In this section you will find some general information and useful tips to help you care for your plants!

Introduction
Plumeria (common name Frangipani) is a genus of plants belonging to the Apocynaceae family. It consists of 7 or 8 species of mainly deciduous plants that are bushy or medium-large trees. It is native to Central America (Mexico) but can grow in all tropical and subtropical regions. Plumeria is often associated with oleander (also belonging to the Apocynaceae family) due to the similarity between the flowers of some varieties and because both contain an irritating and poisonous milky liquid (if ingested in large quantities). In fact, the term Apocynaceae comes from the Greek APO- separation, removal and CYNOS-dog, to indicate keeping it out of reach of dogs and pets.

The name
The botanical name Plumeria was coined by the French botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort in honor of his compatriot botanist and missionary Charles Plumier, who assisted him during his travels in the Caribbean countries in search and discovery of new botanical species. Plumeria is also commonly called Frangipani, which presumably derives from the surname of an Italian aristocrat who created an essence whose fragrance resembled that of plumeria. Other common names are used depending on the countries where Plumeria is widespread, such as: Pomelia in Sicily (which seems to derive from a corruption of the name given to the plant in Hawaii: Pua melia); Frangipanier in France; Flor de Mayo in Mexico; Jasmine de Cayenne (Brazil); Temple tree (India); in Thailand the ancient and sad name Lanthom has recently been replaced with Leelawadee; Lei flower in Hawaii, whose flowers are used to make the famous necklaces (the "lei" precisely) that are given to tourists as a welcome sign; etc...

The species
Each plumeria species has well-defined characteristics that make it easy to distinguish. Plumeria stenophylla has rather small, narrow, elongated, and fleshy leaves, unlike Plumeria pudica which has characteristic lanceolate and thin leaves that persist even during winter. Another species that does not lose its leaves is Plumeria obtusa, which differs by having leathery leaves, larger than those mentioned above, and with a rounded tip; although it is commonly known by the name "Singapore," it is actually native to Colombia. Plumeria stenopetala deserves special attention, characterized by slender branches and narrow, elongated leaves and flowers whose petals are very narrow and long, white, and have an intense jasmine scent. Finally, the most widespread Plumeria rubra, within which there are thousands of varieties that differ in habit, flower color (ranging from white to yellow, pink, orange, red, purple in all different shades, tones, and combinations). The presence of so many varieties is the result of the ease of hybridization that occurs spontaneously in nature and recently also by human hand.

The flowers
The flowers normally consist of a corolla bearing 5 petals, more rarely 4 or 6 or even more, whose shape and color vary from species to species and from variety to variety. They are hermaphrodite, meaning they bear both reproductive organs (pistils = female and stamens = male) on the same flower. This could erroneously lead one to think that pollination can easily occur within the same flower with the passage of pollen from the anther to the stigma, perhaps assisted by wind action; however, given the limited number of follicles (fruits) compared to the high number of flowers that each floral scape produces, one might instead deduce that there is a possibility of self-incompatibility within the same plant. As is known, all plumerias, except P. pudica, emit pleasant fragrances, mainly at night, to attract moths, which they exploit for pollination. In reality, the flowers do not contain nectar, but their sparkling colors and enchanting essences are nothing more than a lure for moths, which in their fruitless flight from one flower to another in search of nectar, only favor the transport of pollen from one plant to another. As previously mentioned, the shape, size, and color of the flowers are very variable within different species and also between one variety and another. Of particular note are the so-called "spider" forms, i.e., with narrow and long petals like P. stenopetala or some varieties of rubra, including "teresa wilder", "hammaron's curry white", "shooting star", "pet sayrung", etc. Unique in its kind is the "bali whirl" which is characterized by being the only variety in the world known so far with a double flower.

Distribution
Today, in all warm temperate countries, it is easy to come across a plumeria plant, but in reality, the original range of this fascinating plant seems to be Central America. In fact, there are testimonies in Mayan manuscripts that were well aware of the therapeutic characteristics of the plant's latex. It remained confined there until the end of the sixteenth century, when, it seems by the hand of the Spanish, it was imported for the first time to the Asian continent where, finding the ideal habitat for its development, it spread throughout the southeast of the continent within a few centuries. The rapid spread was not only territorial but also became part of the cultures of some populations, such as in Thailand in Buddhist temples, and in India in Hindu temples where it signifies immortality. During the nineteenth century, Europeans and Americans noticed the charm of plumeria and began to import it for cultivation in botanical gardens and private gardens. Contrary to what one might imagine, the center of diffusion in the Old and New World is not the Caribbean area, but rather Southeast Asia. In Hawaii, it seems to have arrived only (so to speak) in 1860 by a government official returning from a trip to Asia. Favored by the large influx of tourists, Hawaii seems to be the launching pad for Plumeria, which began to colonize states such as Florida, California, Texas, and even the Australian continent. In Sicily, where it is easy to see it on balconies and in the streets of coastal areas, it seems to have been introduced in 1845 by an important shipowner and Italian consul in Russia, Don Gaetano Fiamingo, born in Riposto (1795) and later moved to Palermo where he became a partner of the Florio family to assist them in international trade. The first plant seems to have arrived in Riposto on a large sailing ship of the Fiamingo family's fleet, the "Sant' Anna," and then brought to Palermo by the shipowner Gaetano Fiamingo where it found a favorable environment and spread rapidly. It is also said that Fiamingo's wife honored the Empress of Russia when she, together with her husband Nicholas I, Tsar of all the Russias, were hosted in the rich Fiamingo residence in Palermo, which was also the seat of the Russian Consulate. These testimonies (provided by Valerio Longo Fiamingo and an article written by Prof. S. Correnti) would explain why the two main poles of diffusion in

Cultivation
Plumerias actually require few cultivation practices, but some suggestions can be useful to grow your plants well. First of all, it is good to know that they love sunny positions, which favor abundant flowering: in any case, it is advisable to avoid direct exposure to sunlight on the hottest summer days (or at least ensure they have enough water to avoid unnecessary suffering); they fear the cold, so already in late autumn-early winter they should be placed in a protected environment that preserves them from any night frosts, and where the temperature does not drop below 6-7 degrees; the important thing is that it is well-ventilated and dry, as the combination of low temperatures and high humidity is detrimental to the plants. In autumn and winter, the plant goes into complete vegetative rest, so it can also be kept in a dark or shaded place, such as a garage or an enclosed veranda. For the soil, there are many formulas, and everyone can prepare their own; what is important is that it must be porous, draining, and able to retain the necessary moisture the plant needs, while favoring the elimination of excess water; depending on the soil used, subsequent watering must be regulated, which should be regular and abundant in summer (avoiding excesses), sparse or none in winter. It is good practice, before watering, to check the degree of moisture in the soil: if it is very dry, you can water, otherwise you can wait another day. In late autumn, with decreasing temperatures and light and the consequent slowing down of vegetation, watering should be progressively reduced until it is completely suspended and the plants placed in a sheltered place from the rain, if they are not already, or indoors in less favorable climates. During this period, Plumeria practically needs no care and can almost be 'forgotten'. When the leaves start to yellow, you can wait for them to fall off on their own, or you can decide to remove them manually. In this case, it is advisable to avoid tearing the leaves, but it is good practice to cut them, leaving about 2-3 cm of petiole attached to the plant, which will then fall off on its own. This avoids causing wounds on the plant trunk and opening possible gateways for potential pathogens that can cause rot. It is during this period of vegetative dormancy, or rather towards its end, that repotting and/or renewal, even partial, of the soil should be carried out. If space is an issue, a pot of the same size can be used for a long time, gently removing the surface and lateral soil, along with the thinner roots, which does not cause much harm since these generally dry out in winter; the freed space will be filled with fresh soil. In spring, after vegetative regrowth, i.e., when the tips of the stems begin to become shiny and the first small leaves begin to differentiate, you can start to give some fertilizer; it is good to start with a balanced fertilizer in its composition of macronutrients (e.g., 20-20-20) and in small quantities. During the summer, or throughout the phase when the plant is in full vegetation, it is appropriate to use a fertilizer with a high phosphorus and potassium content and avoiding or reducing as much as possible the supply of nitrogen fertilizers. Already in autumn and throughout the winter, when the plants are in vegetative rest, the supply of fertilizers is useless, if not even harmful.

Propagation
Propagation can occur sexually (from seed) or asexually (from cuttings or grafting). For seed, in spring, using fresh seeds produced by the previous year's flowers. It is advisable to soak these in water overnight: those that are still viable will swell while the others can be discarded. After that, they should be placed in containers filled with a mixture of sand and peat in equal parts, taking care to plant them with the membranous wing facing upwards without covering it. The compost should be kept slightly moist, without overwatering and preferably in a sunny environment where the temperature does not drop below 18-20 degrees. Germination occurs in about 2-3 weeks. The negative aspects of plants produced from seed are that they usually flower after 2-4 or more years from sowing, and moreover, the flowers are rarely the same as those of the mother plant. For this reason, however, seed reproduction is used in the search for new hybrids and varieties. Propagation by cuttings is done by taking a portion of an apical branch, no less than 30-40 cm long, at the end of the dormancy period (i.e., at the beginning of spring), making a clean cut, preferably obliquely. The cuttings thus collected should be dried in a dry and warm place for at least ten days (depending on the variety, these can remain viable for up to a year) before being planted in a sand-rich compost; again, the soil should be kept moist, but without soaking it too much, to avoid harmful root rot of the new seedlings. Unlike seed-grown plants, cuttings produce specimens identical to the mother plant and also much earlier flowering; sometimes they even manage to flower in the same year. One method of propagation is grafting, i.e., the insertion of a cutting onto a rootstock using mainly the "V-graft" method. In this way, it is possible to create plants that bear different varieties of plumeria so as to have plants with branches that bear flowers of different colors. Generally, grafting is used to overcome some intrinsic problems of certain varieties. For example, for those varieties that root with difficulty or that often have root rot problems. Other propagation methods include air layering.

Diseases, pests, and remedies.
Essentially, plumeria is a very hardy and resistant plant, but in our climatic zone, its worst significant enemies are fundamentally rots: root and apical. This is mainly due to abiotic factors (particularly climatic ones) such as high environmental and soil humidity associated with low temperatures. These rots, if not diagnosed in time, can even lead to the death of the plant. The only real remedy is prevention: it is therefore advisable to carefully ensure good drainage in the pot (preferably clay), and to keep the soil porous and well-draining; during winter, if possible, place the plants in dry, well-ventilated environments where the temperature does not drop below 10 degrees (especially for more susceptible varieties). Finally, if possible, or if it is difficult to create the above conditions, treat with a broad-spectrum fungicide. In case rot is noticed late, when it is already ongoing, and the plant has not been able to compartmentalize the rot, it is necessary to cut off the rotten part until the trunk is clean and then treat with a broad-spectrum fungicide (this applies if the rot affects the apical part of the plant). In case of root or basal rot, also cut off the rotten part at the base until clean wood is found. With the healthy apical part, it is possible to salvage cuttings to make new plants. Other pests that frequently colonize plumerias in our environments are red spider mites (Tetranychus urticae), some forms of scale insects, Mectalfa pruinosa, aphids, and more rarely thrips. The most feared and widespread is certainly the red spider mite, which mainly appears in warmer and more humid periods. Initial symptoms are silvering on the upper surface starting from the central vein of the leaves, which gradually spreads over the entire surface to the edges and the consequent yellowing of the leaf. This is due to the fact that the spider mite has a buccal stylet that it uses to suck the contents of the cells, emptying them completely; the tissues thus depleted of green chlorophyll tend to gradually yellow. Tetranychus is difficult to see with the naked eye because adult females are less than half a millimeter in size; they produce a thin layer of cobwebs on the upper surface, which can be noticed by looking at the leaf profile against the light. One possible method of biological control involves the use of a natural antagonist and predator, Phytoseiulus persimilis, also belonging to the mite family, which is capable of destroying large colonies in a short time. Alternatively, traditional control methods can be used with commercially available acaricides. Scale insects, aphids, and Mectalfa pruinosa are also sucking insects, but unlike red spider mites, they do not feed on superficial cells, but rather suck directly from the plant's lymphatic vessels. In this way, they deprive the plant of nutrients to satisfy their needs, but since the lymph is mostly composed of sugars, the excess beyond their needs is expelled, forming a sticky honeydew layer on the plants. This subsequently becomes the ideal substrate for the development of pathogenic and non-pathogenic fungi. In this case, prevention can be achieved by avoiding excessive nitrogen fertilization, which favors the development of tender and succulent tissues easily attacked by insects, or with ongoing infestations using common commercially available insecticides. A simple method can be to treat the plant with a soap and water solution and then thoroughly wash the plant.

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