Overwintering Plumeria

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 5:09 pm

Anyone have any tips on overwintering a plumeria tree I have recently acquired as a gift....I have never had one and it is losing its leaves, I hear this may be normal...????

ROBRETI · Post by **ROBRETI** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 6:25 pm

Hi Mike,

I once had a Plumeria; its fragrance is heavenly....
So, it grows in the wet tropics; knowing this helps a bit. Problem is, we do not have that much light in winter. It is natural for it to drop its leaves, but the shoots need to be fat/juicy. It will not shed all its levaes, though, but will look a bit tired until april. Don't worry, because it will one day produce a very strong, needle like shoot at the end of its branch and will make you forget your worries....

Good luck Mike! Don't forget to smell the flowers in the summer!! This is my wife's favourite fragrance (and ginger flower and Jasmine)
Rob

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 6:30 pm

ROBRETI wrote:Hi Mike,

I once had a Plumeria; its fragrance is heavenly....
So, it grows in the wet tropics; knowing this helps a bit. Problem is, we do not have that much light in winter. It is natural for it to drop its leaves, but the shoots need to be fat/juicy. It will not shed all its levaes, though, but will look a bit tired until april. Don't worry, because it will one day produce a very strong, needle like shoot at the end of its branch and will make you forget your worries....

Good luck Mike! Don't forget to smell the flowers in the summer!! This is my wife's favourite fragrance (and ginger flower and Jasmine)
Rob

Thank you Robreti....Like your wife I too love Jasmine.! I was in Peace Corps in East Africa and lived under the heavenly odors of Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, cloves and vanilla....Such great smells, very masculine but also palatable to women too...Have a great Christmas and New Yera holiday!
mike

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 4:16 am

Mike,
I suppose I shouldn't point out that Plumeria grows wild in Belize, and that everyone has one in their garden, and that it blooming now?
Thought not. Don't read that last bit.

My one attempt to overwinter one did not work. I put it in my "ballroom" figuring it would drop its leaves and go dormant. Well, it did, but did not come back in Spring. If you can do it, I'll make another try. --Erik

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 8:32 am

Ah, Vanilla, my fav

Plumeria is deciduous, and who doesn't experience shorter days during winter?

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 ... 2%3A00+GMT

Must be a relative of my Adenium (desert rose)...just a big fat caudex now, no leaves.
Barb

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 11:30 am

Thanks guys...I hope it does work...Rght now it is in my ,master bath shower....maybe I'll just let it go and put it in a dark room...????

@ Erik...... how long are you there for? What part again????

@ Barb....Thanks for the weblink

On a side note, first day above freezing in four days! Woohoo...I'll be jogging in shorts after work tonight! Love it!

Jubaea · Post by **Jubaea** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 12:01 pm

Keep the Plumeria on the dry side especially if it drops its leaves and it is cool. They are prone to rotting if it is too wet when they are dormant.

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 6:43 pm

Jubaea wrote:Keep the Plumeria on the dry side especially if it drops its leaves and it is cool. They are prone to rotting if it is too wet when they are dormant.

Thank you ...Will do!!!