Our History
The Plumeria Society of America, based in Houston, TX, is an international organization dedicated to furthering knowledge of plumeria. Our primary goals are to increase information about propagation, culture, classification, species identification, and registration of plumeria cultivators.
It was 1979, and finding a plumeria in the Houston area was virtually impossible. Many nursery owners were not yet familiar with plumeria. That’s when co-founders Elizabeth Thornton, Nadine Barr, and Nancy Ames organized the Plumeria Society of America to help other plumeria growers. The new organization’s goals were the propagation, culture, classification, identification of species, and registration of plumeria cultivars.
The new society held its first meeting at the Houston Arboretum and Botanical Garden on March 13, 1979. Membership was limited to only 75 members, and yearly attendance at the three meetings was mandatory. We held a plumeria display and sale in June of that year at the Arboretum. Approximately 700 people attended, and we sold all 120 plants and Hawaiian plumeria lei in 20 minutes!
In 1980, as our existence became more known beyond Houston, we received many letters asking about plant and seed exchanges. The letters came from as far away as South India, New Zealand, and Hong Kong. That year, we increased membership to 100 members, and we held garden tours at the homes of John and Pili Oliver, Elizabeth Thornton, and Nancy Ames.
We have sent multiple donations in support of plumeria research to educational institutions, such as the University of Hawaii and the University of Houston’s Physiology of Flowering and Tropical Ornamentals Fund. In 1986, Elizabeth Thornton acquired official authorization for PSA as plumeria registrar from the Royal Horticultural Society.
The Plumeria Society of America is the official international registrar of plumeria cultivars through the Royal Horticultural Society (London, UK), which is an International Cultivar Registration Authority, as recognized by the International Society for Horticultural Science (Brussels, Belgium).
PSA has sponsored and hosted three International Plumeria Conferences in three US regions: Galveston, TX (2006), Naples, FL (2016), and Los Angeles, CA (2023).
The Plumeria Society has reached beyond any expectation of growth. We have helped plumeria lovers worldwide learn more about the beautiful plumeria plant and its blossom. The society has had numerous successful plant sales. We have toured Hawaii as a group four times. The research committee continues to bring numerous insights and knowledge about the exotic plumeria. The registration committee has identified and registered hundreds of cultivars and continues accepting new applications. In years past, we have accomplished much, especially from an all-volunteer-run organization, and there is much more to do. The future of the Plumeria Society of America is exciting. Let’s continue to make history!
Since 1979, our members have benefitted from collective knowledge and wisdom from some of the most notable growers in plumeria history.
