My Plumeria Froze

About Plumeria

• The plumeria plant is a flowering plant that grows best in tropical climates where the temperature exceeds 50 degrees Fahrenheit for most of the year. It will grow in milder climates if cultivated in a green house or kept in pots that can be transferred indoors once temperatures dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Plumeria grower's prize the plant for its brightly colored flowers and intense fragrance. The first plumeria plant was introduced to the Hawaiian islands in 1861 and became the flower of choice for leis in the 1940s.

Immediate Care

• If you have discovered the frost before the sun comes up, lightly mist your plants with water, allowing them to warm up at a slower rate and preventing some of the damage caused by a sudden jump from frozen to thawed. Severe damage to the plumeria may not appear for 21 days or more, but limp or discolored leaves will appear almost immediately. Do not remove any dead or dying leaves or branches. The dead plant material will help protect the plant from further damage. Potted plants should not be brought inside as the sudden temperature change may force new growth and damage the plant. If you notice the plant beginning to shrivel and turn black, cut back the effected area to clean wood to stop the spread. Otherwise, leave the plant alone until the spring.

Warm Weather Care

• Monitor the plumeria for signs of life, like flowers, leafs or stem growth. If the frost extensively damaged the plant, it may not flower or may flower very late. Plumeria tend to bloom from April to September and often put out flowers before leaves. Prune away any dead leaves and cut away any blackened stems. Do not remove any stems that simply do not produce leaves or new stem growth. These stems may only be dormant.

How to Prevent Freezing in the Future

• It is possible to prevent freezing or lessen the damage caused by freezing in the future. Potted plumeria survive well indoors in an area with plenty of light like a southern-facing room. The plants should be brought indoors when temperatures dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid shocking the plants with a sudden change in temperature. Preventing frost on plumeria planted in your garden is much harder. Create a heat source for your plants, like a stone bench or a ring of decorative stones near the plumeria. These features will absorb the heat of the Sun during the day and release it during the night. However, this is only a solution for mild frosts and may still result in wilted or damaged leaves. Covering the plumeria with a frost cloth or sheet at night will trap radiant heat from the ground. This method also allows you to place a heat source like a 100-watt light bulb under the frost cloth, which may help prevent severe damage when temperatures dip below 25 degrees Fahrenheit. However, you should plan to apply the heat source at the same time as the frost cloth. If plants freeze before the heat source is applied, the sudden thawing may cause more damage than it will prevent.