Plumeria question

[Danelady]

I have a question for all you other plumeria growers. I've had mine for just over 2 years now. I know they don't bloom until they branch. At the very end of this summer one of mine started to branch. There were 4 little nubs at the center. 3 of them have turned out to be branches, the other one is what I would guess would be the bloom (I don't know the proper name here!) You can see the small bud in the picture. My question is, will this go on to bloom in the spring when I put it back outside or has something happened to it and now it will not bloom?? The size of it has not changed as the other growths have developed. All the branching started at the end of summer.
The nub in question is the small growth you can see in the center.

[lmartiny]

It looks like new growth branching out to me. These typically go dormant in the winter. Lose their leaves, etc. Mine have been outside, covered with a sheet. Fingers crossed. They do have a cold threshold.

[Bolero]

Yeah it looks like it's branching out. I make sure I get my plants as much sun as possible in spring in order to flower well in Summer.

[Danelady]

I know it is branching, but if you look right in the middle of the cluster there is one little nub that isn't doing the same as all the others. I was wondering if this was the beginning of a bloom and if it stalled because of the season change and if it will go on to bloom in the spring or did this plant miss its chance to bloom and I will have to wait until the next branching???

[Bolero]

I see the one in the middle that looks like it has terminated and stopped developing. It has a 'flat head'. I don't know that it was a bloom, I still think that one is also branching but I could be wrong.

EDITED 5 MINUTES LATER: Actually just checking mine and you might be right, that could well have been the start of a spike. My spikes come up on a growth like that, I hadn't paid that much attention before now.

I think there is a forum on Plumeria and they will know for certain.

[lmartiny]

I can't remember but I think there is a bumpy appearance at the top which would the the flowers to be in the future.

[Tony]

PLUMERIA 101.COM Everything You Need To Know About Growing Plumeria.

If you grow Plumeria from seed, it takes about 4 years to flower. Take a look at the website I posted above. It has a lot information about Plumerias.

[Danelady]

Originally Posted by Tony

PLUMERIA 101.COM Everything You Need To Know About Growing Plumeria.

If you grow Plumeria from seed, it takes about 4 years to flower. Take a look at the website I posted above. It has a lot information about Plumerias.

Thanks for the info. I will have to take a look! These were given to me by a friend who started them from seeds. She planted the seeds in the Spring and I got the plants in the Fall. That was '06, so maybe I'll get flowers this year!

[lissie0113]

what is the lowest temp that plumerias can withstand? i have a cutting i brought back from hawaii 2 years ago, and ive been wondering how low i can let it stay outside? as it has beeen very very cold down here lately.....

[Tony]

Lissie

Once the temperature starts to drop close to 40, you stand the chance of damaging them if not loosing them. I would think though , in Florida that you could probably wrap them. I would think that the roots will stay warm if they are in the ground.

[Bolero]

Everyone seems to disagree with me on some of these forums but this winter mine went down to 32F, I kept them dry and I kept them under cover and away from frost. I don't recommend getting them that low but 40F should be fairly safe if protected as I have just said. Just don't let them get wet - they should be dormant and don't let them freeze. I have seen people around here with mature trees of Plumeria in their front yards and they have withstood many years of cold temperatures. But this climate is different (temperate) and we don't get the cold fronts that you might.

[lmartiny]

I think it is the extended cold snaps that hurt the most. 32 generally is OK I think. It's how long. Mine got it, but I think they'll come back. They typically lose their leaves anyway. I did just water, but think they needed it. we'll know eventually.

[Bolero]

Originally Posted by lmartiny

I think it is the extended cold snaps that hurt the most. 32 generally is OK I think. It's how long. Mine got it, but I think they'll come back. They typically lose their leaves anyway. I did just water, but think they needed it. we'll know eventually.

Ah yes length of the cold snap would make a difference. Generally when it gets that cold here it might be just before dawn but then quickly warms up. The winters here are generally mild so that could certainly help.

When mine loses its leaves I stop watering until the weather starts to warm again in Spring.