Maverick!

10 years ago

And Thornton's Lemon Drop!

For those who haven't heard of her, Elizabeth Thornton was a founding member of the PSA and the developer of many wonderful varieties of plumerias right here in Texas. Her best known is probably Mardi Gras, with Lemon Drop (not to be confused with the Hawaiian Lemon Drop) a close second.

However, my current favorite of Thornton's hundreds of seedlings she developed has to be Maverick. She named it that because it has a tendency to throw 6-petaled flowers. Apparently mine is an over-achiever because this first fully-opened bloom is seven!
Here she is at dusk the first night:

She was wafting a spicy honeysuckle scent for a few feet.

Then this morning:

Lemon Drop, or TLD, is a pretty big bloom, but Maverick's even bigger:

Not bad for a "tree" that isn't even two-feet-tall yet!

Now for her cousin--or maybe sibling? The two both have fuzzy branches and new growth.
Not a bad size:

Her first night open:

And early in the morning:

Later morning:

Let me know if you get tired of these pics. I'm like a proud new parent!

Here's one lonely Desert Sunrise, too, after our 95 degree days with 70% humidity:

The camera can't catch the intensity of orange-red at all. It's extremely vibrant, but this young DS is dropping buds like crazy. Hopefully with age and size I'll get more than one bloom at a time to stay on!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (17)

moonie_57 (8 NC)
10 years ago
Jen - Maverick sure does live up to her name. I looove!
It looks like one of the other buds has 6 petals or is that just wishful thinking on my part? Anyways, lovely!

And interesting that you mentioned the fuzzy branches. I have been meaning to ask if anyone else has any fuzziness going on. My marathon white bloomer has fuzzy branches. I mean, they -feel- fuzzy but you can't see any fuzz. I just love that. Love that tree and everything about her!

ETLD is beautiful and so healthy looking. The leaves are so green and flawless (except the bird poop... shame on them, that should be a no-fly zone)

Desert Sunrise is on my list. Yours is gorgeous! I need to contact Wendy and see if she has it. She sent me a ginormous Rhonda. I have never ever received a plant that big with as large a root system as that thing had. Happy happy happy! :)
Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
10 years ago
Wow! Maverick is gorgeous! How cool that she gave you 7 petals right off the bat.
Congratulations!

And Wendy has Rhonda? Ugh. Why do I lurk on this forum. Laugh. A friend is sending me Plumeria 'Gardenia' which makes my list 16. I suppose there's no hope for me. Laugh.

-Robert
Related Professionals
Birmingham Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Wixom Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Peabody Landscape Contractors · Belmont Landscape Contractors · Fort Myers Landscape Contractors · Glendale Heights Landscape Contractors · Gresham Landscape Contractors · Middletown Landscape Contractors · Ocoee Landscape Contractors · Saint John Landscape Contractors · South Hackensack Landscape Contractors · West Orange Landscape Contractors · East Norriton Landscape Contractors · Destin Siding & Exteriors · South Barrington Siding & Exteriors
beachplant
10 years ago
gorgeous!
Tally Ho!
citizen_insane
10 years ago
Very nice Jen
mksmth zone 7a Tulsa Oklahoma
10 years ago
jen

those are so great! I can never get tired of seeing others peoples plants. I say keep em coming.

Mike
PRO
the_first_kms2
10 years ago
SOOOO glad I am not the only one walking around the garden with a measuring tape.

Beautiful pics.
Andrew Scott
10 years ago
Darn it Jen! I am going crazy for Maverick and this year I really don't have the extra to buy her:(

At least I have a small 1 gal ETLD, and hopefully she will bloom for me.

Well maybe next year I will have to get a Maverick!

Thanks for the pics!
Andrew
desamecyra
10 years ago
Did you post...fuzzy branches? Not the undersides of the leaves, though, right? Just checking.
And I absolutely love reading posts like this one, E.Thornton is responsible for several lovely cultivars...even though a lot of people don't always credit her...(like the Thornton 's Raspberry, for example, they just call it "Raspberry " which doesn't credit her)
jandey1
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you, guys! I was told by the Willises that Maverick is to pinks what Lemon Drop is to yellows. The only big difference is so far the tips are only going to break into one new branch instead of multiples like LD. Maybe with age she'll get branchier. I'll keep the pics coming.

You're right, Mona, from what I can tell the only 5-petaled bloom it has is the really deformed one. Weird, right? Yes, her tips and new leaves are fuzzy, like Aztec Gold's and Spider's. (And I happen to know Wendy had another DS when I got mine.)

Robert, 16 is nothing; you're not considered "diagnosable" until 25. :P

K, not only do I carry one outside, I have a dedicated "garden measuring tape".
moonie_57 (8 NC)
10 years ago
Jen - thank you for the info! I just went out to check and sure enough, both of my AG's have fuzzy branches. Being a tree-petter, how have I never noticed that? I just thought my marathon white bloomer was special! (Yes, I do always refer to her as my marathon white bloomer. LOL)

We just took all my rooted and unrooted cuttings into the GH because of Andrea but tomorrow I may go pet some other branches looking for fuzziness. I do like to stroke my marathon white bloomer. It feels good. :)
disneyhorse
10 years ago
Diagnosable, huh? Do 10 unplanted cuttings in a bucket and 40 tiny seedlings count towards my 15 rooted plants?
mksmth zone 7a Tulsa Oklahoma
10 years ago
You know what is funny about all of us collecting all these plants is that Bill has warned us several times about running out of room and we just continue to ignore that.

I do have to be proud of myself on this. Southwood nursery here has their JJ plants 30% off and I have successfully walked away without buying any. probably helps that they dont have any I want but still I resisted.

Jen, Maverick looks great!!

Mike
Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
10 years ago
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH JEN!!!!

She is beautiful!! I knew she would be, but she really is a knock out!!! I just love mine too.. This is a must have as well as ETLD. Remember when we bought them and we couldn't stop feeling the fuzzy stems? LOL.. I still feel them. Wonder what the neighbors think of that!!! ;-) HAA!

I am just gushing over your blooms.. Mmmmmmmmm, Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!! Good!!!!

Thanks for the beautiful pics!! LOVE THEM!!!

xo

Laura

This post was edited by loveplants2 on Thu, Jun 6, 13 at 22:14
jandey1
Original Author
10 years ago
I'm gonna bore y'all with more Maverick photos.

Finally, a "normal" 5-petaled flower, on the second tip:

1st inflo is really going now:

Both tips firing:

After our surprise rain storm:

And here's a random bloom, from a NOID red cutting from a neighbor:

It's a very fragrant red, with a really sweet fruity smell. The eye started out bright yellow, then faded by this morning:

More pics later!
Lnorigb
10 years ago
Damn those rain drops just make it all so much more irresistible! I have a little notepad with all the names you guise keep dropping, I feel like the littlest sister running after her favorite long legged siblings trying to keep up.
Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
10 years ago
Simply gorgeous,,,

Laura
nativec
10 years ago
Jen....

Hold on let me wipe the drool from my keyboard....

All so gorgeous!! I've not seen Maverick before and what a keeper! Your NOID isn't too shabby either..LOL You lucky girl! Congrats!

Nicole