For Immediate Release
July 1, 2008

Learn how to grow the 'Flowers of Love' in UCR Extension's new class about raising plumerias

RIVERSIDE, CALIF. – Plumerias are known by many names: the lei flower, the crow flower, the temple tree or frangipani. Native to the tropical Americas, this flowering plant grows so profusely in Hawaii that many people think it's indigenous there. Beautiful and sweet-smelling, plumerias are used to make the Hawaiian lei. Good news for local gardeners: plumerias grow extremely well in the heat and the sun of Southern California.

Learn how to grow your own in UCR Extension's gardening workshop, Growing Plumerias, The Flowers of Love, offered from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22 and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug. 23. On Friday, students meet at UCR Extension Center, 1200 University Ave., Riverside. A Saturday morning field trip is planned for students to look at a plumeria garden.

This workshop will cover propagation, grafting, pruning, cultural practices, soil mixtures, fertilization, watering and pest control specific to raising plumerias.

The fee for this class is $59 or $49 each for two or more people enrolling together or one person enrolling in two or more gardening courses. For more information about this class, call (951) 827-5804 or e-mail sciences@ucx.ucr.edu.

UCR Extension is the continuing education division of the University of California, Riverside. Extension offers more than 3,800 courses and 90 certificate programs in a variety of academic programs, including agriculture and landscape, arts and humanities, business and management, education, teacher's credentialing, English, environmental management, forensic investigations and public safety, geospatial analysis and technology, health services and behavioral sciences, information technology, languages, law and public policy, Native American studies, natural sciences and yoga.

To receive a free UCR Extension catalog, call (951) 827-3806. To register for classes, visit www.extension.ucr.edu or call (951) 827-4105 or toll-free at (800) 442-4990.