Aztec Gold

Tall grower with average branching. Green leaves are elliptical with acute tips. New growth is pubescent. Large golden yellow with faint pink edging showing through from back; elliptical petals with rounded tip, moderately overlapped; medium texture; strong peach scent; keeping quality very good. A marvelous large yellow, 4" that shades to white. Faint pink band on reverse. A strong unique fragrance of ripe Georgia peaches. A somewhat leggy grower under moist conditions. Most desirable plumeria for fragrance. Flowers are very large, long-lasting and have a long blooming period. Largest individual flowers. Easy to root. Flowers for several months with new flowers coming every 2-4 days. 4 to 4.5" as the plant reaches 5 years old. Aztec can get floppy so if the branches grow outward you may want to stake and tie the branches upward to shape the plant up. Weeping habit when it gets too much water. The "normal" AG has yellow flowers with a pink stripe down the outside edge of the back of the petal (we used to call it "Peach Plumeria" around here.) If these new buds open yellow, then what you are seeing is typical. I have seen the same AG plant produce flowers with a striking pink stripe and also with little or no pink, depending upon temperature, water, light and who knows what else. Requires FULL sun. Blooms all season long. Recommended for the coast. Can get to 6”. When water is available, they take advantage with rapid growth leading to branch collapse. Growth pauses during long periods of drought and drop lower leaves to conserve water. We water and fertilize frequently, get unrelenting rapid growth, frequent watering supports numerous leaves and the collective weight make the branches weep except for the ends which turn up. I have kept an Aztec Gold upright by rarely watering, limiting roots to a pot and not fertilizing as much as I do the other plumeria. Recommend virtually no water retention in the soil mix. Sensitive to soil compaction. Medium to tall tree. One of the first to bloom in spring. Seems to be two AG with very different growth patterns. One swoops, and the other upright and tall. Branch tips are pubescent. One grows upright with shorter leaves and one droops with a longer leaves. I've grown them side by side and the flower seems to be the same. Performs better with low water. Early bloomer. Good graft host. 4 different varieties have been reported. Aztec Gold has two different looks, one with beautiful, bright yellow flowers fading to white at the edge, and one with deeper, darker yellow flowers with pink bands on back. Pink band may not appear until later in the season. Drooping leaves, pink/orange buds. Growth habit can be tall and upright or with laterally growing branches that make them fall over or fall off easily. Both have the same wonderful peachy scent, and both like lots of water. Early bloomer. Easy/fast rooter, thick branching, fast grower, generous bloomer, hearty. Branches can nub over. Blooms well in cooler weather. Cold tolerant, but cool nights make the buds drop. Aztec Gold also has fuzzy red leaves when they first start to emerge. Hooked leaf tips and reddish outside edge of the leaf. Very waxy shiny new leaves. Color and size not dependent on heat. Thick, stiff leaves. Sets seed, pods are huge.