Yep, love the shape of that flower. Just had to peek in again. :)

Hi Laura,
What are you doing to me!?!?! Your going to make me order a rooted JL Metallica..LMAO!

Another package?? After I told you I wanted to buy you a plumeria at F.C? I thought you were not getting anymore?

I am going to post a list of plumerias that I still have mulitples of, and see if I can trade some.

Andrew

Laura,

Just beautiful! I hope my Metallica will bloom like yours someday.

WOW!! That's is the most gorgeous thing I have ever laid eyes on. I'm in love!

Now I can't wait to get mine. But I won't know if it will have an inflo or not... but definitely something to look forward to. Thank you for sharing your beauty w/ us!

Also is it me or are all your plants look extra healthy and happy? What's your secret? Please share w/ a newbie.

"CONGRATS" Laura, I knew you could do it. You must be very proud and elated to have it. All your TLC has paid off. Peg

Laura,

That is absolutely gorgeous!! Totally gaga here!

Congratulations! Enjoy those fabulous blooms--was worth every penny, I'm sure ;-)

Greg

Laura, I second everything that is said above, just lovely.

I follow with a question, your leaves and flowers all look completely perfect. Additionally in your pics and most pics, the flowers are always wet... what's the purpose of that? Do you just post after foliar feeds? What do you do (outside of nightly scoping for creepy crawlers) to keep those beauties pest free? Every single plant you post is perfect and just beautiful. Always a visual treat.

Wendy

Hello Everyone!!!

Thank you all for all of the kinds comments. I am really pleased with this beauty and i am thrilled that it rooted for me and pushed this inflo in the process. When i received it it had no signs of any inflo. As it was rooting and i first saw the image.. I cant even tell you how i felt... It was Wonderful!!! : )

I did keep a close eye on the progress that the inflo didnt take the energy away from the rooting process. I dont cut inflos if they happen to appear unless there are no leaves forming..

Jperiloux.. Thank you so much..i really appreciate the kid words...

Mike... LOL.. I do have some potting up to do with these cuttings. We had rain all day today with huge thunderstorms, so i stayed inside and did some other things.. I do wish that it was sunny outside tho. Go figure..Rain on my days off! : )

James.. Thank YOU!!! I really appreciate all of your support. You know how nervous i was to buy this cutting unrooted and pay that amount for this one. You made me feel better after i hit that "Buy now" button!!! Thank you for the other pkg. I will take good care of them and you know how i treasure cuttings from friends.. I will let you know when i receive them. Cheers right backk to you!! Still in Ibiza? Did you make it south to Formentera?

Hi Nicole... You are such a good enabler.. LOL!! I just wish we lived close to each other, well...maybe the DH's would have something to say.. We would have a ball! Thank you.. I cant wait until you have some activity on your cutting. Can you believe that he is selling a rooted one for only $10.00 more? I could have saved lots of antacids and stress from worrying about if this cutting would root. "no pressure" when it cost a few pennies!! " )

Mona,...Thank you as well!! WHen i bought this cutting it was just a plain usual cutting. Not any signs of anything happening... That is why i was nervous about this one. I really wanted this to take and i was so relieved..

My Taj Mahal is looking good and i have a few trees tht are pushing inflos now.. I will post later when they are all open . I cant wait to see them. Black Tiger is a beauty as well as Elsie and the rest that are ready!! I am so excited!! : )

These trees have been around for awhile so waiting around and having patience does have it just rewards!!! Thank you agin for the nice comments!!

Rachel... These cuttings will be potted up in one gallon black containers and i will keep them in the greenhouse for a few weeks just so they can acclimate to the new contsiner and i can help eliminate any additional stree on the newly planted cuttings. Once they have produced neww leaves and lookk happy to me, i will take them and put them in a semi shaded area for a few weeks and then introduce them to the full sunshine. Small steps so they will adjust slowly..

You are always so sweet and i appreciate all of the comments you share. I love your trees too!

Andrew..OMG I hope that i dont cause any problems at home!! LMAO!!! You are so funny. Hubby hasn't called the Little "White Truck" so i guess i am in the clear for now!! LOL.. You were so sweet to ask about bringing me back something from FC. I truly do appreciate all that you do and i really didnt wnt you to do that for me. I wanted you to have all the "carry on" space for you and your new trees. You have a great collection that you brought back. I cannt wait to see pictures of these beauties. Besides, "Leela" is pushing an inflo and what a better gift is that? JJ orange is looking like it is rooting, so you have done enough for me! You know that i cherish the cuttings from friends and i cant wait to share pics of the ones from you!!! Welcome home!!!

K2fl.. I cant wait to see yours too! When did you buy yours? Is it rooted? Please keep us updated on the progress of your trees! They are just amazing!! You doa great job!!!

NC...Thank you!! " Im in love too!" : ) I am a happy camper now!!! I will say that it does make you feel so good inside when you see the rewards of all of the time and patience that we take in the care of these beauties.

I will look for pics of yours when you receive it. You did buy it rooted? I see Matt is selling them rooted now. I wish that i had waited, but truly i feel good about it taking off the way it did and showing the progress of the rooting experience. My ulcers would have been happier though!! LOL... I was watching it all of the time.. But i did leave it alone.

I really wish that i had some secrets to share. Only that reading about why and what they need from us is so important. Understanding how they need good fast draining mix, proper watering and plenty of sunshine is probably the biggest part in understand how your trees respond to you. We are here to help, but if e give them what they need..they will show you what they really have to give back to us as far as the best growing ability for a container tree. Thank you for the nice compliments and i think you have a great collection already. It has taken me years to get to where i am today. Once you understand what and how.. it is qquite easy. You will do fine with your trees. They are so beauiful!!! You started a "Rhonda" frenzy.. and i will not have one.. LOL I am very happy with all that i have! But, please share pics of yours so i can enjoy those beautiful blooms!!! : )

Peg... You know how i was when i bought this cutting..LOL I was just beside myself. I never paid that amount nor would i ever confess to DH what i paid..SHHHhh!

"Don't ask..Dont tell" LOL...

Thank you foor always being there for me. You are a good friend!!

Greg.. Yes, it was worth every penny!! ;-) Thank you so much!! I am always "gaga" over your trees. You have such a beautiful collection. Always love your pics!!
I was thinking about when i confessed about my friend, Brandy and how she would be saying..."see..I told you.." and i thought of you! I love to ski and i certsinly hope that someday we will be able to share stories about Plumeria while sking down a black diamond somewhere!!

Wendy.. Mahalo!!!

When ever i tke a pic of my trees they are what the conditions sre outside. The ones of the rain on the blooms are all natural pictures. I dont spray before i take pics.. It was raining cats and dogs this am and i couldnt take any pics. So i went outside and brough the tree outside to be able to catch better light for the pic. My DH saw me in the rain and siad "what are you doing?" LOL.. I kept my camera close so it wouldnt get wet. But i had to get a natural pic in the outdoors instead of the greenouse. I dont foliar feed my trees, i used to .. but honestly, i dont have the time to fuss and do all that. I water when needed and fertilize weekly or close to that due to my job. I do have pest problems as well as everyone else, but i do wait until i really need to spray because last year i sprayed all of my trees for spidermites and the sun came out and i had lots of damage to my leaves. I am one to just let them be. Mother nature takes good care of most problems so i just look and watch for any problems then i will help when needed. I think my trees just love all of the rain that we have had. If and when i do spray my trees, it is usually in the early morning and it is very seldom that i do. The amount of growth since i posted pics of my trees on the deck have grown so much. I also will say that giving them the right fertilizer, water helps greatly in their growing potential and i just let them grow.

Bill is one that taught me long ago about not being a "mother hen" i do look at them all of the time, but i do keep my hands off of them especially the cuttings. I will be on watch for the "slugs" My "Prince" does help, but he needs me to be there for extra assistance!! LOL.. You are so nice to say all of those kind words. You do a wonnderful job on your trees. Living in CA is such a treat and im jealous of you all that live out there. Can you tell i love CA?

Take care everyone and thank you for all of the great support!!

Laura

Hi Laura - your Metalica is beautiful!! Every single one look absolutely happy and healthy. Keep up the good work.

Kasie

Thank YOU Kasie!!! Always love your trees... Thank you for your kind comments!!

NC.. I forgot to mention that the soil choice for your trees is key as well... They like a fast draining mix and as long as the roots are happy the rest of your trees and plants will be too! You can see the results of a good soil, nutritional and watering system..

The sun finally came out again.. YES!!!

Take care everyone!!!

Laura

I love the colors!
Tally HO!

Laura,
She is definately a beauty. Just elegant is what I think when I look at your pictures. And now of course she is on my wants list. lol You do such a wonderful job with your trees, and it shows. I only hope with time and experience, mine will do as well. Keep posting those pictures, we never get tired of those beautiful blooms. :)

Jackie

Thank you Laura. The last rooted cuttings I bought are all in Al's Gritty mix. So far so good.

I bought the ROOTED Metallica from Matt and will have to wait 1-2 months before he will send. I figured l better leave the rooting to the pro! I can't wait to get mine. I'm not holding my breath that I will get flowers this year... but hoping for next year. :)

Hi Laura,

I bought my rooted Metallica from Brad 2 weeks ago. I didn't expect him to have them. They're both single tips. I'm hoping at least one will bloom this season. We love your plumies. They're all so happy!

Kenny

Kenny have you received yours yet? How do they look?

Hi No Clue,

Yes I received them last Thursday. They're both very healthy cuttings.

One has a giant root ball! I'm very pleased with my order from Brad.

One also has a fat tip right now (maybe it's just in my head), so I'm hoping there'll be new tips and inflo forming LOL. Only time will tell.

Kenny

Kenny,

They are beautiful!!

Nice roots on those babies!!!

Nicole.. I forgot to tell you the scent.. Yesterday it seemed like i couldn't smell anything. Today, i really thought i smelled something sweet, like grape cotton candy... LOL

Nice trees Kenny!!!

Congratultions.. Your mix looks wonderful!! ;-)

Laura

Gorgeous new plants! Congrats.
Tally HO!

Kenny once those get some size I've got dibs on a cutting. appropriately compensated of course. :) looks great!!

Mike

Those are some nice cuttings!

Wow Kenny those look super! I hope you get an inflo soon. Please keep us posted.

I have to wait a long time to get mine. I don't know why Matt doesn't just root them before listing so impatient folks like myself don't have to wait. Had I received my Metallica I wouldnaverage caved so soon and bought two more plants today. I just wanted to see if I will get plants with huge root balls from BBB as well. :)

Laura,
Just wanted to ask, are those pebbles/rocks on the surface of your pot?? If it is I would remove them because if they get hot they will act as a heat conductor and burn the base of your Metalica. I had a cutting I had decorative pebbles and it ended up burning the trunk of my plumie to the point I had to cut it and re-root it.

Cheers

Thanks James.

i will remove them once i bring them outside to acclimate them from the greenhouse to the semishade for the summer. I do use those stones to support while in the greehouse right after potting up. I do agree with you about them getting warm during the heat of the day. But, right now, it is in the greenhouse with shadecloth and i want it to be stable. I will probably just remove the rocks soon and stake each side for stability like i used to do..

Thanks for the warning tho.

ALways like to hear your advice!!!

What does your JL Metallica smell like? I could have thought i smelled grape scent. or cotton candy sweet smell. Is my nose going coo coo? I would be curious to know what your smells like?

Thank you so much!!

Still over the pond?

Have a great time!!!

Laura

Hey Laura,
No worries just wanted to give you heads up. I actually use disposable chopsticks from Panda express or chinese take out, usually use 2 sets 4 pcs to support my new cuttings that are under 2 ft.

Chhers

Laura,

Grape? Oh yum! Now its really going to drive me crazy waiting for mine to bloom :)

Take care,

Nicole

Hi Nicole.

I swear i smell grape like Koolaid.. LOL

Laura

Yummy!! Wah... where is mine?? Oh right it's still rooting.

I wonder if I can talk DH into going to Hawaii and track down Matt and check on my Metallica... hmmmm... tempting... but then imagine how many more plants I can buy w/ the money from the trip! Maybe I should just stay put and buy more. :)

NC,
If your on Facebook Matt is under Oahu Tropicals.
A friend of mine met you @ JJ's and said such sweet things about you.
Cheers

Here is a link that might be useful: Matts FB page

Thank you Freak. I will add him to my FB. Everyone I met was so nice and welcoming. I love you all!

Hello Everyone,

Please forgive my manners...

Jackie,, thank you for your kind comments.. I am so sorry that i missed your post.

Tally... HO!!! LOL.. love your name!!!! I missed yours too! Thank you so much for your kind compliments.. I always have admired your trees. You do a great job!!

Thanks again everyone.. I am sorry if i left anyone out. it has been crazy working in this heat.. That is my "excuse" and i'm sticking to it!! LOL... it's not the age thing... or is it? : )

NO...............

Take care,

Laura

Hello Laura,

Just wondering how you are. Hope you aren't working too hard and youve had time to enjoy your lovely blooms:)

Nicole

Laura,
Wow!!! What a beauty!!! Now I'm kicking myself for not ordering one from BBB when he had them available. I was just not sure if the color would be true...obviously, it is. Please continue to post pics as more flowers open in different temps.

Congratulations!

Tony

Tony,
I use to live in Sherman Oaks and with your summer heat you will def get the color. My JL Metalica does not get the heat in the south bay area but it still will turn purple.

Laura,
Any new Metllica pics?

Update..

Pics today..

Have a great night!!!

Laura

Thanks for the show Laura.... Simply GORGEOUS!! The flowers look so healthy and happy...

Stunning. Congratulations on your present to yourself. It turned out to be a real treat.

Now I need some grape koolaide. As nice as the first pictures are...this time you were not standing in the rain to give us a show.

Wow I can totally smell the fragrance from here. Gorgeous Laura! Makes waiting for mine so worth it. Thanks God I bought the rooted cutting otherwise I would have killed her too.

Thank you for sharing!

Dang, that's an impressive inflo for a just-rooted cutting!

Wow Laura, you must be feeding that baby "Grape Koolaid" to get such beautiful flowers. Maybe that is why it smells like that :) Hard to believe that is a newly rooted cutting. You definitely have the knack for growing plumerias. It is just beautiful. Now I have to add that one to my ever growing Wish List.

Joan

It just gets better and better. Can you imagine when it's a 8' tree??? Looking good Laura. Peg

Hello Everyone,

Thank you all so much!!

We are expecting high temps tomorrow around 100 with heat indices 105-108..Yikes!!! Guess who gets to work? MMHmmm, me.

Nicole...You are so nice. Thank you for checking on me, i certainly appreciate all that you do. I have been working quite alot, but i will have some vacation soon! I just worry about this heat...i cant remember it being this hot in July. How are you? I hope all is well...

Hi Tony...Thank you! I was really nervous about this purchase too! It has turned out to be such a rewarding time and such a pleasure to see it come full circle. It's true beauty does show and i think my girlfriend has a lot to do with it! She is sending me a message from heaven to just say..."see, im glad you hit that button!! " : )

I love you and miss you Brandy...

Hi James.. I was thinking of you as i was taking these pics. I wonder what they would have looked like if it had longer to grow into a full inflo with this heat. It has really popped and it just loves its new home! Thanks for the interest. I do enjoy your knowledge...

Hi K. It was my B day present to myself... I knew that i really wanted this, so i did what we all want to do when we really want something... "DO IT" LOL.... I am very happy... Funny, afer i took this pic..the rain came and it felt like we were in a tropical rain forest. I did think of taking pics again...but i thought i will wait. I have some inflos appearing and i want to show them fully open. I can't wait for you to see them!

NC Did i read correctly that you bought a "rooted" Metallica, but have to wait for two months? Did he tell you that it will take that long? I thought it would have been rooted and he could ship as he does his other rooted trees. You will just love this beauty. It really smells like Grape Koolaid and i am just nuts over this one!

Good Luck.. You will do fine with yours!!

Hey Jen... Can you believe this? : ) I can't even explain how happy i am with the overall speed in rooting, then to see an inflo appear with the blooms that it wants to share. I am truly speechless. I am "truly in love..." : ) I am...

Joan. Thank you!! I really appreciate the compliments from you and i am so glad you like the pics that i sent. I did join the PSA. Looking forward to it all... Grape Koolaid is the key...LOL!!! Go ahead and put it on your list.. I would encourage all to have this beauty. Simply stunning and i usually don't like to say that about any of my blooms. This one is the exception. I love it!!!

Peg... It does keep getting better and better. Having you as a friend makes it that much better!! Mahalo!!

Thank you...

Take care,

Laura

Laura if I end up dead and in a casket it's all your fault! should I leave you my plumeria collection in my will!?! LOL! I have to get this before end of summer!

Andrew

Andrew,

LOLOLOL.. Of course i will... "GET IT" How is that for enabeling? EH?

You are sooo funny!

Don't tell J...

It is not my fault!!! Well... kind of... !

Laura

Shes looking FAB-U-LICIOUS! You must be very proud. I may die of impatience before I see blooms on mine! Keep posting so I can gawk :)

Take care!

Nicole

Gosh that is one gorgeous plant. I cannot believe how healthy and beautiful she looks. Heck I am proud and she is not even mine! Lol

Hi Nicole,

You are such a sweetie!!! I can't wait for your updates on your baby... I am one happy camper. Thank you . I just have to chuckle on your taste in Plumeria.. We have the same trees.. LOL Great minds... : )

Thank you No CLue.. You make me excited just thinking about this beautiful tree. I am very pleased at the rate it has grown and the inflo it has produced. SHe sure is putting on a show for me and i am very proud.. I hope they last a long time, cuz i will se so sad when they finally stop blooming. It has really made me very happy..

Your enthusiam is contagious.. Thank you!! I hope you receive yours soon. Have fun!! Tks again!! : )

Laura

Laura,

Yes I ordered mine from Matt but he said they only cut then root when we order so however long it takes to root is however long we have to wait. Which I don't quite understand. Why not just root them before hand so impatient folks like myself don't have to wait. LOL. It's not like they won't be able to sell a ROOTED Metallica, kwim?

This beauty has captured my heart. It doesn't hurt that purple is my favorite color. She got the looks, the scent and rarity. What's not to love?

Whew, at those prices I'm glad I DON'T like purple, lol.

Hi Laura,

Thanks for the great pics of Metallica.
Your plumies are gorgeous as usual:)

Thank You Clubite,

I really apreciate your kind comments..love to see you post more here.. EVeryone is very friendly and will help you in any way!!

Including myself!! ALways ask, and i will help you... You know that already!!! : )

You are such a nice person... Please come back and post.

Thank you for the kind words..! : )

Laura