OUTDOOR: Adventure Mermaid with useful tips on how to grow plumeria

Growing Plumeria in Coronado

Story & Photos by Roberta Lenert

lumeria is the quintessential tropical island plant: viewing their bright fl owers and breathing their wonderful fragrance immediately transports me to a Hawaiian island. But you don’t have to be on those tropical islands to own and grow these delightful plants, you can do it here on Coronado Island too!

Plumeria may be a perfect edition to your garden, either potted or in the soil. It has beautifully fragrant fl owers that provides topical beauty while being drought tolerant and requiring very little watering. It comes in many variations of color, scent and size. For all their variety one thing all plumeria have in common is its unforgettable tropical beauty and smell!

Key elements

The key elements to growing your own beautiful plumeria right here in Coronado are full sun, warmth, nutrients and well-draining soil. Best location: Full sun. Plumeria want full sun for six to eight hours with an afternoon shade. In fact, many healthy plants won’t even bloom unless they have su cient sun. Best soil: Cactus Soil mixed with Perlite. Plumeria are susceptible to disease, and cactus mix soils will increase oxygenation and drainage and reduce risk of rotting. Heavy soils and dirt can keep the roots too wet. If the roots don’t dry out between waterings, or during winter dormancy, it will lead to root rot, the number one reason that plumeria doesn’t thrive.

Best watering schedule:

Spring: Provide small drinks and fertilize as the plant wakes from dormancy, when its new leaves are about two inches long. Then water once a week as the plant wakes up.

Summer: Deep water two to three times a week during the hot sunny days.

Fall and Winter: No watering! Plumeria are dormant in these seasons, and water at the roots will only lead to rot. Best Fertilizers: Excalibur Plumeria Fertilizer 11-11-14 SUPERthrive Vitamin Solution

Stages of plumeria: Spring: Looking for signs of life

Around April, Plumeria will start to wake from dormancy. First you will notice leaf claws starting to emerge from the tips of the branches. Once leaves are about two inches long, it is time for regular watering. As the leaves continue to emerge, you might see some fl ower infl ows. These are the parts of the plumeria plants that the blooms come from.

Summer: Full Bloom Ahead

Plumeria love summer weather: Full sun, long hot days and warm nights. Summer is the time that you will see Plumeria in full bloom all over Coronado. If you look closely, you might start to notice beautiful plants and trees in your neighbor’s front yard, in front of the Coronado Community Center and throughout the Coronado Cays!

Fall/Winter: Plumeria goes dormant

Plumeria fl owers will drop after blooming, and the leaves will turn brown and fall o shortly after. This signals the end of Plumeria season. Even if plants retain some leaves, they are not actively photosynthesizing. Time to stop watering the plants and if possible keep them in a warm, dry place until spring. If the temperature outside drops below 60 degrees, consider bringing small plants inside.

How to grow Plumeria from a cutting:

A truly fantastic trait of Pulmeria is that new plants can be grown from cuttings. After establishing roots,

these cuttings may produce blooms the same year they are cut! Cuttings also encourage growth in the parent plant and may serve to increase healthy airfl ow, so there are benefi ts all around.

Once a cutting is taken, cut any leaves and fl owers to direct its energy to rooting, and give it time to callus. This is the process where the cut dries and scars to protect the inside of the plant from bacteria in soil. This must happen before the plant grows roots. Give the process at least two weeks; store the cutting upright, out of the sun, in a warm and dry area. The cut should be tough enough that it is hard to leave a thumbnail imprint.

There are three common options for growing cuttings:

1) Bag root: Fill a plastic sandwich bag with cactus soil, a sprinkle of perlite and a spritz or two of water. Insert your cutting a few inches into the soil, wrap the top of the bag around the cutting with painter’s tape. Store upright in a warm, dry place. If you feel the plant is getting dehydrated, spritz the stem. Watch for roots to show in the clear bag, which may take one to two months. 2) Spritz the callus, and let the cutting stand in perlite or a similar dry medium. Keep in a warm, dark place. Let stand for a few weeks or months and roots should emerge. 3) Direct planting. With a good callus, you can also put the cutting directly into the cactus soil/perlite mixture. It is harder to know when it has rooted and is ready for full watering but watch for leaf growth. Large cuttings, often with brown wood, have a great success rate and are referred to as Insta-trees.

My Favorite Plumeria Varieties:

Perhaps the most common Plumeria is Celadine, with its large, fragrant white blooms. It is popular for a reason: it is hardy, has very strong and resilient roots, and one of the strongest scents. This is my strong recommendation for any beginner. Here is a list of the rest of my favorites:

Kaneohe Starburst

Aztec Gold

Nebel’s Rainbow

Candy Stripe

University of Hawaii Orange aka Tahitian Moonglow

Thornton’s Lemon Drop

Where to buy Plumeria

Plumeria are becoming available at more and more locations. I have found some great seasonal buys a Home Depo, Lowe's and Costco. If you are looking for a more specifi c variety, consider contacting:

Jungle Jack’s Plumeria (Vista)

junglejacksplumeria.com

Jim Little Plumeria (Shipping from HI)

jlplumeriahawaii.com

Konishi Plumerias (Anaheim)

5911 W Cerritos Ave, Cypress, CA 90630

Also, consider following or joining the Southern California Plumeria Society at southerncaliforniaplumeriasociety.com. They put out great information and have huge cutting and plant sales during spring and summer at Balboa Park. They are also an excellent point of contact for plant health questions or if your excellent point of contact for plant health questions or if your plumeria tree needs pruning.

• Adventure Mermaid: Roberta Lenert lives in the Coronado Cays with her husband Ron and their two children Kailani (15) and Cameron (13). Roberta teaches Marine Biology, Zoology and Robotics. She is an ocean and animal activist, curator of The Mermaid Organic Garden and a passionate water woman! You can visit her online at www.MermaidRoberta.com