Post #385951 by Jungle Jim & Jennifer on Tue, Jun 10, 2008 7:28 AM

I think the most fun tropical that's easy to care for and grow is the Plumeria. I started with one plant (that I bought in Knoxville, TN in 1988) and propagated many from it. All you have to do is cut off a limb and stick it in a pot or in the ground and they survive 99% of the time. If in the ground you can pull up your plant, shake the dirt off, rap the root system in newspaper and take inside for the winter if you live where freezing is possible. In the spring just replant and you're good to go. As they get larger it's difficult to manage taking in and out in pots without damaging the plant but they can stay in pots for several years before this becomes an issue. The blooms are wonderful for making leis and and they smell similar to gardenia blossoms but not quite as strong. If you pick a bloom don't put into water. They will last several days just by themselves. If you put into water they'll brown overnight.