Plumerias in the "North"
Hello all!
I've been posting on this forum on/ off for about 5 years since I started growing Plumeria. I was snakebit by the Plumie bug when I purchased a 'Yellow Jack' from an online vendor on a whim. I have learned a lot from my plants since then, and have enjoyed many wonderful flowers and their exquisite aromas.
Last fall most of my Plumeria suffered during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. All my plants were still in the ground and handled the Hurricane itself just fine. The problem was the freak snow and cold 2 days after the Hurricane - I was without electricity for almost 12 days and had to live with a relative in Manhattan, leaving all my plants without protection outdoors. The snow and freeze by itself was not enough to permanently damage the plants, but the fact they had to remain outside for many days of cool and wet weather without an opportunity to recover was what finally did them in.
When I finally unearthed my plants in their pots, all the leaves and tips were mush. I pruned as much as I could, placed my plants into storage, and hoped for the best. Ideally I could have put them into a spot with lots of warmth and sun, but that was just not possible.
There are 2 lone survivors, which I want to bring to peoples' attention as they could be considered to be hardy and resistant. 'Hurricane' and 'Puu Kahea', while they suffered the same initial freeze and black tips as the others, seem to be fine. The stems are solid and green. I expect new buds to form soon. All the other plants, roughly 10 different varieties, are total mush or completely desiccated. Don't feel bad for me please. These are all replaceable. Many people suffered MUCH worse than me. I will simply buy some new cuttings and start again. I am happy to share with others my experiences with successfully growing and blooming Plumeria in the big, bad "North".
Here is a photo of 'Hurricane' in bloom last summer:
Brilliant blooms, strong spicy scent
And here are some of my favorites over the years:
Puu Kahea - lovely flowers, weak scent
JJ Mini White, grown in a pot
Kimo - nice flower, but not as nice as others, IMO
Yellow Jack - my first Plumeria: easy bloomer, quick grower, wonderful, strong lemony scent
Penang Peach, colors and aroma are wimpy during cooler weather
Some new additions coming soon: Celadine, Musk Rainbow, Mary Moragne, Kaneohe Sunset, Kauka Wilder, Yellow Jack, Jack's Mini Yellow
I am strongly considering getting a mylar lined grow tent which I could heat and add grow lights to early next spring to get a headstart on my plants. I find that Plumeria are best with a maximum 2 months cold + dry dormancy, which for me is basically December and January. By February, they need to be moved somewhere warm to start growth. When all goes well, an inflo will start forming on mature branches in March/ April and are blooming by July. I don't have much room by sunny windows indoors but a grow tent in my garage should be perfect.
I am happy to share my thoughts about what works and what doesn't, for me, when it comes to growing Plumeria in NY.
And by the way, I've had luck with Plumeria's cousins as well: some Adeniums and Pachypodium lamerei.
x
Comments (6)
Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
the_first_kms2
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xerophyte NYCOriginal Author
jandey1
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