Plumeria rubra: care

The Plumeria rubra, also called frangipani, franchipan, cacalosúchil, flor de mayo, alhelí or jasmine magno among others, is a popular tropical bush It has its origin in Mexico and Central America. Plumerias are a whole genus with 7 speciesamong which the best known are the white plumeriathe obtuse plumeriathe plumeria pudica and the Plumeria rubrathe latter the most popular in the world and the one that concerns us in this article.

The rubra is distinguished from other plumerias not only by the great beauty of its flowerswhich can be white or pinkbut for the heady scent that these give off since they sprout in spring.

The bush can reach heights of up to 9 meters, but when it is grown in the garden, it is most common for it to remain, at most, in the middle of this height. The leaves are deciduous, so the plant loses them when the cold begins between autumn and winter.

If you like this plant and want to know other similar ones, here you can discover more Shrubs with flowers.

For a shrub of its size, Plumeria rubra tends to be grown outdoorsalthough it is possible to locate it in patios or interiors as long as it receives enough light, at least a few 6 hours of direct exposure per daywhich is very important to her. Ideally, place it directly in the sunbecause just by being in semi-shade its flowering will be greatly diminished.

The plant does not support cold or frost, only the acutifolia variety is capable of withstanding a certain degree of low temperatures, being able to withstand occasional light frosts as long as they are not long or frequent. For this reason, if you have your Plumeria rubra outdoors and a cold winter arrives, you should protect the bush by moving it if possible or protecting it with a thermal gardening blanket. Its ideal temperature is between 20ºC and 25ºC. It also doesn’t handle drafts or sudden changes in temperature well, so an area sheltered from the wind could be beneficial too.

In the warm monthswhen the plant is loaded with leaves and flowers, the plumeria needs frequent watering but not too abundant. water every two or three days, maintaining a soft level of humidity in the soil. If when you go to water you stick your finger in the soil and it is still 2-3 cm wet, it means that you should wait a little longer.

In the cold monthswhen the plant has dropped its leaves, wait until the soil has almost completely dried out before watering it. By following these tips you will avoid root rot problems due to excess moisture in the soil, which do so much damage to the plumeria.

In these articles you can read about When to water plants and How to water plants on vacation.

If you plant in a container, use a mixture of peat with earthworm humus and coconut fiber in equal parts or, alternatively, two parts of peat with one part of river sand. In either case, add a few handfuls of vermiculite and perlite afterwards to improve water retention properties. The goal is to get a mixture that offers very good drainage to avoid the problems described in the irrigation section.

Outside or in the garden, look for a area where the water drains well. You can check this by watering with the hose: where puddles form, it means that the drainage is poor and it is not a good location for your wallflower.

This shrub is quite demanding in terms of nutrients, so even if you use a soil mixture rich in organic matter, you will need fertilize it regularly. As always, it is best to use organic and ecological fertilizers, such as worm castings, compost or bokashi, which you can even make yourself at home if you have space. Apply about two centimeters of fertilizer at the base of the pot every 15-20 days in the warm months and it will suffice.

If you do not have access to these fertilizers, you will have no choice but to go buy mineral or specific fertilizers for tropical plants, which you should apply with the same frequency as the organic one. Pay attention that they are not fertilizers with a high content of phosphorus (P).

These shrubs greatly appreciate a annual pruning in winter to give them a suitable structure and stimulate its flowering in the following season. Of course, you do not need to be a very aggressive pruning: limit yourself to, at most, prune a third of your plumeria

Be sure to use sharp pruning shears and disinfect them, both before and after pruning. Also wear gloves, as the plant sap can be irritating.

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