In the 1950s and 1960s, the Aloha Spirit captivated Southern Californians at a time when the Beach Boys were singing about surfing, home gardeners were planting Plumeria in their gardens. These big, tropical looking plants produce fragrant and sometimes colorful flowers that were a staple of Hawaiian leis, despite their arid origin. Over the years, Plumeria's popularity has waxed and waned, making a big comeback in the last five or ten years. September marks the Southern California Plumeria Society's annual luau and plant sale in San Diego's Balboa Park. We visit the show as we explore the history and attraction of these easy to grow crowd-pleasers. We meet some of the old time growers who were part of the original wave of Plumeria popularity, along with the new generation of aficionados. We learn how easy it is to grow these plants in our region, and see the vast array of colors, shapes and sizes. We even learn how to even make a lei or two.
Broadcast In: English Duration: 0:26:46