Wow, that's beautiful!

-michael

dearest randy,

your a.o. is georgeous! - as always - however this post makes me a bit sad :(...

mine (2yrs old now) is full of leaves, looking very happy after its surgery. our spring was anything but wet or cool. yet again this year i see no sign of buds! :(...

you suggested i upgrade to a bloom booster instead of reg feed - i did. i also use liquified seaweed 1X a month for extra nourishment. i even used some superthrive on it a couple of times. yet it (& my 4yo plummie) have never bloomed (and boy it's getting leggy!!)

i've always been called the gal w/the green thumb in my family - but apparently the plummie and ao didnt get the memo! lol. i will love it for its caudex and unusual structure but i really want blooms.

any more advise to share? tia --

your friend in foliage,
Jo

Hi Jo

I would put it in the hottest, sunniest location you have and don't loose the faith :-).

I seem to make people mad when I say this, but not all plants are created equal. If your bloomin' plant won't bloom by July, consider replacement. I grow a few Adenium and have high expectations. Adeniums that go a summer without putting on a show aren't given another summer. I don't have the time to care for inferior genetic material.

The Adenium doesn't mind a super bloom once or twice early in the spring, buy I prefer a balanced fertilizer for normal use.

I would ease off the bloom fertilizer on the plumeria if it doesn't set blooms before leafing out.

randy

I need to throw in a qualifier here. We are talking about a regular obesum that can be found locally. If it were a monster socotranum or arabicum, I would probably think blooms were just icing on the cake :-).

randy

Randy -
thank you for your response. you have answered endless questions re: these two plants. while no doubt tiring for you, it is much appreciated by me.

i agree that sun could be a problem with the ao...i had been reluctant to put it back in full sun since its surgery...i will re-acclimate immediately.

i am most curious about your advise re: the plummie. this plant now has 15 leaves in various stages of growth, but no inflo. should it have produced an inflo BEFORE producing new leaves after dormancy?
TIA-
Jo

Hi Jo

Yes, if it were going to bloom, the inflorescences would have been the first think you saw.

randy

drat!!! then would you say it is okay to lop its head off so it wont get so leggy? it has gotten quite tall over these past 4 yrs. any advice on this surgery? i'm told it can be treated like any succulent. cut off the top, let the end dry and pot up for a new plant.
thanks again!
jo
just between you, me and the fence post - i'm so tired of worrying over these two (non-)bloomers i am thinking of setting them aside in bright shade and treating them like red-headed stepchildren. lol

Jo

Plumeria root fairly easy. I've taken cuttings around 12 - 15 inches long, cut at a 5 degree angle, let it sit for a day, then stick in a good fast draining soil. I usually take the foliage off and keep in the shade. Don't keep it wet, but don't allow it to dry completely out.

randy

thanks randy...since i have nothing to lose this season, i am going behead it. jo

About ten years ago I rooted a couple hundred plumeria and had good success. I didn't water the pot like a normal plant. I ran the wand quickly over the container to the point it was just getting a heavy mist to moisten the the soil around the cutting without going deep into the pot. That added enough moisture and humidity without causing rot. I think I did it every day or two depending on the weather and how hot it was.

randy