I bought the new Plumeria at Sloat Gardens. I didn’t think such a tropical plant would survive in San Francisco, with it’s cold, foggy summers, but since they had a lot of them for sale, I figure there’s at least a chance it will survive!
When I got home I searched the web for resources or tips for growing one in SF, but couldn’t find anything very specific. However, between the tag on my plant and what I could find around the web, here are my tips for keeping this little beauty alive:
- Give it as much sun as possible. I live in Noe Valley, which tends to get less fog than much of the city. I’ve also got a southwest-facing balcony. I hope that’s enough sun!
- Don’t try to transplant it right away. Young plumeria have very delicate roots. If you try to transplant it before it’s had a full year to grow, you may break the roots and it will have to start over next year.
- Do not overwater. In warmer climates, this isn’t as much of a problem, but in San Francisco, too much water will cause the roots to mold.
- Make sure the soil is very well drained. This is especially important if you transplant your plumeria into the ground.
- Bring it inside during the winter. And don’t water it. When the weather starts to get cooler, the leaves will fall off and the tree will go dormant. This is normal! But don’t leave it outside for the rainy season. This is especially critical if you live in a place where the temperature gets cold or freezing. This probably isn’t critical in SF, but I am still going to bring it inside to avoid the rain.
I think that’s it. Right now, she looks pretty healthy (they always do right after you buy them!). Hopefully she makes it through the year and blooms next year. I’ll keep posting pictures so you can see her progress.
So what’s her name?
Hello. I just got back from Hawaii with some plumeria sticks. I have no idea where to start. Would you be able to help??
Please email me. milano20@htomail.com
I’ll need all the help that I can get. Thanks!
Hi Milano,
You can go to http://www.plumeria101.com - There’s a lot of information on how to start seeds and cuttings, problems & solutions (Rust fungus, Black tip Fungus, Leaf Stress, Stem Rot, Spider mites, etc.), and there is a section on General Information. I find it very helpful.
I live in Southern California…our weather is warmer than up north…Good Luck!
I have what looks like a seed pod on one of my plants, when can I or can
I harvest the seeds.
The pod is about 6 to 8 inchs long and resembles a “T” with one on each side of a stem.
I have had plumeia’s for a couple of years and this is the first time I have
seen this.
Can any body help me?
I live in the Los Angeles area
I’ve never had any pods (but then again, my plumeria is less than a year old). I did a web search and found a couple pages that mention them. Here’s one from the site mentioned above: http://www.plumeria101.com/seed_pods/seed_pods.html (Sounds like you should let it mature for 8 - 10 months before you try to harvest the seeeds).
Hi!
How’s your plumeria doing? Had mine’s since last summer and all the leaves fell off during the winter. I recently moved mine’s to a portable greenhouse. Wondering if you had any tips for growing plumerias in the South Bay. Thanks!
Jessica,
It’s very normal for all the leaves to fall off in the winter - that’s the plumeria going dormant. Around here, when the weather gets cold, move the plumeria someplace where it won’t freeze, and won’t get wet. Leave it there until all risk of severe cold has passed, then you can move it back outside. Don’t water it though until the weather starts to warm up.
-blake
Hi Jessica,
I am in south bay too and just picked up Plumeria cutting from local retail store. I’ve never grown plumeria. Do you any tips for me to grow it in Sunnyvale/Santa Clara area?
Blake, thanks for the blog. It would be nice if you could give regular update (every 3-4 months) on progress of your Plumeria plant. btw, thanks for the reference to that great website about Plumeria. I plan to use its method (http://www.plumeria101.com/cuttings101.html) for growing Plumeria from cutting.
Did you both followed it too or planted it some other way?
Thanks.
I bought mine already planted. (Bought at Sloat Gardens in SF). Mine is still dormant, and unless the weather starts to warm up, I think it’s going to stay that way for another month or so
But, as soon as there’s some change, I’ll definitely post more pictures.
I brought a Plumeria Stick back from the Islands last year 2005. It took about 3 months for the leaves to start growing. The branch will grow about 4-6 leaves at a time. The outter leaves will shed, and new center leaves emerge. The stem has grown about 2 inches in a year and 3 months. March/April - the leaves are still growing - seems to be dormant ? I’d like to see the plant take off and grow rapidly - I’d like to know when to expect to see a full heafty plant, or blossoms. Are we talking YEARS?
I’ve kept the plant indoors, this whole time. Is it a better idea to start with a full plant , over the sticks?
If you’re in SF, I don’t really know how much you can expect to eventually get out of your plumeria. San Francisco is definitely NOT their ideal growing area, so you likely will not ever get a plant like you’d see in Hawaii or in Southern CA - the weather here is just not plumeria friendly.
BUT, you will likely get some leaves and blossoms every year as long as the plumeria gets as much sun as possible. It will definitely go dormant during the winter - all the leaves will yellow and fall off, and you’ll be left with a stick for several months - sometimes up to 6. Plumeria will always go dormant in cool winter weather - another situation where Hawaii and warmer CA residents get lucky.
Hi all…
I have been following your comments for awhile now. I live on the central coast, not as cold as SF but we have plenty of fog! I bought a small plant last summer and I now have my first flowers! I also have two cuttings that I planted last summer. I left all of my plants outside all winter, even when the tempertaure dropped to the high 20’s/low 30’s at night and they all survived.
I definitely suggest putting your plants outside to get as much sun as possible! Of course bring them inside during the winter if you feel it’s necessary but during the summer place the pot outside in full sun and monitor the soil for dryness! Good luck in SF!
Thanks for the info Jenn. The problem with plumeria in the winter isn’t just the cold - it’s cold AND wet. So it’s possible for them to get by as long as they’re not both. But wow - I’m impressed that yours survived on the Central Coast!!
-blake
Nice plumerias you provided. Also nice comments on Jubaea Chilensis.
My hooby os for Plumerias,in general Apocynaceae family plants, on Jubaea Chilensis and on Camellias.
I have several plumerias from cuttings or seeds and I’am trying to make them bollom in Romania -Bucharest ,where I am from. We have hot summers up to 35 C degrees and above,cold winters ,few days even - 25 C degrees and short springs and autumns. Plumerias, here until now had no flowers but I expect this year.i have about 50 pcs. camellias I have in garden about 10 different species, but last winter when we had 3 days with -25 C degrees and cold wind in some respect they were distrpyed unfortunately.Last 3-4 years all was OK.with blooms in March-April underfull.No protection last 2 years just as for roses.Jubaea Chilensis I have from seeds received from Germany ,good germination !, and here are about 12 with 3 leaves after 1 year.In 3-4 years I will try and plant them in garden with some protection over winter to get in time this real palm in my country.However,I have 2 Trachycarpus Fortunei planted in garden and all is OK.
I too live on the central coast (shell beach) and I have three cuttings from hawaii three from florida and three from home depot. they all live outside year round. I keep them in black plastic nursery pots and they do well but no flowers yet maybe this year.
Wow - maybe I’ll try keeping mine outside this year.
so how has the plumeria been? i’m interested in growing one - my house has tons of sun and actually gets really hot. i’m wondering if i can keep it inside as a house plant.
forgot to mention - i do live in SF.
Joyce,
My plumeria is doing awesome!! It’s got tons of huge leaves and it looks super healthy. I’ll get some pictures up sooner or later. It’s been so warm, and the plumeria has been loving it. (I haven’t even put it outside yet - just sitting in my window)
-Blake
thanks for replying! — i’ll attempt to grow one soon!
Hello all. I live in San Jose, and have more than 30 plumeria plants ranging from 5 foot trees, to rooting cuttings. I usually bring them indoors in early November, and place them outside in late March(I waited until April this year, as we all remember the insane amount of rain we received this spring).
As long as you place them in the sunniest location around your yard, and feed them often with a high phosphorus fertilizer, they will bloom like crazy from late spring to fall.
I have a couple of the “Singapore” varieties that are evergreen and can be grown indoors as a houseplant in the winter, as long as they receive lots of light and warmth. All the rest go into my garage and attic.
It’s nice to know there are other plumeria growers in the bay area. I have yet to meet one. Then again, I have yet to meet a gardener in their 20’s like me.
Paul
Hello all, I just stumbled onto this website. I have had a few (3) plumeria plants for about 6 years. I have repotted to bigger pots but they don’t seem to grow very fast. Last year I had a couple bloom-I was estatic! I went to Hawaii both last year and this year and brought back sticks both years. To date, I now have collected 33 plants. I guess I have gone Plumeria crazy! I live on the Cental Coast
(Santa Maria) and I leave my plumerias out all year round. During the winter I do put them up against the house on a table. So far, they have survived and they really don’t go completely dormant. Some of them grow new leaves even during the winter. I hope to see more comments as I still have much to learn.-Teresa
I brot my stick back from Hawaii 3 years ago. I got one bloom the following year and nothing since.
It’s going outside tomorrow! I live in the Seattle area so I will bring it back in when it cools off. What does high phos mena?
Thanks,
Deana
Deana,
Your plumeria should be fed every week or 2 with a fertilizer that is high in phosphorous. Look for the bloom booster types that have a high middle number such as a 10-50-10.
I use Green Light’s Super Bloom which has a middle number of 55, but any bloom booster high in phos and low in nitrogen will do. High nitrogen levels will cause your plant to grow tall and leggy, while high phos will force it to bloom, which then leads to branching.
Pick up some Super Thrive at your local Home Depot and add a few drops of it to your bloom boosting fertilizer. It’ll perk your plumie right up.
Also, make sure it’s getting as much full sun as possible, preferably 8 to 10 hours.
Hope you get some blooms this season. Let us know how it goes.
Paul
I will be going back to Hawaii in Oct. I am going to bring back the duty free plumeria to grow here in Sacramento. I know someone who said they do well indoors. Is this true?? Are they a bulb or a stem ??
The cuttings they sell at the airport are usually single stem Celadines, which I find quite boring. If you purchase them that late in the season, you won’t be able to plant them until April, and the earliest you’ll see blooms is a year later in 2008. Try getting an already rooted plumeria at your local nursery, or on ebay.
Plumeria grown from cuttings require alot of patience, and many growers are disappointed because they expect blooms right away. If you’re going to be in Hawaii, check out some of the plumeria farms, or just ask some of the locals for a cutting from their trees. They grow like weeds on the islands, and many will be shocked to hear that you want a branch from a plant they think is worthless.
You can grow Plumies in a sunny window, but don’t expect to see many flowers from an indoor plant. They require full sun for at least 6 hours a day. The summers in Sacramento can get blazing hot, which are perfect for plumerias. Just make sure you mist them every other day, as it can get quite dry where you are.
Hello all…
I am new to plumeria growing–I was given a plant several months ago. It has been doing really well, making new leaves, etc. Every now and then a leaf would fall off. However, in the last several days, a lot of the large healthy looking leaves have fallen.
Any ideas why? I live in Santa Monica, CA, near the ocean.
Thanks!
Swagata,
It’s typical for a plumeria to start dropping leaves in the fall and be totally bare all winter. However, I’m surprised that yours (especially in Southern CA) is starting already. Do any of the other leaves show any sign of distress? Make sure you’re keeping the plumeria fairly dry - water it thoroughly and then don’t water it again until it’s dry. Also make sure it’s getting as much sun as possible - don’t put it in the shade.
-Blake
Swagata,
It sounds to me like your plants are thirsty. If they were drooping, turning brown, and eventually dropping leaves, it most likely needs more water. Squeeze the stem and check for any softness. It should be firm. If it is squishy, you are overwatering.
You should not be experiencing any signs of dormancy in Santa Monica. I know several growers in SoCal whose plumeria keep their leaves year round. The fact that you live on the coast should contribute to even milder winters than most. The earliest you should be seeing signs of leaf drop is in December.
how will I be able to get a plumeria cuttinging in Hawaii that is not duty free? What kind of dirt and pot do I put it in ?Lovie
Lovie,
There are many nurseries in Hawaii that sell exotic cultivars of plumeria, and of course you can ask any of the locals for a cutting from their trees.
Once you get your cutting, wash it with soap and water to remove any dirt. At this point you can either mail it to yourself, or take it with you to the airport. Plan on arriving at the airport an hour before you normally would and declare it at the dept. of Agriculture. Once they’ve inspected your cuttings, they will seal and stamp them, and you can safely bring them home with you.
Once you get your cuttings home, store them in a dry place until you are ready to pot them in late spring. Cactus mix is perfect for plumeria because it is fast draining. And remember to only use plastic pots, as the clay ones tend to have the roots stick to the sides, which makes them impossible to transplant. A one gallon plastic pot should be enough for a cutting until it is rootbound.
You can also try water rooting before you plant them, but I have not had alot of success with this method.
Let us know how things go.
Paul
Any hope at all for growing a plumeria in Massachusette?
Hello out there. I came across this blog while searching for suggestions for growing lights for my plumeria; coincidentally, I’m growing a plumeria in San Francisco. About 2 years ago, I had purchased about 5 seeds for about $7 at a gardening store in Japantown. When after a couple months, nothing grew, I set aside the pots to salvage the soil and pots. A few weeks later, having forgotten what I had planted in them, a shoot had started and it wasn’t until it grew further did I recognize the leaves of a plumeria. I was stoked and have nurtured my baby since. I was living in Noe Valley at the time and now I’m in the Tenderloin. It drops its leaves for about a month btwn Dec. and Jan., but a lot of TLC, Bloom Plus, plus my island touch (born and raised on Guam) have coaxed it into branching and sending out a “bloom” branch. I’m going to wait until it goes dormant in the winter to transplant it into a bigger container (its over 5 ft tall and grows resolutely in a cramped 12″ x 12″ container!), but I was hoping for some suggestions for growing lights. Should I get some fancy plant store brand, or will those simple growing lights from most hardware stores do? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks….
Bill, I managed to keep a plumeria alive in Boston for two years before it succumbed to stem rot. It can be done.
I’m now looking after two in San Francisco (Mission area). I’m quite happy to find a fellow SF plumeria grower!
Maybe it’s time for a SF Plumeria Growers meet-up at Ritual Roasters or something?!?
hi everyone. finally i found something about plumeria in the bay area. aynyway, i’ve been growing my plumeria for a year already, it didn’t give me no flowers yet but the leaves are getting bigger. my problem is, i’m getting a white spots on the leaves and the leaves turns black at the end. i need help on what to do if anyone got this problem. thanks a lot……
I live in the NY/NJ area. Got my Plumeria at a local store in Hawaii in ‘05 (boring? maybe). First year I got 2 leaves. I put it out in the springtime after repotting it. This year it grew to about a foot and a half and a dozen or more green shiny leaves. That alone excited me. It said in the package to expect my flowers on the third year. I’ve had it inside since the temperature was going to drop to the 40s outside. We keep our house temperature at 55F during the day because we are not home and it goes up before we arrive home in the evenings and drops again when we go to bed. Some leaves had started to fall but I don’t think it is hybernating as yet. I keep it by a french door where it gets all the morning sunlight it can get. Hopefully with all your tips in here, I could get it to flower next year. Thank you.
I planted my new plumeria stems. For the winter should we use a grow light? heat light? Put them in the garage? I know someone who keeps her’s indoors in Sacarmento and she said it is blooming!! Green house, electric blanket???
If it’s cool enough for your plumeria to go dormant, then you can just store it in a dry place all winter. (The garage is usually fine as long as it’s dry)
If you want it to keep growing, you’ll need to make sure it gets plenty of light and warmth - at least 6 hours of full sun (or equivalent) per day.
HI from Hong Kong! !
I am a first time plumeria owner!! Bought three plants from another owner who is leaving town, and had grown for about 3 to 4 years. Even though I had been givien some information regarding the plants, I still want to know more. It’s been interesting to read everyone’s experiences. I have them in the back of the house, lots of sunlight. I had them only for two days, and a few of the leaves are getting brown/yellow. Is it because they have been moved to a new location and not used to it? it is getting a bit cooler and windier, cloudy, but still lots of light.
If there is anyone who have experience in Asia with the plants, please let me know. Thanks!
watering??
Hello,
I have a 6 foot Plumeria I didn’t start myself, it sort of came with the house I am renting. For the first year I was here it looked really puny. It had some leaves and a couple blossoms but nothing special really. Then my husband and I decided to put Sta-Green fertilizer spikes for tree’s and shrubs around the yard to improve my citrus tree’s. They feed for 6 monthes, and I stuck one at the base of the sad lookin Plumeria I had in my back yard. We stuck it in at the end of the winter right before spring came, and as soon as it started to warm up outside the Plumeria went nuts!
It grew so many leaves and flowers it actually broke a branch from being so heavy. The plant is ok though where it broke, it just started growing more leaves where the break was. Now we have 4 pods coming from it.
It seemed to love the tree spikes! I thought i would share that info, and the spike feeds for 6 monthes!
Good luck with your Plumerias!
-Geeta
how many days appeared the roots and leaves
hello from sacramento! i just recently brought back three sticks from hawaii in november, and have already potted them in some plastic pots which i keep indoors. was this a huge mistake? are they doomed for failure or do they have a chance? they were a gift for my mom and i would hate for them to die on her. we try to give them as much sun as possible, but one of the sticks is starting to shrivel and another is having some black spotting at the base. does anyone have any advice? i LOVE these plants and i would hate for them to die before they even started to grow!
hello, all,
i just got back from hawaii and bought 3 plumeria cuttings. i live in sf and last year bought a place in guerneville, sonoma county. i plan on bringing them up there to plant in pots and see how they do. my question is, in general, how long does it take for the cuttings to root in the pots? has anyone in the bay area actually tried the plunging technique (sticking pots into the ground)? this past winter, there were moments of freezing temps that have killed many plants in my garden. i will wait maybe another week before i pot the new plumeria and we’ll see.
I went to Maui with my family for Easter 2006 and brought home a single plumeria cutting. I live in north end of Fremont in SF Bay Area and must be a good place for plumerias. My plant did quite well for the first season. It grew about 3 inches, had several flowers (to my surprize!), and many leaves. It flowered after 4 months. I am waiting for it to warm up a little more before I start watering and feeding it. I followed the advice on plumeria 101 website (www.plumeria101.com) and had great results. During the growing season I water it when needed and feed it GreenLight “Super Bloom” 12-55-6 at 2 week intervals. My plumeria is about 14 inches tall and is in a 1 gallon pot. How big can it get before I should put it in a bigger pot?
Thanks,
Jeff
I’m in the SanJose area, where can I purchase a plumeria plant?
-Seth
Several nurseries in SF sell them, so I’d just look around at well-stocked nurseries in the SJ area - call around.
All my plants were hit by our ’super-freeze’ here in Pasadena tthis winter, while we were away. The shoots are soft and black inside (dead…). Can the main stem be saved, or do I have to start over? If anything is salvagable, how do I do it?
Roger
Seth,
Try looking at the following site. They have several locations in the bay area. San Bruno would be closest. Also, there is a ton of sites on the web that sell plumeria. I spent quite a bit of time one day checking them out!
http://www.sloatgardens.com/
Jeff
Roger,
I googled “freeze damaged plumeria” and got a lot sites that could help.
Blake,
I saw some at Payless Hardware & Rockery (408)274-4922, 2927 S King Rd, San Jose, CA 95122.
Hi guys,
I wanted to thank everyone for the valuable information you all have left on this website. I recently bought my Plumeria sticks from Hawaii 3 months ago and planted them 2 months ago.
Just yesterday, my Plumeria has started blossoming, in only 2 months!!!!!!
Since I live in SF I didn’t think I could get any blossoms, if at all. Some people in Hawaii said that it wouldn’t grow in SF. Well thanks again for all the valuable information!
Joe
These are some of my plumeria growing in San Francisco:
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x222/MrDoof/IMGP0033.jpg
http://forum.surfermag.com/photopost/data/504/medium/417plumeria1.JPG
http://forum.surfermag.com/photopost/data/505/medium/plumeria2.JPG
I live on the south side of Bernal Heights, plants get sun in the front window (more in winter than in summer due to angle of the window/house), half cactus, half rose soil, and crushed lava rock “mulch”. First picture is from this year. Oh yeah, beind the pink plumeria is a baby from a seed that my sister in Texas is no raising.
A cousin of mine brought me two sticks from Hawaii last September which I immediately planted in 6-inch clay pots (I just now found out this is not a good thing to do lol). I kept them indoors, on an east-facing window sill–where they remained unchanged until around March. I gave up on them and relegated them to the farthest corner of the backyard. Then–lo and behold–the little guys started sprouting leaves!!! I was soooo thrilled. They now have about 6-8 leaves each but still no blooms. I fed them once with generic organic plant food, but now, thanks to this very informative discussion thread, will be feeding them the right stuff.
I need to repot the little fellas into (at least) 10-gallon, black plastic pots. Anyone know the right time to do this?
Thanks again, Blake, and all y’all. BTW, I live in Stockton, CA.
I am in Pleasanton and am babying along a ’stalk’ LOL
It is growing well in my NE facing greenhouse window. The last two weeks it has many new leaves.
Is there any hope that this will grow and bloom indoors.
I have two Plumerias in southern Illinois that are in bloom. Outside in the spring, summer and fall and in the house in the winter. Just one side note that I would like to mention is that the tree is poisonous to animals. So don’t let your 4 legged friends chew on the leaves when they drop.
Hello,
I just returned to San Francisco from a Hawaii trip, where I bought two plumeria cuttings. I have no green thumb what-so-ever. I loved the plumerias every time visited and finally decided that I can possibly try to grow one myself. I live in the outer sunset area and was wondering if anyone can give me step-by-step directions for growing the plant successfully (in the past, with other plants, I usually have no success when I followed directions to a tee). Someone mentioned using cactus soil. Is that full cactus soil or in parts (as the direction on the packaged mentioned)? Should I let it sit in the package for a while (to grow roots?) or can I start planting it in soil already? How often should I water it so that it has enough water and roots not over-rot? Please help! Thanks ahead of time!!