Plumaria

Several years ago, a dear friend gave me a plumeria plant. My friend grows plumeria for the fragrant and beautiful blooms that are used in leis, the iconic sign of welcome in Hawaii. I had doubts about my ability to keep this plant alive, because it cannot tolerate cold temperatures. With a lot of help and coaching from my friend, I have learned how to care for plumeria. I’ve come to appreciate its ability to survive as a potted plant, even though it is a tropical plant. It is not fragile, fussy, or difficult to care for.

Plumeria is the common name and the scientific name for a large group of plants that are best known for their long-lasting, fragrant blooms. Within the genus Plumaria, there are twelve species (uniquely different types of plumeria). There are also hundreds of named varieties (plants bred for selective characteristics) with distinct forms and growth habits that are available for purchase in plant form and as cuttings.

Also known as frangipani, these plants are native to, and naturally occurring in, Mexico, the Caribbean, and parts of South America. In its native habitat, plumeria grows in dry scrub forests. Plumeria is so adaptable that it can now be found cultivated and growing wild in many tropical locations including Hawaii, other Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and India. In India, the plant is known as champa.

Plumeria is grown extensively in Hawaii where it is used in lei making. As part of a long tradition, leis are shared with visitors to the Hawaiian Islands as a sign of welcome or affection. The lei symbolizes love, friendship, celebration, and honor.

The plant received its scientific name, Plumeria, in 1700 in honor of Charles Plumier, a monk and botanist, who discovered the plant in its native habitat in the West Indies. The manner and timing of its arrival in Asia is a bit of a mystery, but the plant has become significant in Eastern culture and religion. Plumeria are symbols of immortality in Eastern religions because of their capacity to produce leaves and flowers even after being uprooted. They are called temple trees, pagoda trees, and graveyard trees and are often planted in Muslim graveyards and around Hindu and Buddhist temples. Plumeria is the national flower of Laos and Nicaragua.

Historically the plant’s essential oils were used to cure infections, digestive disorders, and as anti-inflammatories. The leaves were used in poultices to treat bruises and ulcers, and the sap as a liniment for rheumatism. Today, oil extracts from the plant are widely used in cosmetics, aromatherapy, and household products generating about $56 million per year. The sap is poisonous, which means that you need to be careful when taking cuttings from the plant because it can irritate sensitive skin.

The plant grows in shrub and tree form. Trees can grow to as large as 25 feet high and 25 feet wide. Plumeria have straight succulent stems with thin gray textured bark. The branches coming off the main stem are widely spaced; the leaves grow in clusters at the end of the branches.

The flowers begin as clustered buds on stalks at the end of the branches. These inflorescences, or inflos, develop into furled, tubular shapes and open to reveal five-petaled flowers in shades of pink, red, white, apricot, yellow, or a combination of several of these colors. In the tropics, plumeria are pollinated by night-flying sphinx moths that are attracted by the plant’s strong perfume released at night. If pollinated, a seed pod develops that can grow up to eight inches long. At maturity, it will split open and release winged seeds.

Plumeria grows wild in climates in plant hardiness zones 10 to 12. Growing plumeria in our climate in plant hardiness zone 7a (based on the most recent USDA plant hardiness map) requires that the plants spend a good bit of the year indoors. This is definitely a plant that needs to be grown in a pot because you can move it around more easily and better control soil moisture and nutrition. If you have a greenhouse or sunroom, you can keep the plant at its desired temperature range of 65 to 80 degrees (Fahrenheit) all year.

I take my plants in at the end of September before evening temperatures drop below 55 degrees. Here they stay with exposure to 6 hours of sunlight each day via a grow light and timer. I water them lightly about once a week. Over the winter they will shed their leaves and flower stems and go dormant. I bring them out of the basement at the end of May when evening temperatures are consistently above 65 degrees. I keep them outdoors throughout the summer months of June, July, August, and September. The leaves will quickly begin to grow, but it will take some time for the plants to flower. They need consistent heat, sunlight, water, and feeding. Water them thoroughly and allow them to dry out before watering again to prevent root rot. When they are in the heat and sun and growing, you will need to water them fairly frequently. Misting the leaves frequently is also good for the plant. Feed them about every 2 to 3 weeks with a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus fertilizer. Because the plants are slow-growing, they do not need to be repotted very often. Once they do outgrow the pot, gently remove the plant from the pot, loosen the soil, and remove it from around the roots. Place the plant in a larger container with rich, well-draining soil.

Make sure plants are protected from wind, because they have shallow roots and are top-heavy, and can easily topple over, breaking the fragile branches and flowers. When we are forecast to get a summer storm with heavy winds and rain, I place the pots under an overhang, up against the house to protect them from the winds and excessive amounts of rain.

Plumeria are easily propagated by cutting stem tips in the spring. Cut a 12- to 18-inch stem tip at a 45-degree angle. Strip the leaves off the cutting except those at the tip and allow the cut end to heal by keeping it in an upright position for at least a week. When you are ready to plant, wet the cut end of the cutting, use rooting hormone, and plant about 3 to 4 inches deep in a small pot with rich, well-draining soil. Keep it in a warm, sunny location and water when the soil feels dry. Plants will begin to flower when they are 2 to 3 years old.

Try growing a plumeria, it will be worth the investment of your time and energy.

by Pam Haze

Pam Haze is a Penn State Master Gardener from Adams County. Penn State Cooperative Extension of Adams County is located at 670 Old Harrisburg Road, Suite 204, Gettysburg, phone 334-6271.

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