Needless to say, with me having approximately 300 plumeria, I have great interest in what you found @DTouchberry. I too would like to know the insect. This is all new to me.

Also, what exactly caused the leaf deformation? If the insects have long-gone, what's the use of using an insecticide?

More questions than answers, I know.

@lil_brp, @Dtouchberry just read this - any updates?

Never heard another word, Gigi.

I know, I'm always curious to see what happened on these!

This happens all too frequently, Gigi. Someone asks a question, gets an answer(s), and never bothers to respond. Kind of frustrating.

Yes would love to hear an update so we know the answer for future similar situation.

Also, i noticed that plumeria forum is not as active as a few years ago.

Perhaps needs good administration/moderator, Gigi? I have 100X the posts on my plumeria groups on FB. Do you use FB?

No Ken, i don't have FB. I have flicker for photos.

Okey, dokey.

Here in Sarasota ,,

, I have several plants that have done the same thing ... at first some of the leaves were long and thin and reddish in color ,,,then the stem tips stopped making leaves and did this .

they still gow fine,, but no flowers and no leaves,, on one plant , only one stem did this , the others have leaves.

my neighbor uses grass and everything-else killer on the other side of the fence, it may have gone down into the root zone

none of my other plumerias anywhere else in the garden away from the fence have done this ,,

You may have diagnosed the problem, @zylvert. It is weird as all get-out. What I don't know, since I've never seen it happen on any of my plumeria, is whether this is a now genetically altered plant or simply a reactive occurrence. The only way to know is to cut the growth off and see what that stem(s) does.

@zylvert very interesting! It is almost like a cristate form. I have seen a picture of an adenium doing similar.

I think it actually is a crestate form of growth, Gigi. Some succulents grow crests, and do just fine. I am not sure a plumeria will do so. I have a feeling that there will be little if any growth, few if any leaves, and no inflo. That's simply a wasted tip and if I ever see this happen (it hasn't happened in 30 years, so probably won't), I'll cut half that stem off and hope for normal tip growth.

I would probably do the same but wait until spring to see if I can grow it as a bonsai

Now that would be interesting, Gigi.

Thanks for the imput ... when it first began it was just a little tip ,,now it is branching out,, I was thinking of cutting a bit after New years and re-rootting it in March .. for the winter I am going to remove them from the soil and put them in pots ,,

I clean my clippers with alcohol between each plant ,, I keep the ground around the stems clear . it was not poor housekeeping .

** some other plants are also showing the same thing near there ,, clereodendrum philippinum, ,, in the ground with the plumerias

and the new growth on a Pseudobombax ellipticum, ( shaving brush tree ) only grew about 10" all summer with some buds that are like buttons, it should have grown about 6-10' ... it is in a 25 gallon pot that was also next to the lovely white plastic fence I was trying to obscure .

when I water now i flood the area near the fence to wash it down deeper and flush the roots along with our seasonal rains .... in the winter when it is dry , the salts and chemicals come back up to the surface ,,

to be continued






as

Looks environmentally triggered. That would be really interesting to see going forward. Keep us posted. Would love to see updates.

slowing down for the winter,, but something to look forward to in the spring

Brought it to the Fl Ag offfice locally ,,, the " master gardeners" weren't even sure it was a plumeria...

they went inside and came out and told me that they may be flower buds ( ! ) ..

My neighbor has a Tropical Strawberry Tree ( muntingia calabura ) and the new leaves are also effected inthe same manner ............ it may be the poisons he waters with daily .................

someone told me to put charcoal along the fence to see if that does anything