nap.  Never use High PHos. " Bloom Booster " Ferts. on them ( old school, and outdated advise )  ..Unless you want your plants dead within 2 or 3 years.  



 

[Silas_Sancona]

@N8ALLRIGHT

Here's Divine trying to give it another go..  We'll see how the flowers look this time.  New growth may be trying to bud already too..







 

[Barry]

A few more blooming now

Donald Angus 1st pic

Unknown variety 2nd

Veracruz Rose 3rd

 

[Barry]

These are my seedlings from Kumo. I am noticing differences in leaf and color, even thou they came from the same seed pod. Still can’t wait for the first blooms. I keep hoping soon, but they are just over a year old. Growing well, 3-4 ft tall now.

 

[N8ALLRIGHT]

6 hours ago, Barry said:

A few more blooming now

Donald Angus 1st pic

Unknown variety 2nd

Veracruz Rose 3rd

 

Beautiful man 

That Vera Cruz is a stunner!

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, N8ALLRIGHT said:

Beautiful man 

That Vera Cruz is a stunner!

VCR is a great cultivar for looks and scent ( Intense Rose ), but can also be quite temperamental.. Not cold tolerant, and can black tip frequently..  One of the tougher to keep alive cultivars for many outside Hawaii and FL. 

[N8ALLRIGHT]

Just admiring, the container ranch is busting at the seams. 4 plumeria out here in the tundra is enough. 

[Silas_Sancona]

46 minutes ago, N8ALLRIGHT said:

Just admiring, the container ranch is busting at the seams. 4 plumeria out here in the tundra is enough. 

Never not enough room for Plumerias, lol..  I know what you're saying though.. 

There's a few JJ cultivars w/ similar colored flowers / a rose scent similar to VCR that stay compact / smaller that could serve as a stand in, if you had space.

[N8ALLRIGHT]

Ok so it's been pretty hot, about 100f but heat indices about 120😐. So I checked out my blooms to see if the newest had any color changes . The newest divine is blushing more purple  and sunsplash has upped it's yellow, still not much scent 

[Silas_Sancona]

4 hours ago, N8ALLRIGHT said:

Ok so it's been pretty hot, about 100f but heat indices about 120😐. So I checked out my blooms to see if the newest had any color changes . The newest divine is blushing more purple  and sunsplash has upped it's yellow, still not much scent 

Yep, lol... Scent or very little ( or none, lol ) putting Sunsplash on the "to add" list.. 

Since it can set seed, i can cross pollinate w/ others that also set seed until i get an " improved " seedling that has a fragrance, but w/ essentially the same looking flower ( or bigger ) / compact size..

[Silas_Sancona]

Group 1 of some new arrivals..  A little banged up from the ride but otherwise alright.. Some flowers on the way on a couple too..




2 of 3 cuttings sent several weeks ago ( Thanks again!! ) .. Both are starting to leaf out ..a sign they're rooting. 

3rd one... We'll see. Not looking great, ..but trying. Not touching it until it decides what it wants to do.  Is a variety that can be quite temperamental ( to root ) anyway.

[Peter]

Mary Helen Eggenberger

[Josue Diaz]

This has been a slow plumeria season for me - and for most Californians I think. Here are a few of mine blooming currently:

Kaneohe Sunburst

Marmalade - LOVE the scent on this one - very coconuty and fruity

J105 - nice shape, but hardly any scent

NoID with big bouquets, incredible fragrance and beautiful color

Pacific Pearl - great scent on this one also, even if the flowers are small

Celadine - big flowers, nice scent and buttery yellow in high heat

More Kaneohe Sunburst

More Celadine

NoID

And here are those buttery yellow Celadine flowers in high heat. 

Kaneohe Sunburst again in high heat - the color is so deep it starts to trend toward purple

[Billeb]

Here’s a pic of my newest that was labeled “Red Bordeaux”. The top leaf color is more of an army green and matted not shiny. The underside is super pink and has pink veins. Picture is compared to a standard no named white / yellow variety. 

As @Josue Diaz said, CA plumerias are months behind schedule. Especially for us by the water where we didn’t get any heat at all until mid June  

-dale 

[Barry]

“Hope” blooming now from FCN in Homestead.

 

 

 

[N8ALLRIGHT]

Starting to run out of summer heat, hitting the 50s fairly regularly at night. But my remaining plumeria have flowered. 1st is my "tex huestis"? Not as much yellow as last year's summer blooms but I'll take what I can get. Nice floral scent with a hint of suntan lotion smell. 2nd is a new to me yellow variety, these are it's 1st blooms, fairly plain yellow but maybe it will look better if it blooms in next summers heat. But does it smell GOOD! Like a cross between butter and sweet honeydew melon. I want to eat it 😋

[Silas_Sancona]

12 hours ago, N8ALLRIGHT said:

Starting to run out of summer heat, hitting the 50s fairly regularly at night. But my remaining plumeria have flowered. 1st is my "tex huestis"? Not as much yellow as last year's summer blooms but I'll take what I can get. Nice floral scent with a hint of suntan lotion smell. 2nd is a new to me yellow variety, these are it's 1st blooms, fairly plain yellow but maybe it will look better if it blooms in next summers heat. But does it smell GOOD! Like a cross between butter and sweet honeydew melon. I want to eat it 😋

  Was the yellow one a JJ purchase? 

[DippyD]

Happy to see a plumeria thread on here as they don’t come up often. Most the time I’m posting palmA or cycads but i began with plumerias. Currently growing over 100 varieties from all over the world. Like most here in SoCal they are barely waking up and it’s almost time to shed everything they have! Here’s a few of what i do have blooming! 
 

 

[N8ALLRIGHT]

7 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

  Was the yellow one a JJ purchase? 

No, just another impulse purchase at the local nursery this spring. No idea who produced it. It's going to be a tall variety, unless I move at some point in time it'll meet the clippers.

[Peter]

It's been an off year for plumerias after that cool, wet winter

[Josue Diaz]

On 9/17/2023 at 9:42 PM, DippyD said:

Happy to see a plumeria thread on here as they don’t come up often. Most the time I’m posting palmA or cycads but i began with plumerias. Currently growing over 100 varieties from all over the world. Like most here in SoCal they are barely waking up and it’s almost time to shed everything they have! Here’s a few of what i do have blooming! 
 

 

Love these, looks like a J105 in there? And Samoan Fluff?

 

 

Would anyone happen to have either My Valentine, or a Lluvia de Oro (from CStars). I've been looking for one of each for a while, but don't get many options up here in Fresno. 

[Silas_Sancona]

4 hours ago, Josue Diaz said:

Love these, looks like a J105 in there? And Samoan Fluff?

 

 

Would anyone happen to have either My Valentine, or a Lluvia de Oro (from CStars). I've been looking for one of each for a while, but don't get many options up here in Fresno. 

Check Brad's Buds and Blooms,  Maybe contact Atkinsons ( La Mesa )  for My Valentine..  Just checked Upland, ...offering M.V. cuttings for $25.   

Atkinsons may grow the other ...or know just who to contact to find it.. Be aware, I read it is said to have an unpleasant scent. 

**As mentioned in the past ..watch anything from C stars,  They've been implicated in distributing plants w/ Plumeria / Frangipani Mosaic Virus a few times in the past. Don't want to see your growing collection get hammered.



FYI:  If not already aware, the IPC ( International Plumeria Conference will be held at the L.A. Arboretum on the final Thursday- Saturday of this month..   Guaranteed...  you'll likely find both cultivars for sale from the well known and more private S. Cal. sellers there..   I'd be attending if i could.. 

More info:
https://www.ipc2023.com/

[Silas_Sancona]

This month's newest addition:   " Cinnamon Swirl " / " Novelty ": 

Yellow and White, star- shaped flowers, w/ just a hint of blush ..o slightly deeper Pink banding on the outer petals / backs of the flowers. Approx 3-4" in width, petals with a slight reflex, and supposedly will have an intense / very strong  Cinnamon Candy / Hot spiced Cider-like fragrance. ..We'll see.. 

[Silas_Sancona]

Out picking up fittings so i could finish up some sprinkler additions out back, came across a shelf full of chunky Celadine for sale at a neighborhood big box..  Perfect timing since i'd been trying to decide when to remove the heat damaged Juniper out front.  Was damaged enough by this summers heat that while i could have trimmed all the dead stuff off, that might only buy it  another summer or two before being damaged again.. Better to rip it out now than torture it.

As i always do, esp. w/ Plumeria grown by non specialty  growers, ..typically inferior, generic soil mix many use is rinsed off before planting ( ..or repotting ) Stuff this grower uses would turn to sludge in no time.. Can see how they bury the lower portion of the stem / future trunk wayy too deep when potting too. As mentioned in the past, doing so is bad for these plants  -or any plant really..






Planted..  " Prison of sticks " surrounding it is to keep the neighbor's feral Cat herd from destroying the plant.  Added another stick " barrier " ..and cut pieces off the Texas Ebony placed between the sticks near where the wall ends in the first picture. Cats like to access the yard from that spot and had smashed a Beavertail ( Opuntia ) planted there.. Spiny ( ..that's putting it lightly, lol ) TX Ebony branch pieces should deter that easy access now .

[Peter]

Can a plumeria survive in full sun there Nathan?

 

[Silas_Sancona]

7 hours ago, Peter said:

Can a plumeria survive in full sun there Nathan?

 

As you've seen me mention in the past, in pots? no, doesn't seem like they will ...was my experience w/ all the ones i had when we first moved here at least.

That said, the white one i grew from seed was in the ground where it got sun until about 1pm or so during the summer at the old house and seemed to do fine, even if some of the leaves did burn a bit..

Taller one in a neighbor's yard has been growing in a similar east facing morning-mid day sun / afternoon shade position since he planted it there. I've seen bigger ones positioned the same way,  so it can be done..  Obviously, high canopy that provides filtered shade throughout the day is the most ideal position here. My neighbor planted a few under the Mesquite grove in the font of his parent's house, directly across the alley from the old house and those look perfect..

Think the other " big "  factor is picking the right cultivars for this area.. Some are obviously tougher / seem to handle more sun ..and / or heat than others.  Pretty sure the neighbors in more sun is Mexi Pink / Cancun,  or Slaughter Pink, which are both more tolerant of sun / hardier cultivars overall.

I've been using the extensive list Atkinson put together, as well as the list of " Desert Faves "  Jungle Jack's put together to choose specific cultivars to test both in pots, and what cultivars i want to plant out front. Thinking as long as i paint the trunks, like i did for the seed grown one when i planted it -at least until they're big enough to shade themselves, they should do alright.  Also picking positions where either the house or Olive will provide afternoon shade through the worst part of summer.  We'll see what happens..

If i could ever get my hands on it, i think the white flowered form of rubra that grows just south of AZ would probably take full sun and impart similar tolerance to crosses.  Missed being able to pick up a couple this year,  watched as some greedy plant person grabbed all 7 or 8 plants offered at a sale last year. 

Potted ones will sit where they'll be shaded in the afternoon.  Trunks / pots white washed as well.

[Silas_Sancona]

On 9/17/2023 at 8:47 AM, N8ALLRIGHT said:

Starting to run out of summer heat, hitting the 50s fairly regularly at night. But my remaining plumeria have flowered. 1st is my "tex huestis"? Not as much yellow as last year's summer blooms but I'll take what I can get. Nice floral scent with a hint of suntan lotion smell. 2nd is a new to me yellow variety, these are it's 1st blooms, fairly plain yellow but maybe it will look better if it blooms in next summers heat. But does it smell GOOD! Like a cross between butter and sweet honeydew melon. I want to eat it 😋

So i did some digging through the stack of SD cards of mine and..

I'm not sure the white one is indeed Tex Huestis..

Here, some shots of my < former > specimen ..and  Luc's Gold Cup < also had it in the former collection >

Luc's G.C. FCN








TX. Huestis: exhibiting heat- induced blushing in some shots. Note the broadly round petals/ how they re-curve as they age.  At FCN,  and at the house in Bradenton. 2014.









A couple other great Plumeria cultivars interested folks might look out for in the year ahead..

Rosco / Roscoe / Tangerine Dream ..All three names apply to the same cultivar. FCN Grove, 2014






Diamond Rainbow / Sherbert Town.. Miss this one.  Again with the " Both names apply to the same cultivar " Sheaa -nanigans "  Bradenton, FL. 2014

[N8ALLRIGHT]

Yep,I believe you're correct, it definitely looks different than Tex Huestis. Gonna roll with Tex midwestis since it was just labeled plumeria.  That diamond rainbow is sexy!

[Silas_Sancona]

12 hours ago, N8ALLRIGHT said:

Yep,I believe you're correct, it definitely looks different than Tex Huestis. Gonna roll with Tex midwestis since it was just labeled plumeria.  That diamond rainbow is sexy!

Lol, if it lives and continues to flower reliably each year, that is all that matters, named or w/ out a designated cultivar name. White flowering cultivars are among the toughest, so...

Diamond Rainbow is definitely a bit of a Smoke Show..  Nice sweet scent as well.  JL 105, and Salmon Jack, both JJ varieties, look similar. 

Imo, not to wander into the weeds too much, but,  if one were looking at various Plumeria cultivars from a " sexy-ness angle?,  the Megan Fox level Plumeria cultivar equivalent?  Musk Rainbow ..You just can't stop looking at it. Scent ( if Megan Fox were wearing it, and walked past you ) would make one loose all concentration. Nutmeg, Strawberries, and Coconut Vanilla Cream Suntan Lotion..

Never saw a Plumeria cultivar that had actual brown in the flowers, until meeting her ..Musk Rainbow that is

[N8ALLRIGHT]

That's a sexy plant 🤩, maybe the container ranch has room for 1 more 🤔