Plumerias originated in the Caribbean, including the South American country of Columbia. Names of plumerias range from Flor de Mayo in Mexico, Flor de la Cruz in Guatemala, Amapola in Venezuela, Tipanier in Tahiti, Pumeli in Hawaii, Frangipani in Australia, Jepun in Bali, Indonesia, Dok jumpa in Laos, Phool in India, Pomelia in Italy, Pagodenbaum in Germany, Flor de Cebo on the Canary Islands to Plumies in the USA.

Plumeria plants are unique in a way that they can be lifted from the ground or pot and stored overwinter in a heated basement or garage. They go completely dormant during the colder months of the year needing no watering or fertilizing. Come spring plumeria enthusiasts are able to replant their plumies, an affectionate name given to them by their growers, and enjoy their sensuous fragrances again.

But these tropical beauties can also be grown successfully indoors all year long with the use of special plant lights which create the tropical sunlight that plumerias enjoy in their natural habitat. This is why plumeria plants, frangipani, can be grown outside their natural subtropical and tropical zones as these grow lights imitate over 90 percent of the available sunlight.

When growing frangipani trees outside, proper fertilizing is more important than the tropical sun. Plumerias are grown outside as far north as Alaska. But plumeria plants need a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight or fourteen to sixteen hours of grow lights in order to bloom.

As more and more gardeners are discovering the beauty and popularity of plumerias, frangipani, more information becomes available.