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lee_tucson

Anyone growing Plumeria in the ground?

lee_tucson
18 years ago

I know they're very border line here in Tucson, but there are some in the ground here. I know of one in a neighborhood off Oracle, there are some larger ones at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and then there a nice one at the U of A.

Anyone else trying them in the ground?

Plumeria at the U of A.

{{gwi:409427}}

Thanks,

Lee

Comments (43)

  • tomatofreak
    18 years ago

    My 'sticklings' are still in pots and I can only dream of the day when one of them will look like that! Maybe Detrick will weigh in; he's in Tucson.

  • magnetogram
    18 years ago

    hey lee,

    where is the plumeria at the ua? oracle? i haven't been at the desert museum in quite sometime. i'll have to get over there and check that one out. there is also one at tohono chul.

    i've been growing them since 2001 and i've yet to grow one in the ground. the closet i've come to that is plunging the pots in the ground. i plan to try growing one in the ground next year. our winter can be harsh! that's my only concern. i've seen many tips on the tohono chul tree that die back in the winter. it's worth a try though. eventually mine will be too large to bring inside. my tallest stands at 7' in a 10-gal pot.

    do you have pics of yours? here is a pic of mine from 6/7/05. they are fully leafed out now five have inflos. i'm having problems with the aztec gold. the buds get to the point where they get to heaving right before they are about to open. then they fall off partially open. i still haven't figured out this mystery.

    detrick

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:409426}}

  • User
    18 years ago

    Wow Detrick! That's quite a collection, they look awesome!

    Lynn

  • Garden_trolip
    18 years ago

    I've had one in the ground for over a year now. It is planted under my Brugmansia, so it is sheltered from the cold in the Winter. It is doing realy well :)

  • judy_b
    18 years ago

    Hi Detrick,

    My Aztec Gold didn't open all the way either. They still smelled good, though. I just recently received Kauka Wilder, and have ordered Negril, Charlotte Ebert, and Grove Farm. I know, I know, I got the bug. ;-)I hope these are all as smelly as Aztec Gold. I've been told that my AG might need more sun to open fully, so I've moved it to get a little more sun daily.

  • AzDesertRat
    18 years ago

    There are at least a dozen or so plumeria at the Royal Palms resort in Phoenix (52nd st & Camelback) growing on the grounds there. Some are taller than 10'.

    In my old house, I had plumeria growing in the ground. There was a section which used to be a playground by the former owners which was mostly sand and they seemed to thrive in that. I did lose about 5 plumeria in the great freeze of 2002 though, as they do need some shelter from frosts and freezes, but do like the sun. I had others that were growing in more protected areas, but they didn't flower as prolifically as the ones in the old playground (western exposure--little reflected heat), although the foliage did look better. Pick your poison I guess, more blooms or better looking foliage.

    If you are in an area which doesn't receive much frost or have the plants in an area protected from frosts/freezes, I think you are much better off planting them in the ground. Otherwise, you will have to take steps to protect the plants when the temps go down in the winter.

  • magnetogram
    18 years ago

    guess i'll be visiting the royal palms resort next time i'm in the valley. LOL

    plumeria in full sun should be doing much better now that the relative humidity is high. i think lack of humidity is what really zaps my plants. i've seen pics of plumeria growing in near 100 degree weather. the foliage looked very good and flower were huge. the kicker is that the humidity is high.

    i can tell that my plumeria are starting to recover because the blooms are more prolific now and larger. i'm sure they'd be doing much better if they were in the ground. the roots for one could grow out further in search for nutrients. i just can take that chance given that we can get really cold down here. maybe i should experiment with some extra singapores and aztec gold that i have.

    detrick

  • lee_tucson
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks for the input everyone.

    Detrick, very nice collection, thanks for posting the pics. The one at the U of A is in the courtyard of the Family and Consumer Sciences building. It's been there for years, as to the exact amount I don't know. But it came through Dec. of 03 without any damage (when the airport bottomed out at 19F and the U of A at 26F). In this courtyard I'm sure it remained warmer then the 26F recorded on campus.

    I don't remember what road off Oracle that neighborhood was off of, but it was in the area south of the Best Western with the Green Gem Ficus.

    Here's the one at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (these pictures are from summer of 2004).


    {{gwi:409428}}

    {{gwi:409429}}

    AzDesertRat I also need to check out Royal Palms resort, thanks for the heads up.

    Lee

  • frangipaniaz
    18 years ago

    Ok... I have a question I hope someone can answer... nobody has even tried yet... I have a small plumeria (my first) and it is in a pot right now... it has some rather large leaves but none of them are dark green except the ones that are new, and then when they get bigger they lighten up... is there a mineral they are missing? I'm using a high middle number fertilizer... I didn't know if the phx heat and sun has anything to do with it, and it isn't out in direct sun, it's under an awning so it gets some filtered light... I just want to know if the light color is something to worry about.... Sorry if this isn't the forum to ask in...
    Brittany

  • AzDesertRat
    18 years ago

    Brittany,

    It may be what the leaves are naturally, but if the leaves aren't as green as they should be, it could be a magnesium deficiency. To cure it, add 1 tbs epson salts to a gallon of water. Maybe do this every couple of months or so. Magnesium is an important component of chlophyll which makes the leaves green.

    HTH

    Lee,

    I think if you can find an area with a Southern exposure and an overhang or other protection from frosts/freezes, they can thrive here. I know you folks down in Tucson are a bit colder than us Phoenix folks, but I still think it can be done if the proper microclimate can be found. If you are down in Yuma, then it is a no brainer to grow it outside because the risk of frost is much less.

    Now if someone knew of a tree that lost its leaves in the summer and grew then in the fall/winter. That would be perfect here. :-)

  • plumerianicki
    18 years ago

    Help! My leaves won't open. I have about a 3 ft plumeria in a pot and the leaves just won't open. Last year I had tons of leaves. It does have some white stuff up on the stock towards the leaves. Does that have anything to do with it. I thought the pot it was in was too small, I though the roots might be in a ball, but when I transplanted it, there were hardly the roots I expected after being in a pot for a year and half. any suggestions?

  • frangipaniaz
    18 years ago

    Thank you so much Desert Rat... a magnesium deficiency... would it hurt it to use it even if that isn't the problem... if it won't then I will go get some... thank you thank you
    Brittany :)

  • Easygoing
    18 years ago

    I put the one I got from home repot in the ground. It's struggling, only because, even as careful as I was there was root damage when removing it from it's pot. THere was so much rock and sand in the pot it didn't hold together well as I was taking the plumeria out of the pot. It is coming back though, and I'm watering it once per week, and fertilizing it every other week with peters. Keeping my fingers crossed for blooms at least once before it gets cold!!! :( If not this year, then dammit it better bloom next year or out it comes!

    Easy

  • magnetogram
    18 years ago

    easy, easy! LOL you can't threaten them to bloom. they don't give it up like roses. ha ha!

    where is it in your garden?

    detrick

  • frangipaniaz
    18 years ago

    haha... someone has some anger issues :)
    Brittany

  • magnetogram
    18 years ago

    plumerianicki,

    are you able to post a pic of you plumeria? i would definitely say that you should have open leaves by now.

    detrick

  • Easygoing
    18 years ago

    Yes, I have leaves. I did loose some because of the root damage transferring it out of the pot, as I told you earlier. But now it has nice new leaves coming out. It's planted where it gets Morning son, shade during hottest part of day, and then dappled sunlight in the afternoon.

    Easy

  • lee_tucson
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Here's some pics of the Plumeria at Tohono Chul. Thanks for telling me about that one Detrick.

    {{gwi:409430}}

    {{gwi:409431}}

    {{gwi:409433}}

    {{gwi:409435}}

    I noticed Sunset rates Plumeria rubra to their zone 12.

    Lee

  • bethhawthorne
    18 years ago

    I live in Mesa and have had one growing in ground for over 3 years. It flowered for the first time this year and is really starting to bulk up and look like a tree. It got nipped a little bit this last Winter but it didn't seem to bother it.

  • magnetogram
    18 years ago

    hey lee,

    thanks for posting the pics of that one. i haven't seen it in a while. i never saw it in bloom. looks like it's time to take a ride up to the northside. while i'm up there, i should look for that tree off oracle. can you narrow down the location any more?

    did you notice the amount of shade that the tohono chul plumeria gets? i remembered morning and late evening shade, then blasted during the middle of the day.

    looks like i'm gonna have to throw some plumeria in the ground next year.

    detrick

  • lee_tucson
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    bethhawthorne, glad to hear yours is flowering and has been in the ground for a while now. The biggest one I heard of in AZ was in Mesa.

    Detrick, sorry I can't remember the exact street it was off of. All I remember is that it's in this older development of white one story condo like buildings in the area of that Best Western on Oracle. I'll make a point of trying to find it again over the next couple of weeks, I'd like to see if it flowered at all this summer. It was a smaller one, no taller then 3'. But it was in the ground. But it would be off Oracle (east side of the road), south of Orange Grove and north of River.

    The Plumeria at Tohono Chul appears to get good AM sun then filtered sunlight in the afternoon. That bottom picture was taken at about 3:45ish.

    I hope you do try a Plumeria rubra, if so let us know how it goes, I'll be very interested to find out.

    Lee

  • magnetogram
    18 years ago

    lee,

    where is the one in mesa?

    detrick

  • mareemar
    16 years ago

    Hello ^o^
    So this would be my 1st Plumeria^o^
    I got it when i was in Fl. but i moved back to my home town. My plant start to go grow nicely but all of the sudden these little white bugs came out of nowhere and now they are eating it. the trees growth is at a stop and it is starting to die. i am not sure what to put on the tree that will not kill it. i can't go to the stores here because no one has even heard of a Plumeria so no one know what will help it. i have no where else to turn to. if anyone know what i can do, to save my plumeria, Please help me.

  • Pam Honeycutt
    16 years ago

    There is one on the north side of University just east of Higley Rd. It was quite large but the cold got it last year so they cut it back some. It was all leafed out nice and pretty again last time I went buy there. I have one I'd like to put in the ground that's getting pretty good size but just can't decide on a spot for it. It's lost all its leaves for the winter but looks like it might be going to start some new ones real soon.

    Gemfire

  • greenlust
    16 years ago

    Mareemar, maybe try contacting http://www.azplumeria.org/
    its a group of arizona/phoenix plumeria growers, they might have some info. goodluck.

  • mickeyperreaud
    16 years ago

    Mareemar,
    Hi, I'm a member of the Phoenix Plumeria Social. What can we do to help you?
    Our next meeting is March 22 at the Royal Palms at 12:30.
    You can e mail me for help too.
    Mickey

  • phxplantaddict
    13 years ago

    In my yard

  • Pam Honeycutt
    13 years ago

    I recently planted one of mine right out in the middle of the backyard, It was so tall it would blow over everytime we had a storm. Hasn't bloomed yet but it's doing good. Hopefully the freeze won't get it as it doesn't really have any protection. Only time will tell.

    Pam

  • richsd
    13 years ago

    I was in the LA area this past week and saw some huge, beautiful plumerias in people's back yards. The rose bushes were enormous and beautiful as well.

  • grant_in_arizona
    13 years ago

    I've had three of them in the ground on the east side of my house for several years and they've done GREAT. One has had a little winter damage on the tips now and then, but it always recovers nicely with even more branches. If you ever visit Royal Palms resort in Phoenix check out their plumerias, they are many decades old and thriving.

    Take care all,
    Grant

  • RindiB
    10 years ago

    Hi I am new to this sight, I have an empty backyard just waiting to be taken care of ! How, when, and can you please help lol The sun beats down on the whole yard no shade for about 8 hours. I really want to plant Plumeria also want to plant pineapple sage. Anyone have advice? Oh how to I figure out my time Zone?

  • euqruob
    10 years ago

    Mine are 3.5 years in and about 7 ft tall and flowering like crazy.

    Advice, my house faces south, plants are on E. side, and neighbor has huge tree that provides some shade. Soil, very fast draining. Watering, this time of year, 2x a day a soaker hose. Winter, once leaves drop, don't water! Food: fish extract every 3 to 4 weeks.

  • euqruob
    10 years ago

    {{gwi:408721}}

    Red ones are out, pictures later.

  • Liz-0103
    10 years ago

    I have several Plumeria I want to plant in front garden but am concerned about the roots affecting my plumbing. Does anyone have an answer for me? Will plumeria roots hurt my plumbing?

  • newtoucan
    10 years ago

    Plumeria roots are fine. Not aggressive.

  • iandyaz
    6 years ago

    Hi Bob, great looking Plumerias! I've been thinking of propagating mine. When is the best time of the year to get cuttings to root? I was also thinking of trying air layering with it.

  • Bob Z
    6 years ago

    Hello iandyaz, late spring is best for cutting and planting. Wait till the new leaves are about 3 inches long then cut the main branch, let the new cutting dry and callous over, maybe 3,4 or 5 days. Then plant only 3 to 5 inches deep. The roots will take over for stability. I have rooted 2 inche thick branches as well. It all grows. Air layering is cool and grafting works even faster! Graft on to another plant and no waiting for roots to form Oh and the darker the color as in dark red, can take months to root. Cheers! Let me know in the spring how things go.

  • MaryMcP Zone 8b - Phx AZ
    6 years ago

    Hi Bob, I believe most grow in containers so the plants can be moved when the temps drop. If you have a way to protect the in-ground plantings when we have a harsh winter, you could try it. But it would be a shame to lose a beloved plant that one winter it gets really nasty. Good luck. I love plumerias but don't grow them.

  • Bob Z
    6 years ago

    Hello Mary, correct, most plants are in containers for easy moving. Small trees in the ground can be covered with frost cloth. I have not used frost cloth but my nurseryman says its great for citrus, plumeria and adenium. My plants are in pots and I bring them indoors. Not even room for a Christmas tree either. I wrap the container in a plastic garbage bag just in case of bugs or wet bottom containers. Mary, you might want to try one or two plants just for the fun of it!!!???!!!

  • MaryMcP Zone 8b - Phx AZ
    6 years ago

    I've babied tomatoes and that was no fun but at least gave me some good food. ;-) Not interested in delicate plants but understand why some might. Plumerias are very nice, I lived in Hawaii (on Kauai) for 10 years and enjoyed them there, where they practically grow wild.

  • PRO
    Dottie Turiano
    3 years ago

    Bob Z....I'm interested in planting (in ground) a couple of Plumeria's in my courtyard (Phx AZ). I'm not sure where to purchase them. Could you please head me in the right direction?

  • Bob Z
    3 years ago

    Hello! Not too familiar with Nurseries in the Phx area, but I was there a while back and saw plants for sale at Whitfields on or around 7th and Glendale. Or check your yellow pages if there are any anymore! Good luck. You can also get them on line too https://www.exoticplumeria.com/plumeria-helpful-hints/ or

    https://justplumerias.com 

    One hint! There is no such thing as a blue plumeria!

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