Plumeria Care & Information

Plumeria are also know by the more scientific name Frangipani. These are one of the most beautiful and fragrant flowers one can find. Flowers can be white, yellow, pink, red or rainbow color. The smell of a plumeria flower can be like roses, coconut, spices and other unique scents.

There is an assumption that the Plumeria is from Hawaii. However, studies have shown that while the plant grows there it is not native. The plant is most likely from South America or Central America. The exact origin of the Plumeria is still unknown. Hawaii does have profuse amounts of Plumeria on their shores. Many of the Frangipani are grown for commercial purposes on the Islands. Plumeria can grow in tropical locations, but are not able to grow in colder locals without a greenhouse. They have no tolerance for frost or lower temperatures.

Plumeria can be a very easy plant to grow. That, along with the multitude of colors and fragances explain why they have become such a popular plant. Even though they are a tropical plant, they can be grown in colder climates due to the fact that they will go dormant in the fall and can be stored in the garage or attic during the months of freezing weather. When warmer spring days are back you can put your tree outside again and watch it come to life. Another reason for the Plumeria's popularity is its ease of care. It is a very hardy plant and does not need a lot of attention. Once it is a year or two old all it needs to keep healthy is regular watering and some liquid or granular fertilizer once a month.

The easiest way to get started with your first Plumeria is to get a cutting from a nursery or online. Cuttings are usually about 15 inches long and can be stored for up to a year before being planted. Rooting a cutting is easy. Just create a potting mix of 50% sand and 50% soil. Stick your Plumeria cutting into the new soil mix down to about 3 inches. At this point the cutting is susceptible to rotting if the soil is kept wet. It is recommended that you do not water the cutting again until it has several well formed leaves. If the weather is hot you can lightly water every couple of days. Just be sure the soil is dry most of the time. The cutting will develop roots in about 6 weeks. You will know that the roots have begun to grow when the leaves begin to form.

After the Plumeria begins to grow you will be able to establish a water and feed schedule. They are easy to care for and do not require a lot of attention. Just look wait for the soil to become dry and then water the plant. The watering could occur every few days or as little as every week. It will depend on your climate whether it is dry, hot, wet, or cool. You need to consider the root ball. A large root may need a larger container in which the soil will need more moisture. You just don’t want the Plumeria to be wet all the time. Let it become dry occasionally. To get better flowers you will need fertilization for your plant. It needs a lot of nutrients, such as 10-50, as the 10 will offer better branching and flowers. You will need to offer fertilizer 1 to 2 times in a month.

That’s about all there is to having a healthy and beautiful Plumeria. They can be kept in pots and brought in during the winter or kept as a house plant. Be sure to increase the size of your pot once the roots begin to come out the holes at the bottom. Remember that Plumeria need lots of direct sunlight. If you are going to keep it in the house or even if it is outside, be sure it gets at least 6 hours of sunlight for best growth and flowering. Now, go out and get your self one of these interesting and beautiful tropical flowering trees.