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From an early age I always loved tropical plants, they held a promise of exotic far-away places, and from time to time over the years I had the good fortune to be close to them, whether they be as houseplants in cooler climates or (oh joy!) when living or visiting in warmer areas. When we bought a vacation home in Southwest Florida eight years ago I had no idea to what extent this would change my life.
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It all started with a telephone conversation with a dear friend in Houston ‘I wonder if you can grow plumeria there’ she said…. and suddenly I remembered a passionate conversation I had overheard between her and another friend who had a house in Barbados…. ‘plumeria’….. “I think I probably can, let me investigate’, I said, and that afternoon, at a completely inappropriate time of year, I went to a local nursery and bought my first plumeria- the only one they had in stock; ‘it’s pink’ they said. But I didn’t care, I had a PLUMERIA!!!  Back in cold chilly England I kept reading about plumeria, stumbled upon websites, ebay, ordered seeds, which I attempted to grow in that inhospitable climate… all with the dream of one day having those gorgeous blooms to gaze upon… 
Every visit to sunny Florida resulted in yet another patch of grass removed and a few more plumeria sticks planted. I met people online who lived in the area, actually met some of them in person! Sticks were exchanged, varieties and their relative merits discussed, photos taken to compare. 
A great day was when you found a friendly person who would trade you a stick, the best day was when you found a beautiful blooming tree and the owner was willing (always!) to give you a piece. And there was always Ebay…. When I was in England, I would dream of my garden in Florida. A fellow-addict would stop by and take pictures so I could watch them grow, and fertilize, so I would have blooms when I arrived, with more or less success. Having yearned for ages to see the wonderful variety known as ‘Mardi Gras’ bloom we had to return back to England when the inflorescence was about to show its first blooms… I was heartbroken!!
We found ourselves spending more and more time in Florida, and after a few years we simply couldn’t stand it anymore and made a bold move: Southwest Florida, full-time!! Sure there were other attributes to the Florida experience that we enjoyed. But for me – the ability to grow plumeria, in the ground, year round, was the biggest draw. No sooner had we moved here than I set about converting my suburban third of an acre into a tropical paradise. Grass was mercilessly removed until nothing but a token strip remained. Plants were sought and rejected on their ability to get along with plumeria. By this time I had become active in several plumeria forums and made a number of friends. I had plumeria T-shirts, a plumeria pen, plumeria notebooks, a plumeria calendar… you get the idea! I have even had the great honor of having a plumeria named after me by a commercial grower. 
And then the 2006 International Plumeria Conference in Galveston was announced……and how could I possibly NOT go? All the ‘gurus’ were going to be there, and many plumeria aficionados I had talked with online for years would become real live people! I was not disappointed and I can safely say that my life changed that week… Growing Plumeria had now completely become my life’s focus!
 | Dutch by birth but widely travelled since my late teens. Married for 25 years to an American musician, with a grown son and living in sunny Southwest Florida, I now call myself 'semi-retired' so that I can justify spending all waking hours in the pursuit of growing blooming tropical plants, most specifically Plumeria. |
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Subject: Plumeria
Posted by Padmini (from Chennai
(India)) on April 14, 2008 at 2:02 PM: I never knew that the humble Plumeria (we call it Frangipani) had such a following.
It may interest you to hear that it is one of the flowers that we Tamilians consider suitable for
:pooja", ie. to decorate the pictures of our gods in our prayer room.
Not all flowers are used this way and my grandmother had a servant pluck some every morning
as those fallen on the ground were not used. The man had to be careful as the branches are hollow and not too strong! We had the old-fashioned white one with a yellow centre and lovely scent. I think it was P. rubra variety.
Padmini Raghavan (from Chennai---South India.) PS. It grows well here so our climate must be similar to yours. ... Posted by Dutchlady1 (from Naples, FL) on April 14, 2008 at 6:38 PM: Thanks for posting; I love hearing about how plants are grown and used around the world. ...
Subject: WOW!
Posted by LAKelley2 (from Titusville, FL) on January 1, 2008 at 9:16 AM:Beautiful... absolutely beautiful! Thanks for the article.
I've just started with two cuttings my dad gave me a year ago. I can't wait to get some different colors like you have! ... Posted by Dutchlady1 (from Naples, FL) on January 1, 2008 at 9:41 AM: Let me know if I can help you with your addiction! :-))
Thanks for the kudos. ... Posted by LAKelley2 (from Titusville, FL) on January 1, 2008 at 12:06 PM: Actually... where DO you find plumerias? I don't normally see them at Lowe's, HD, etc. Do all yours lose their leaves in the winter?? ... Posted by Dutchlady1 (from Naples, FL) on January 1, 2008 at 12:11 PM: I have sent you a d-mail ...
Subject: Shared favorite
Posted by fisherwink (from Sarasota, FL) on December 31, 2007 at 9:57 AM: I have been growing and sharing Plumeria in Sarasota for the past twenty years. They are one of my favorites. Gary ... Posted by Dutchlady1 (from Naples, FL) on December 31, 2007 at 12:07 PM: Gary, maybe we should meet then!
Are you familiar with the newest branch of the PSA, the Gulf Coast Plumeria Society? They meet in your area once a month.
The picture - is it Cerise? Lovely shot. ... Posted by fisherwink (from Sarasota, FL) on January 5, 2008 at 9:05 AM: Thank You for the reply. I am not aware of the GCP Society. Where do they meet?
Have to admit, I don't know the names of all the different colors. For years I have simply referred to them as Frangipani. I would like to obtain a publication of info on Plumeria. Can you suggest? I have also seen flower colors completely change over the years. ... Posted by Dutchlady1 (from Naples, FL) on January 5, 2008 at 10:38 AM: Have a look at the Plumeria Society of America website. The GPS is an offshoot and you can find a link on their site with all the info.
There are three fairly commonly available books on plumeria. The latest is 'Growing Plumerias in Hawaii' by Jim Little; but really most info can be found on the web. And Dave's has a plumeria forum.
[HYPERLINK@www.theplumeriasociety.org]
...
Subject: Absolutely beautiful!
Posted by Suzannie (from Fort Walton Beach, FL) on December 26, 2007 at 10:47 AM:What spectacular flowers - your passion is quite evident. ... Posted by McGlory (from Southeast, NE) on December 26, 2007 at 11:00 AM: Great article, and the photos are SUPER fabulous! Thank you. ... Posted by doccat5 (from Fredericksburg, VA) on December 26, 2007 at 11:48 AM: Wonderful article and the photos are yummy! Thanks for sharing! ... Posted by Dutchlady1 (from Naples, FL) on December 26, 2007 at 12:34 PM: Thanks so much.... this was my first article and I hadn't yet learned how to place the pictures correctly.
I have had a lot of fun photographing my plumeria this year and have even made a calendar! Yes, I'm hooked....
:-) ... Posted by kaggy (from Goshen, OH) on January 4, 2008 at 2:34 PM: yes they are beautiful, i saw my first plumeria in Hawaii this year we went on a cruise with my daughter and son in law it was beautiful ...
Subject: Gorgeous article!
Posted by Dea (from Frederick, MD) on December 26, 2007 at 9:00 AM:Both in reading and seeing - really enjoyed this!!
... Posted by cathy4 (from St. Louis County, MO) on December 26, 2007 at 10:21 AM: Your story has me craving my own plumeria. ... Posted by planolinda (from Plano, TX) on December 26, 2007 at 2:51 PM: i have my starts from you in my atrium and will enjoy knowing more about where they came from and who they came from-- ... Posted by Dutchlady1 (from Naples, FL) on December 26, 2007 at 2:56 PM: Thanks so much! It was my first article.... ... Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on December 26, 2007 at 6:48 PM: Beautiful article Dutchlady! Welcome to the wonderful world of plummie addiction! Your pictures are glorious, and your description of your desires match many an afficianado. Great job!
Yokwe,
Shari ...
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