Lemon drop plumeria is described as a compact tree by one Australian grower and as a 15 foot plant by a US garden retailer. Both are talking about the same yellow cultivar. That gap is the first thing to understand before you plan a spot for it.
Lemon Drop, also sold as Thornton’s Lemon Drop, is a bright yellow plumeria with a lemony scent and thick, overlapping petals. This guide covers the flower, the yellows it gets confused with, and how it grows. For the wider picture of named types, see our guide to plumeria varieties.
Lemon Drop Plumeria at a Glance
| Trait | Details |
|---|---|
| Color | Bright to deep lemon yellow, with white edging as blooms age (two sellers agree) |
| Flower size | About 3.5 inches in one listing, 3 inches or more in another |
| Petal shape | Wide, pointed, elliptical, heavily overlapping, thick texture |
| Fragrance | Lemon, medium to strong in one listing; a second seller says sweet |
| Bloom season | Heavy and continuous through the season; timing varies by climate |
| Growth habit | Sturdy, well spaced branching; described as compact by growers, though sources differ on final size |
| Leaf | Bright green, with fuzzy new growth |
| Species or parentage | Called a hybrid; Courtade Pink listed as pod parent (one source) |
| Breeder or origin | Described by one nursery as an Elizabeth Thornton hybrid; United States; year not well documented |
| Registration | Plumeria Society of America number 224 (one source) |
Most details come from one listing at Florida Colors, with cross checks from a second US nursery, an Australian grower and a garden retailer. The parentage and registration number appear in one listing only, so treat them as a single seller’s report.
What Lemon Drop Plumeria Looks Like
The flowers
The bloom is a solid, clear yellow. As flowers age, a thin band of white can appear along the edges of the petals.
The petals are wide and pointed, and they overlap heavily so the flower looks full and round. The texture is thick, and the nursery says blooms hold up well once open. At about 3.5 inches, the flower is medium sized and not among the giants.
A second US nursery lists the blooms at 3 inches or more, and an Australian seller calls them very large. The 3 to 3.5 inch figures are the safer planning guide.
Our page on yellow plumeria shows how much yellow cultivars differ in shade and size.
Leaves and branches
The leaves are bright green, and new growth is covered in fine fuzz. The stems are described as sturdy, with thick branching that is well spaced.
That spacing matters for looks. Open branching gives each flower cluster room to show.
Fragrance
The scent is lemony, and one nursery rates it medium to strong. A second nursery calls it simply sweet, and a garden retailer calls the flowers fragrant. No side by side scent comparison is documented, so judge strength for yourself if you can smell a bloom before buying.
Lemon is common among yellow plumerias, so scent alone will not separate it from relatives. Judge it by the bloom in your hand.
How to Tell Lemon Drop Apart From Look Alikes
| Cultivar | Color and pattern | Petal shape | Fragrance | Key tell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lemon Drop | Solid bright yellow, white edging with age | Wide, pointed, thick, heavily overlapping | Lemon | Full yellow flower with no color change at the center |
| Celadine | Yellow | Not well documented in the listing | Lemon | Smaller, about 3 inches |
| Aztec Gold | Golden yellow | Not well documented in the listing | Peach | Larger, 4 inches or more |
| Herzog’s Butterscotch | Yellow | Not well documented in the listing | Lemon | Sold under a different name; compare bloom photos |
Yellow plumerias are easy to mix up. Our pages on Celadine and Aztec Gold cover those two in depth. Nursery listings give few petal details, so size and scent are the quickest separators.
Mislabels are possible with any cutting sold without a bloom photo. Ask the seller for a picture of the mother plant in flower. Include the word plumeria when you search, because other plants also carry the Lemon Drop name.
Growing Lemon Drop Plumeria
For soil, water, feeding and sun basics, start with our plumeria care guide. Here we cover only what is specific to this cultivar.
Size and vigor
Sources disagree on size. One US nursery calls it compact and fast in its text. Its spec table says medium, roughly 12 to 24 inches a year.
A garden retailer gives about 15 feet tall and wide. The safe reading is a medium grower that can still become a sizable tree.
If space is tight, plan on pruning or grow it in a pot.
Bloom habit
The nursery describes a heavy, continuous bloomer through the season. A garden retailer lists late spring to summer in one place and mid summer to mid fall in another. Exact timing is not settled.
Local climate and sun hours probably matter more than the cultivar.
The retailer recommends full sun for best flowering. That is standard advice for any plumeria, and the six or more hours of direct sun that growers commonly aim for is grower practice, not a figure tested on this cultivar.
Cold tolerance and water
The nursery says it tolerates cold well.
The retailer lists hardiness to zone 9b, which is normal for plumeria, so neither claim makes it frost hardy. No tested low temperature is documented. Treat it like any plumeria and protect it before frost, using the steps in our plumeria winter care guide.
The nursery adds that regular watering supports its vigorous growth. That is a note about the growing season, not a reason to keep soil wet in cool weather.
Origin and History
One US nursery calls it a well known Elizabeth Thornton hybrid, which explains the Thornton’s in the alternate name. Thornton was one of the founders of the Plumeria Society of America in 1979, after plumeria proved hard to find around Houston, and in 1986 she secured the society’s role as plumeria registrar. A second nursery files the plant under its United States collection without naming a breeder, and no source gives the year it was first grown.
The one parentage report lists Courtade Pink as the pod parent, with no named pollen parent. The flower alone cannot confirm that claim. The PSA registration number 224 appears in the same single listing, and the second nursery gives no number.
Two names are in use for the same plant: Lemon Drop and Thornton’s Lemon Drop. Seller listings treat them as one cultivar, and an Australian nursery lists it only under the Thornton’s name.
Where to Buy and How to Propagate
Specialist plumeria nurseries in the US and Australia sell it as cuttings, rooted plants and grafted plants. Stock sells out often, so check availability before you plan around it. Our guide to where to buy plumeria cuttings covers what to check before ordering.
The nursery calls it easy and fast to root. Follow the method in our guide on taking plumeria cuttings, and consider grafting for a faster start. Seeds from a Lemon Drop will not grow true to the parent.
Strengths and Weaknesses
- Strong points: clear yellow color, thick petals, a heavy bloom habit and a lemon scent.
- Possible drawbacks: conflicting size reports, a single source for parentage and registration, frequent sell outs and a name that overlaps with other plants.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thornton’s Lemon Drop the same as Lemon Drop plumeria?
Sellers list them as one cultivar. One nursery uses both names in a single title, and an Australian grower sells it as Thornton’s Lemon Drop.
How big do Lemon Drop flowers get?
One nursery lists about 3.5 inches across, and another lists 3 inches or more. An Australian seller calls the flowers very large. Expect a medium to large bloom that varies with age and conditions.
Does Lemon Drop plumeria smell like lemon?
Yes, according to the nursery, which rates the lemon scent medium to strong. Scent varies with time of day and temperature.
Is Lemon Drop a good plumeria for pots?
Its compact description suggests it can work in a container. Some sources put its final size at 15 feet in the ground. In a pot, prune to keep it small.
Will Lemon Drop bloom the first year?
Not well documented for this cultivar. Bloom timing for any cutting depends on its size and the season, as it does for any plumeria.