A Plumaria Success

The cooler air has arrived. I want to enjoy it because I am sure it won't last long. Here is the crisp morning and pleasant day that I would call spring--now that the summer solstice arrived yesterday! The weather seems confused this year, but this delightful confusion is sure better than last month's wind terror.

Speaking of which, the submissions for Storm Country are arriving steadily and from many places. I am glad I don't have to make the final decisions on my own! Two teams will do both reading and editing for this non-profit book. I am enjoying doing my part reading though, and I see some great submissions coming in from people I know in blogland.

Meanwhile I am enjoying interesting flowers that have also come from friends. My friend Elaine in Sunset Hills introduced me to the Mexican petunia about three years ago when she toted one down to meet us at Lake Taneycomo. I had never seen one before and haven't seen them anywhere around here. She has since kept me in this annual, this year with three!

This plant grows tall with limber and graceful greenery. The purple flowers come out every morning but fall off in late afternoon or evening. The next morning more little trumpet flowers appear to wave in the breeze. I love the delicate blooms.    

Late last summer our neighbor left to try assisted living in Wichita. Mrs. C has lived across the street for a quarter of a century and at first it was not like she had left since she traveled all the time anyway. But sadly, the events of aging unfolded quickly for her. She called one day in October and asked me if I wanted the plumaria on her patio as it would die in winter. I went over and there sat a monstrous tree like plant. I had no room for this but toted it to my friend's beauty shop where it would spend the winter in a small waiting room. Everyone coming in wanted to know what this strange looking thing was.

Plumarias are tropical plants from Hawaii. The fragrant flowers are used to make the famous leis there. But as the front door fanned cold air all winter, the plant began to drop leaves. It looked sad. Women commented it needed water or something. Finally, it was completely bare and UGLY.

I brought it home in spring and the spring took a chill again. Remember it was a long and frosty winter, and I figured this was the end of the plumaria for sure. But once the early hot and humid heat hit, the plumaria took on new life. Leaf buds appeared and unfolded daily. Then the beautiful lemony flowers came out. It is a most interesting plant for sure.

What will I do with it next winter? I have no idea at the moment, but everyone is just enjoying it immensely for the moment.