Plumeria

Plumeria is a tropical plant

In the genre of Plumeria Species of both trees and shrubs are included, all of them originating in the tropical regions of America. They have very long leaves, and delicate flowers, very aromatic. In fact, they are so beautiful that this is the main reason why they are grown, since they also have very soft and cheerful colors.

Although they are very sensitive to cold, if the light and temperature conditions are right, they can be indoors all year round without any problem. But so that it is not too difficult, the first thing to know are its characteristics and its needs. In this way, we can decide whether to acquire one or not.

How is the plumeria?

Plumeria is a medium-sized shrub or tree

Plumeria, also called frangipani, is the name given to a dozen species found in tropical America, although its cultivation has spread throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world; even It is kept as an indoor plant in areas where the climate is temperate. and, therefore, where the winters are very cold for it, as is the case in many provinces of Spain, such as those in the Mediterranean region.

They grow rather slowly, but multiply well by cuttings; as a consequence, it is relatively easy to get a good size specimen from a branch. Its foliage can be deciduous or perennial., depending on the species but also, and above all, on the climate: if it is warm, without frost, and receives water whenever it needs it, the most normal thing is that it behaves as an evergreen; On the other hand, if the temperatures gradually drop below 15ºC, then the leaves will begin to lose their color and there will come a time when they will fall.

Such leaves, by the way, are quite large: they can be about 30 centimeters long by 10 centimeters wide., and are bright green or dull green. In addition, they have a long petiole that joins them to the branch. If it is plucked when the petiole is still green, we will see that a milky sap comes out of the wound: a latex that, if it comes into contact with a wound, will cause irritation and itching.

Its flowers appear in terminal, erect inflorescences, at the end of some branches, during the summer.. These measure about 5-7 centimeters in diameter, and can be white, yellow, pink or red. The fruit is an elongated capsule about 15 centimeters long which can contain up to 60 winged seeds.

What types of plumerias are there?

Of more or less ten species, there are only three that can be found for sale with any ease. These are:

white plumeria

The Plumeria alba is a tree

Image - Wikimedia / Magnus Manske

La white plumeria, also known as white wallflower although it has nothing to do with wallflowers (that is, with herbs of the Matthiola genus), is a species native to Mexico to the Antilles. It is a bush, or if you prefer a small tree, that reaches a maximum height of 6 meters. Its leaves are deciduous, and it produces white flowers..

obtuse plumeria

Plumeria obtusa is a white flowered tree

Image - Wikimedia / Forest and Kim Starr

Plumeria obtusa, also called white frangipani, is a shrub native to Florida, Mexico, the West Indies, and Guatemala. It grows to a height of between 2 and 5 meters, although it can sometimes exceed 7 meters. The flowers are about 20 centimeters long, and its flowers are white with a yellow center.

plumeria pudica

The Plumeria is a medium tree

Image - Wikimedia / Vengolis

La plumeria pudica It is a species of evergreen shrub native to Colombia, Panama and Venezuela. It reaches a height of about 2 to 3 meters, and develops very large leaves, about 25 centimeters long, with somewhat folded edges. The flowers are white, and also have a yellow center., like the previous species.

red plumeria

The Plumeria rubra has colorful flowers

Image - Wikimedia / John Robert McPherson

La red plumeria, known as frangipani, is a deciduous tree native from Mexico to Central America. It reaches a maximum height of 25 meters, although it is normal that it does not exceed 8 meters. The leaves are long, reaching 30 centimeters in length, and green. Its flowers bloom in summer, and can be pink, purple, or whitish..

What are the plumeria care?

It is a plant that needs quite simple care actually. Moreover, as we are going to see below, plumeria or frangipani can do very well if we make sure they do not lack light, water (but not too much), and if we protect them from the cold.

Where do you put it?

the plumeria needs to be exposed to direct sunlight, or in case of being inside, it has to be placed in a room where there is a lot, a lot of light; that is, there must be windows facing east, so that the sun's rays illuminate the room.

But in addition, it is important that, if it is inside the house, we avoid putting it near the air currents generated by devices such as the fan; and if, on the contrary, we are going to grow it outdoors, we will also have to protect it from the wind if it blows strongly.

When do you have to water it?

Keep in mind that it is very sensitive to excess water, so irrigation must be well controlled to prevent the roots and therefore the trunk from rotting. So that, what we will do is let the soil dry before watering again, almost as we would if we were tending a cactus.

Thus, assuming that we have it outdoors and that it does not rain, and that temperatures also exceed 30ºC, it may have to be watered twice a week. On the contrary, if the weather is cooler, then the watering will be more spaced.

What land do you need?

It will depend on whether it is in a pot or in the ground:

  • Flower pot: we will put a light substrate that drains the water well. Coconut fiber is interesting, but also the universal substrate of some brands such as Westland o fertiberia.
  • Garden: grows in soils with a slightly acidic or neutral pH, and with good drainage.

What is the season of the subscriber?

Plumeria is sensitive to frost

You have to pay as long as the weather is good and the plant is growing. This means that fertilizer will be applied in spring and summer, as well as in autumn as long as temperatures remain above 18ºC.

For this, we will use organic fertilizers, such as guano (without mixing with fertilizers) as this, mulch, or seaweed compost.

How does plumeria reproduce?

the frangipani can be multiplied either by seeds in spring-summer, or by cuttings in spring. This last method is the most used, since it is easy to get new specimens of a certain height in a matter of a few weeks.

In addition, you only have to cut a branch, impregnate its base with rooting hormones such as these, and finally plant it in a pot with a light and fluffy substrate, such as coconut fiber (for sale here) or vermiculite (for sale here).

If it is left in an area where there is a lot of light but not direct, and the substrate is kept moist but not waterlogged, it should not take more than two weeks to produce its first roots.

Does it resist the cold?

Not much. From own experience, the only one that can somewhat withstand the cold and even some weak and occasional frost (down to -1,5ºC), is the Plumeria rubra var acutifolia. But still, I recommend protecting them indoors if there is frost.

Where to buy?

You can get one here:


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