Plumeria, also known as Frangipani by many, is a member of the Apocynaceae family which is commonly called dogbane family. This dogbane family consists of about 200 genera and more than 2000 species. Members of this family of flowering tropical plants are often found in subtropical and tropical regions of the world and include trees, shrubs, herbs and lianas.
All members of this family have a milky sap, latex, which can be seen flowing when parts of the plant are cut or injured. Many of the flowers are fragrant and generally include 5 petals. Adenium, Allamanda, Catharanthus, Mandevilla, Nerium oleander and Thevetia are well known members of the Apocynaceae family. The Asclepiadaceae family, which includes Asclepias tuberosa and Stephanotis, has been combined with the Apocynaceae family by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, APG.
These tropical plants can grow to different heights depending on the variety, ranging from 3 to 6 feet for dwarfs to 40 feet tall. Most plumerias are deciduous in their native habitats during the shorter days of the year, except varieties of Plumeria obtusa, which keep most of their leaves all year long.
It is possible for Plumerias to be rooted, grown, and flowering all year long under grow lights indoors when proper growing conditions are provided, including proper potting medium, fertilizer, humidity, temperature and air flow.
During the summer months these tropical beauties can grow and flower outdoors as far north as Alaska and Sweden. Plumerias don't need the tropical sun and constant high temperatures of their natural habitat to produce their exotic flowers. Well flowering plumeria plants need a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight a day outdoors or 14 - 16 hours per day indoors under grow lights. Proper fertilization and growing techniques are more important than the tropical sun.
Following is a short list of some proven and tested Plumeria varieties:
● Celadine, produces bright yellow flowers with a white margin that can be up to 3 inches and more in diameter. The flowers have a strong citrus fragrance and excellent keeping quality.
● Hilo Beauty, produces extraordinary deep red flowers, reminding one of red velvet, which can be up to 4 inches in diameter. The flowers have heavy texture, excellent keeping quality and a strong spicy fragrance which becomes even stronger after the flower has been picked.
● India, produces flowers with deep red lines which show up nicely against the yellow to orange background. Flowers have a heavy texture and can be up to 4 inches in diameter. The fragrance of the flowers is very sweet and keeping quality is very good.
● Kauka Wilder, produces exotic flowers which are a combination of red and yellow which results in extraordinary vibrant flowers. Flowers are up to 3 inches and more across and have a very sweet fragrance. This plumeria flowers early and easily.
● Kimo, is called the "Chameleon" because it changes the color and the intensity of its flowers dramatically depending on where it's grown. The orange flowers are heavily overlapping and almost form a circle. The flowers have a delightful sweet fragrance, heavy texture and good keeping quality.
● Kuleana, is one Plumeria not often seen, but its well worth mentioning.The yellow petals moderately overlap and show some pink towards the tips. The flowers are sweetly scented and have an excellent keeping quality.
● Lucky Star, produces rainbow colored flowers which are between 3 and 3 ½ inches in diameter. The center of the flower is red from which pink, red and yellow bleed into the petals with one side of the petals being dark pink. The fragrance of the flowers is sweet and keeping quality is very good.
● Lurline, produces exotic flowers which are a combination of orange and red on yellow. The outer edges and tips of the petals show some purple. The flowers are up to 4 inches in diameter and have a very good keeping quality. The fragrance is spicy and flower production continues for many months.
● Neon Lights, is an often overlooked Plumeria producing vibrantly pink colored flowers. The word "neon" is a perfect fit for the flowers which are about 3 inches in diameter, have a sweet fragrance and excellent keeping quality. The flowers have a reddish center from which some yellow and gold "bleeds" into the petals.
● Samoan Fluff, produces 3 ½ inches white flowers with a small yellow center. This plumeria produces full inflorescences of sweetly scented flowers which have a very good keeping quality.
● Tomlinson, is an excellent easy to grow plumeria producing pink and white flowers with a small yellow center. Flowers are around 3 inches in diameter, have a sweet fragrance and very good keeping quality.
● Waimea, produces breathtaking orange red flowers which can turn deep red depending on where this plumeria is grown. Flowers are up to 3 ½ inches in diameter, have a sweet fragrance and good keeping quality.
● Hilo Beauty, produces extraordinary deep red flowers, reminding one of red velvet, which can be up to 4 inches in diameter. The flowers have heavy texture, excellent keeping quality and a strong spicy fragrance which becomes even stronger after the flower has been picked.
● India, produces flowers with deep red lines which show up nicely against the yellow to orange background. Flowers have a heavy texture and can be up to 4 inches in diameter. The fragrance of the flowers is very sweet and keeping quality is very good.
● Kauka Wilder, produces exotic flowers which are a combination of red and yellow which results in extraordinary vibrant flowers. Flowers are up to 3 inches and more across and have a very sweet fragrance. This plumeria flowers early and easily.
● Kimo, is called the "Chameleon" because it changes the color and the intensity of its flowers dramatically depending on where it's grown. The orange flowers are heavily overlapping and almost form a circle. The flowers have a delightful sweet fragrance, heavy texture and good keeping quality.
● Kuleana, is one Plumeria not often seen, but its well worth mentioning.The yellow petals moderately overlap and show some pink towards the tips. The flowers are sweetly scented and have an excellent keeping quality.
● Lucky Star, produces rainbow colored flowers which are between 3 and 3 ½ inches in diameter. The center of the flower is red from which pink, red and yellow bleed into the petals with one side of the petals being dark pink. The fragrance of the flowers is sweet and keeping quality is very good.
● Lurline, produces exotic flowers which are a combination of orange and red on yellow. The outer edges and tips of the petals show some purple. The flowers are up to 4 inches in diameter and have a very good keeping quality. The fragrance is spicy and flower production continues for many months.
● Neon Lights, is an often overlooked Plumeria producing vibrantly pink colored flowers. The word "neon" is a perfect fit for the flowers which are about 3 inches in diameter, have a sweet fragrance and excellent keeping quality. The flowers have a reddish center from which some yellow and gold "bleeds" into the petals.
● Samoan Fluff, produces 3 ½ inches white flowers with a small yellow center. This plumeria produces full inflorescences of sweetly scented flowers which have a very good keeping quality.
● Tomlinson, is an excellent easy to grow plumeria producing pink and white flowers with a small yellow center. Flowers are around 3 inches in diameter, have a sweet fragrance and very good keeping quality.
● Waimea, produces breathtaking orange red flowers which can turn deep red depending on where this plumeria is grown. Flowers are up to 3 ½ inches in diameter, have a sweet fragrance and good keeping quality.
Flowering Plumeria plants reward gardeners many times over for the work involved in growing them with their unique individual colors, fragrances and beauty.
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