The Main Plant entry for Plumerias (Plumeria)

"Plumeria is a genus of flowering plants in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. It contains seven or eight species of mainly deciduous shrubs and small trees. They are native to Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America as far south as Brazil but have been spread throughout the world's tropics.

Plumeria is related to the Oleander, Nerium oleander, and both possess an irritant, rather similar to that of Euphorbia. Contact with the sap may irritate eyes and skin.

Plumeria flowers are most fragrant at night in order to lure sphinx moths to pollinate them. The flowers have no nectar, however, and simply dupe their pollinators. The moths inadvertently pollinate them by transferring pollen from flower to flower in their fruitless search for nectar."

Taken from wikipedia's page at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P...

Reply to this comment

Plumerias are a long-term project. If cost is an issue, try growing them from seed. Fresh seeds can be found inexpensively on co-ops. I'm in year 3 with my plumeria seedlings. They make great gifts for gardener friends, and it is an event when they bloom after years of waiting. If you are less patient, buy sticks, root them, and it still will take a couple of years. In most parts of the United States, bring them indoors in winter, put them in the garage or basement, and only water them monthly. Then repot them in spring, plunge the pot in soil, and let it take off for the summer months.

1 reply