Hi Jackie,

I bought a one tip plant with inflo from Fuzzy back in May I believe. But the inflo fell off during transit! So essentially I had a stick with no leaves and no info that I paid a fortune for.

Anyway, there it sat for a full two months not doing a thing! Finally this past two weeks, I noticed it had split into two branches and finally sprouting out some baby leaves. The trunk is solid but does have a little wrinkling (in fact a lot of mine have wrinkles so I don't know what that means). The two tips are very very new so I am hoping they will get bigger in the next couple weeks. I too baby that a little more, only giving her morning sun and moving her into the shade around 2pm.

I have no idea if it will bloom next year after having an inflo this year. I guess I won't expect much and hope she will surprise me. But from her pictures that other posted I think it will be awesome when she does bloom for us! :)

Waimea
The name comes from Oahu Hawaii North Shore area of the Island where the River meets the Sea. This river creates a beautiful "Green Zone" rich in volcanic soils and unique in its biodiversity. Because if its rich history it is very sacred to native Hawaiians.
The name Waimea was given to this plumeria from Jim Little (as I am told) for this cultivar. I bought his book in hopes to find out more, however there's only the image on the front cover.
I have grown Waimea for over 7 years with no disappointment what so ever. Every cutting I've made rooted in 5 to 6 weeks followed by a bounty of leaves.
When you see the wrinkles on the trunk of a cutting this is normal, especially on a new cutting and even on other varieties. This is where the "Stored Sap" has left voids in the vascular tissues in the base of the cutting.
I'm seeing this on my "Hilo Beauty" right now and yes, it sure makes one wonder "Gee how's it doing?".
I can assure you it will in time swell back into shape!
Waimea have growth habits much like Aztec Gold and very easy to root and even for a red.
Here's a glorious photo taken of Waimea Valley Canyon in Hawaii / name given to this beautiful flower.

It's beautiful Stuart!!! Looks like a green grand canyon. I hope to get to the islands some day. Thanks for taking the time to share it with us. Peg

Hi Peg,

I feel it's important to share how and why plumerias are named especially Jim Little cultivars.
I also understand the Waimea has not been registered with the PSA, don't know why as it's an incredible and amazing flower!
Maybe others can answer why?
Stuart

One of my photos from 2010 / Tropic 7 Plumeria, Stuart

Hi Stuart!!

I am just wishing i was back in the islands.

Love those pics and the history behind the name of this beauty!!

We did get to visit Waimea Bay (North SHore) and i just fell in love with all of the islands..

We had the pleasure to visit the islands two times and i just loved them all. My favorite was Oahu and Maui.. OK Kauai was beautiful too! Kona.. Black Marlin fishing.. LOL.. I was 6 months pregnant when i went fishing. They had no idea i was.. I had fun though... : )

Now im in the mood to see ladies with leis like that again.

Dreaming in Virginia...

Thank YOU!!

Laura

Stuart- magical is all I can come up with. It was on the North Shore that my love for plumeria started. Long story. Your pictures took me back there.

Thank you

Yes.. Thank you!!!

Both are beautiful!!!

Tks DelWH!!

Been there too! Quite beautiful!!!

Thanks for the info.. : )

Some would think that Waimea Bay is the only spot...

Mahalo!

Laura

Hi Stuart
Thank you for the explaination. Your pictures are just beautiful. I have not been fortunate enough to visit the islands yet, but its definately on my bucket list lol right at the top. My Waimea looks better this morning. I am still learning the watering process with the different ones. I think it just needed a good drink. We had several drenching storms and I thought they were ok with that. You live and learn. I do find divine a thirsty one. I guess waimea is the same for me here. Thanks again your pics are gorgeous!!!
Jackie

Yes, DelWH

The flower was named after the Waimea Canyon, I mistyped Oahu North Shore were it is grown at Jim Little Farms.
The Island of Kauai is correct.
There's also a Waimea on the Big Island home of Parker's Cattle Ranch.

The word Waimea in Hawaiian language means "with red" and Kauaûi name for a kind of mÃÂmaki, having leaves with red veins and stems resembling those of the olomea.

I appreciate the correction!
Stuart

Ok Stuart you're making me really really want to go back to Hawaii now. Brings back a lot of memories.

Funny the last couple years every time DH said let's go to Hawaii I have turned it down. I wanted to go somewhere else that I have never been to before. Anyway, now that I'm addict to Plumeria, I have been hinting that I'm ready to go back. And he was like "Why?" I think he knows about my ulterior motive!!

Waimea bay on Oahu is known for the big waves that roll in every year. I watch Robbie Nash windsurf 35' waves until they closed the beaches, the waves hit 48' that day. In the summer it is the perfect place to go snorkling.

I need to go back to work at Queens.

Did ya'll notice the trees behind the dancers??
Tally HO!

Jackie:

Waimea is one of the thirstiest plants that I own. It takes an enormous amount of water.

If this year is any indication, it's a very generous bloomer--mine is in bloom right now for the second time. With the heat the colors are so saturated that the unopened blooms appear almost black:

Oh!, and the fragrance is one of the best that I have smelled! So sweet!

Greg

It's beautiful Greg !!! I love it when they have a great smell too. Hope your not working too hard. Peg

I spent a long week on Kauai and loved it. Loved the canyon.

Plumeria 'Waimea' looks beautiful. I love the colors. I don't really need another lanky grower, but in this case I might have to make an exception!

Sometimes when you buy plants, the plants get jostled around in the pot at the nursery. That's not good for roots. They can get sheared off. So the plants take time to recover. If this is the case, I would put the plant in part shade in afternoons until it becomes robust again.

Where did you get it???

I got mine at a Lei Stand before you get to Waimea Bay, the lady selling leis had orchids & plumeria and other tropicals, her son said it came from Jim Little Farms. The leaves were cut off but the blooms were still on it as most of their cutting were. I paid $10.00 for it. The lady told me it was a very special one. This was seven years ago.
All my Waimea I'm still taking cuttings from as I now have two trees of it. I potted some up in May and even these new cuttings are starting to bloom!

Stuart, thank you for sharing those incredible photos! We're planning (fingers crossed!) to go next year and Waimea Canyon was on my wishlist of top spots to visit. I just showed DH the photos and he was wowed, too.

Wildfire is a water hog, too. I wonder if it's reds in general that appreciate more water.

My son is stationed in Oahu. Lucky me I was so fortunate to go there! Poor me I can't afford to go back! I am head over heels for plumeria. The island is breathtaking too!

I reread this thread after it got bumped back up to the top of the list. Dave, I don't know if you'll even read this, but just in case: if my tree is a typical example, I would not describe Waimea's growth as "lanky." It's definitely a vigorous grower (and a water-hog), but the growth on mine is very tight--no stretching at all. Also, 2 of the 3 original tips have grown more or less parallel to the ground as they've extended outward from the trunk, and the tip that is blooming now has formed 4 new tips that now appear to be extending more laterally than upward. In fact, it will soon be wider than it is tall, if it isn't already.

Such a form could possibly create a winter storage headache for you Northern types ;-) but that fact aside, I would think that most of us would find this type of growth highly desirable in our container-cultivated trees, assuming we have the space to accommodate it. No out-of-reach flowers, that's for sure.

I'll try to post a photo of the entire tree sometime soon if anyone is interested.

Greg

I for one Greg would love to see it. It helps to know the trees growth habit too. Peg

Greg, thanks for the info! There's so little information online about a plant's characteristics on the vendor sites. Usually all you see is a shot of the bloom.

Peg and Dave,

I agree that one of the most frustrating aspects of plumie collecting is the scarcity of reliable descriptions of growth habits--and furthermore, even when there are descriptions available, the information is often conflicting from source to source. (Peg, the list that you provided me from Diana highlights this problem.)

At any rate, here is a decent shot of my Waimea tree--it's difficult to capture it well, but this will at least give you an idea of how it's been growing. This tree arrived at my home as a much smaller 3-tip a mere 15 months ago. Bottom line: I think it has a lovely and desirable form.

Greg

Wow Greg!! GORGEOUS!! She grew a lot in 15 months so there is hope for me afterall!

I bought two online both with inflos and BOTH dropped inflo a day or two after I received them! So now I have TWO bald Waimeas!!

Last week I bought a bigger Waimea from a local guy hoping to up my chances of seeing some blooms next year. There is something special about Waimea... and ever since I saw your pictures from months ago... I have not stopped pining over her.

Thank you for sharing that. I prefer them to be fuller rather than long and lanky.

Great shot! I suppose one could tie up the lateral-growing limbs if one wanted a more upright plant. But, the plant's going to grow how it wants eventually.

Well it will definitely keep the blooms in nose height. Thanks Greg for posting. I see you have it tied up as I would think it would be likely to break as they get longer. Oh well, who wouldn't want more Waimea !!! Peg