Sounds like you’ve got the right idea, and you have ones with varying hardiness, which can be good info if you plan to plant them in the ground. Keeping them under eaves keeps frost from settling on them, which can cause damage or kill them.

Don’t forget to insulate your cans from cold concrete or the like by setting them on a barrier like some plywood or cardboard. The roots are above ground, dry and exposed to cold air unlike they’d be in ground, insulated by the dirt....So they are more susceptible to damage from cold temps. I like to wrap mine in burlap to insulate the sides too.

-s

Thanks for the tip! I’m definitely going to insulate them.

Outside,the drier you keep them the better. They need protection from frost and any freezes. Other than that,not much to do..they take the cool,and are best kept in the warmest spot possible.

Under the sunny eaves,and a west or south exposure is a good place to plant them outdoors in the bay area. As long as you have gutters.

Celadine is a good one to try for that. Others are hit or miss and its hard to say any others are better.

Great advice from everyone above IMO. The only thing I can think to add would be to use some frost blankets or old sheets held in place with clothes pins for the short periods where a frost may happen. I have also used incandescent pin style Christmas lights to generate some warmth under the sheets. Just be wary of larger screw in bulbs which may burn the plant.

This year has been so plant mild,my P.obtusa is still in leaf outdoors in a large pot with no overhead cover. Well,nearby banana plants might help.

So why do I have a terrific cold and cough?..oh boy.

I just saw a potted Plumeria..maybe 4' in town. Hefty trunk for its height so I think its Celadine. Just more of the tropicals inching north to the bay area and maybe beyond.

P.obtusa getting the cold rainy winter look. Now dropping some leaves,a black tip here or there.

What it does every year..more or less.

Stanogh,

This winter, I did differently from previous winter for front yard Plumeria.

I decided to just cover and so far no black tips. Hope this help.....

Is that the Celadine? Usually I have no tip problems with her. Most years. Some very cold -2007-winters just for one, can mush tips.

That front border would a great place to try P.obtusa. I get the feeling that in ground they would be much more likely to hang on leaves longer into the winter..bloom longer too. In ground always beats in a pot. I just don't have room for everything in the few "perfect spots" Or..just too tempting for plant takers. THAT eats up most of my front yard unfortunately.

Yes, it is Celadine. I used to cover it with blanket then place blue tarp over during in the winter, but somehow blanket got wet and touching the tips. I think that cause tips to get black rot. so far this year, there is no black tips. Hope it gets warm up soon.....

Kawagoe..try a Singapore in ground in spring. I bet it takes off when summer really gets here.

Oh,I wish I had a bigger yard. I've filled my small ones and know that many "tender" plants would do better in ground. I have a Pandanus utilis that's taken two winters now. It's another that makes a nice large potted plant. In ground would be even more fun.

Stanofh,

I do not think I will try that. I sure hate to dig up on fall. it is too much works for me....lol.

Also, my dwarf singapore pink does not like cold weather. first winter, I lost almost 2/3 of top branches due to flash eating black tips. Since then, I have to bring in DSP into the house during in the winter.

I saw this in Fremont. The hefty trunk per size of the plant and location- bay area- means its most likely a Celadine. Same street had King palms and Mango tree.