I have a plumeria frangipani that is showing spots on the leaves and some curling of leaves. I'm a beginner at this, but I'm worried about the plant and writing to get any advice or words of wisdom that anyone may have. I'm including some photos.

My daughter inherited a plant that she tells me is a plumeria frangipani, from a church group that needed a volunteer to care for it during the holidays. This was almost two years ago. She has been in charge of it until this fall when she went off to college and asked me to continue watering it. I've given the plant a cup of water per week, and kept it by the same window in her bedroom where it gets a lot of diffuse light through sheer curtains, but not a lot of direct sun. We are in Massachusetts, and the plant has been kept indoors the whole time we've had it. I remember it losing all its leaves in the winter and having them grow back in the spring and summer. It hasn't flowered at all, probably not enough sunlight next to the window here. But the leaves have been growing and healthy-looking until just now.

My primary ambition is to keep the plant alive and healthy until my daughter gets back for the winter break, and then again until summer. It went well for two months but now we have this leaf issue.

The first photo shows the plant itself. I moved it away from the window to take this photo.


The second photo shows a close up of the white spots on one of the leaves. All the leaves have this issue.


The third photo shows how some of the lower leaves are curling outward on one side.


I'd be grateful for any help or advice!

I would check (under the leaves) for an infestation of some kind, possibly whitefly. This happens a lot with plants that are kept indoors especially in dry conditions.

I didn't see anything looking under the leaves, but then I looked again and saw these little things. They are small brownish objects covered in a clear liquid.

Is this an infestation? What kind might it be? What's the best way to get rid of them without harming the plant?

erixoltan said:I didn't see anything looking under the leaves, but then I looked again and saw these little things. They are small brownish objects covered in a clear liquid.

Is this an infestation? What kind might it be? What's the best way to get rid of them without harming the plant?

The little Brown dots are Plumeria Freckles Nothing to worry about, it's Normal...

I used to see those and think they were problems, but Glenn is correct. They're not a problem.

Thanks that's really helpful!

I'm not quite sure what is causing the white spots. What can I do about whatever mysterious pests are putting these white spots on the leaves? I'm a noob so I don't have much experience here.

I've had white dots like that on my plants after a hail storm. Have you had any hail? I got them on hibiscus, plumerias and sempervivums.

erixoltan said:Thanks that's really helpful!

I'm not quite sure what is causing the white spots. What can I do about whatever mysterious pests are putting these white spots on the leaves? I'm a noob so I don't have much experience here.

I had the same frantic worry with my Plumerias until some diligent research turned up the novel information that such flecks are a result of 'over-watering'...
The plants prefer arid conditions, being watered only when the leaves begin to droop. The flecks are a result of the leaves not being able to transpire the water fast enough via the leaf pores. The plants will 'drink' but there will be too much water for them to process quickly enough...You should see new leaves as not suffering from the problem at all.
My plants (just 3 of the 13 I managed to produce last year)...