I love plumerias. I have been told that I cannot grow them due to my weather (temps about the surface of the sun for at least three months during the summer and we have a chill factor in the winter so we can grow stone fruit here (and it does get below freezing here as well for a few days/weeks off and on). So, I would love to hear from you zone pushers out there. Is it possible to grow plumerias where I live? I really don't have the room to bring them indoors during the winter. Oh, and my garage has no insulation so it gets to be 105 degrees inside in the summer and right around the freezing mark in the winter.

If you can protect your plumeria in the winter either by digging them out of the ground or moving the pots out of harms way and kept about 32ºF, I think your summers can lend to some awesome flowering. Can you heat your garage somehow? A shelf on in a closet? When dormant and trimmed up. they are a bunch of sticks that don't take up much space when bundled together in a bag. Or you can take cuttings, let them callous over the winter and then replant come spring? But flowers will be hard to come by every year.

I am in Zone 9a. While I don't push the Zone, I have a very shaded yard and miniumun (hot)sun gets to the sunny areas. The driveway is the sunny area and where my plumeria live and grow. They get a minimum of sunshine of 6-7 hours but they do flower for me. Maybe not as much if they got tons of sun but we are both happy with the situation. With some effort to protect them in the winter, it works.

Thanks Cheryl. The plant would be in a pot (on wheels), so I could move it into the garage during the winter. I thought the heat might be an issue for it in the summertime. All of my potted plants are on their own drip system. I live in a small house with a small yard, so a smaller sized plumeria would be in order. To me (in addition to loving the look of the flowers) the plant has the scent of Hawaii. Back in the day when I would visit, I would walk down the street and just breathe in the perfume. The street was lined with plumeria plants so it was just heavenly.

Thanks Cheryl. The plant would be in a pot (on wheels), so I could move it into the garage during the winter. I thought the heat might be an issue for it in the summertime. All of my potted plants are on their own drip system. I live in a small house with a small yard, so a smaller sized plumeria would be in order. To me (in addition to loving the look of the flowers) the plant has the scent of Hawaii. Back in the day when I would visit, I would walk down the street and just breathe in the perfume. The street was lined with plumeria plants so it was just heavenly.

There are beautiful compact varieties. Those trees grow to 15 ft and can be managed well in a pot. My compact is Thumbelina. She turns more pink with more heat.

Our temps right now are teasing the century mark. We just went through a 5 day heat wave above 100°. We have high humidity but I helped to cool down the plumeria with frequent spraying/ misting them and the area around it before the sun hit it. Good luck!

Thank you Cheryl. I will look up this variety. Love your plummies. Just beautiful!

Check out Jungle Jacks. They have lots of dwarf/compact plants to choose from. I bought Divine, Mini Me, and Super Round from them last year. All very healthy plants. But, I also need to add that I have very limited indoor space and I have found ways to keep several celadines that get pretty large and an assortment of odds and ends successfully by tucking them in closets, under tables, you name it. You can always grow big ones, you just need to decide how much you want to bring in for winter that year and hack the rest off. Or.... your friends will wonder why you have a bunch of leafless sticks on your fridge because like me you will want to keep every piece. It can be done. Buy one and get a taste for what it will take. Before ya know it your fridge might get a new winter image

I actually bought Thumbelina at Jungle Jack's when I visited in San Diego. That was fun getting that one and Gina on the plane with me. Hahaha Mustbnuts, you don't say where you are located?

I am dead smack in the middle of California (inland). That Thumbelina is gorgeous. It doesn't say how big it gets. That one may be on my list!

Says Thumbelina gets to 15 ft
I'll post a photo of the plant tag tomorrow. But know that there are a lot of dwarfs. Have you looked at TwistedTropicals.com? I just found out about it. They seem to have a lot to offer. Guard your wallet when you go to that site!

Inland? I was born in Bakerfield and raised in Visalia. Moved to So Cal at 13.

Ah, Cheryl. I was raised in So Cal and moved to Fresno for employment. It was a bit of a culture shock.

I live in Las Vegas. I have over 30 plumeria. Mostly from cuttings my sister brought to me from the Orange County or Ventura fairs in California. I have them in pots and they are moved into the garage, which is insulated, in the winter. I have a 3 car garage, and only one car. Used to have two cars but DH and I are getting old and he does not drive anymore so no need for 2cars. I have found, because of the heat, I plant my plumeria in a pot and then plant that pot in another pot. The soil in the larger pot acts as insulation and keeps the roots cooler. And they are in the shade of many large but well trimmed trees. They do get direct morning sun and when the sun moves during the summer season, sometimes the pots need to be moved. But we try to keep hot afternoon sun off of the plants. I have a gardener that helps with that. And they are all on irrigation.

But I am truly a zone pusher. I have been gardening in the Las Vegas heat since 1962 and I think I finally have most of it figured out.

Good Luck. Sharon

Sharon, it is so nice to hear from you on this site. A few years back I chatted with you many times on Daves. I am so glad to see you over here this site is so very nice and more like the other used to be. I remember you having several Plumeria and they went in the garage in the winter. If I recall your DH name is Vern. Hope all is well with both of you and hope to see you on this site soon. You take care. James

Thank you for posting Sharon and James. My weather is similar to yours Sharon so if you are able to grow Plumerias, then I should be able to do it as well. Mine would also be in a pot (on a platform on wheels) so I could move it into the garage during the winter. I just wish my garage was insulated like yours is. Maybe someday I will get there (slowly renovating my house and next thing to be done is my other bathroom).

There is a big plumeria sale and show at the LA Arboretum this weekend. Wish I could go. Lots of seminars and one on growing plumerias in hot places. Sharon, it sounds like you could teach that course. Do you have your plumerias planted in regular potting soil?

Mustbnuts Plumeria must be grown in fast draining media. Do not use regular potting soil. No expert here but I have been using cactus mix. And just to let you know heat in my area we have had 37 days of 100+ weather and most winters get a few freezing nights so cold protection in needed. Good luck to you.

Txtea is right, use a fast draining mix so they don't sit in water.

I do use cactus mix for my plumeria plants. I credit the majority of my success to my double potting.

James, yes Vern is my DH. So nice of you to remember. I am still on DG but struggling to stay. Just have a few friends left. This will probably be my last year.

Vern is 85 and has Parkinson so my gardening has taken a back seat but I have a garden helper that thinks my garden is his garden.

We had a micro-burst last week but it was on the other side of town. Sixty-eight (68) mph gusts and 3 inches in about 30 minutes. Major damage due to the wind and major flooding. And HAIL. Thank you God that you left me off the address list for that disaster.

I will take a couple of photos tomorrow so you can see my setup.

I need to figure out how to stop them getting taller and start getting fuller. Just have not had time to do the research. It is amazing how many I have when I started out with cutting from the fairs.

I will check in tomorrow. Today our high was 114. Dogs and I only went for one walk. Just to hot.

Sharon, glad you miss that storm and sorry to hear about Vern's condition. Yes please enclose those pictures of all your Plumeria. I do quite well remember you were a very active gardner. Growing some of the most beautiful plants on the other site.

I do recall the 114 of Vegas having been there many times, last time I was there almost lost my breath walking out of resort. Take care

Hi @WormslovUsharon, Sharon. I wanna see! I wanna see!!

Hello Mustbnuts, I grow Plumerias too, and our weather similar to yours. I have Plumeria Celadine and a noid one. Both grown in containers, once temps starts hitting below 50F overnight, I have to start bringing them indoors to adjust slowly from the environmental change and to prepare for its dormancy.

Patience will be your friend when you wait for them to wake up in mid Spring later. When temps overnight starts going higher than 50F, then I bring them out in part shade first to acclimate again slowly and as the temps warm up it will grow new leaves. Got to wait for at least one good leaf before I start watering them actively again.

Always make your media very well draining, I add a lot of pumice to my mix so when summer time is around, I have no worries of root rot, since the water drains well. During summer time, I have to do daily watering for them since temperatures are just too dry and soaring into the triple digits.