Perennial
Growth habit
Definition: A plant that lives more than two years and produces new foliage, flowers, and seeds each growing season.
How it applies to plumeria: Perennial can describe how a plumeria grows as a woody tree or shrub, including branching, stem behavior, dormancy, internodes, and overall habit. Growth traits help separate compact, upright, lanky, spreading, and vigorous cultivars.
What to look for: Observe the whole plant over time, not just one branch. Note branching pattern, tip growth, seasonal leaf drop, container behavior, bloom habit, and whether the plant stays compact or becomes large and open.
Identification note: This term is one clue. A plumeria should be compared using all available traits, photos, source history, and growing context rather than a single characteristic.
- Glossary: ApocynaceaeApocynaceae: Apocynaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, stem succulents, and vines, commonly called the dogbane family, after the American plant... Plumeria context is explained on the term page.
- Glossary: Embryo dormancyEmbryo dormancy: Common in seed of woody perennial plants. A physiological condition in the embryo that prevents it from growing. Plumeria context is explained on the term page.
- Glossary: Woody perennialWoody perennial: A plant that goes dormant in winter and begins growth in spring from above-ground stems. Plumeria context is explained on the term page.
- Glossary: Woody PerennialWoody Perennial: A plant that goes dormant in winter and begins growth in spring from above-ground stems. Plumeria context is explained on the term page.