Grow Plumeria from Seeds or Not????
"Caveat de Emptor"


A discussion on merits of growing plumeria from seeds and the "DANGERS" of buying seeds

If you are considering to attempt to grow plumeria from seed there are a few things you should consider before starting such an endeavor.

1. Do I have a lot to time to be patient?
2. Do I want nice flowers for my efforts?
3. Do I wish to just grow something from seed for the fun of it with very low expectations?
4. Do I wish to have a particular flower and this is an inexpensive way to get it?
5. Can I trust the source of the seeds to be as they claim?

I have been debating quite a few years on whether or not to address this issue. Obviously I have now concluded that this is the right time. Everything I share on this issue is from personal first hand experience in our nursery over the last 23 years as well as dealing with others on the issue.

First things first, plumeria seedlings do not hold true to their parent. You will be very disappointed if this is your expectation. With this as a starting point I will respond to each of the above stated questions for your review:

1. Do I have a lot to time to be patient?

Generally speaking plumeria seedlings require a minimum of 2-3 years under pretty favorable circumstances to bloom. Seldom if ever is the flower color that first appears going to be the final color for the seedling tree. Typically the flower color and characteristics of the flower will not "lock in" so to speak until the tree is at least 8-10 years old and has at least three generations of bloom. An extremely high percentage of the time the first bloom cycle you will have a rather "run of the mill" white flower with yellow throat. If that is what you wanted, then you are fulfilled.

2. Do I want nice flowers for my efforts?

Since you will not know for at least 8 years or so what you really have it is once again a long term process to find out if you have a quality flower. A problem within the plumeria world is people starting plumeria from seeds and then passsing cuttings made from the trees off to unsuspecting customers. Unfortunately this happens on both the individual level as well as commercial nurseries in some cases. There was one such case here in Florida. Fortunately, that nursery and it was a very large one, is no longer in business.


3. Do I wish to just grow something from seed for the fun of it with very low expectations?

Some people ejoy growing anything from seed and if that is your motive then go right ahead and enjoy growing a plant. However you need to keep you expectation level low for flowers!


4. Do I wish to have a particular flower and this is an inexpensive way to get it?

If you wish to have a particular flower, the only way to be assured that is the case is to grow from a cutting taken from a tree which produces the flower you wish. This simply will not happen with seeds taken from the tree.


5. Can I trust the source of the seeds to be as they claim?

This one I fully intend to be very careful with. I am in no way accusing anyone of being dishonest in the sale of plumeria seeds. However, since plumeria seed do not hold true to the parent, how would someone know the difference. Especially when you won't see the flower for a number of years. We have had our own customers encourage us to sell seeds because they said "Who would ever know". Well, we would. We do not sell seeds or pods on our website any longer. We sell them reluctantly to customers who come into the nursery only after we have given them a good education.In many cases we just give them away. I will deal with online auctions and lists separately.


FINALLY,SEEDS BEING SOLD ON ONLINE AUCTIONS AND LISTS

There are numerous individuals attempting to sell plumeria seeds on the above referenced venues. As previously stated how can you be assured you are getting what you are paying for when you have no possible way of verifying what you are getting. Why pay a premium price even if it is only a few dollars, for something which is virtually worthless. I have visited many of the foreign lands where seeds are purported to be coming from and lets just say that it would not be my recommmendation that you can necessarily trust what you will receive, either through ignorance or dishonesty the result is the same.


NOT ALL VARIETIES OF PLUMERIA PRODUCE SEED!

If this information helps a few people in making an informed decision about growing plumeria from seed then it has been worthwhile.

Good Luck in growing plumeria, hopefully from a cutting!!!!!


ps Yes it is true that the only way to develop new varieties of plumeria is from seeds. However the hobbyist/homeowner virtuually never has enough time or follow through to complete the task. There are growers out there that lay claim to having developed new flowers by various methods of pollination. While this may be the case, how can anyone tell without DNA evidence, that a particular flower was not pollinated the night/day before by some other means. Unfortunately this happens in the human kingdom so why then, could it not happen in the flower kingdom as well!!