How and Why to Prune Your Plumeria/Frangipani
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
- Why would you prune your plumeria? In this video I share the two reasons and perform a demonstration:
1. remove dead/diseased wood
2. reshape
The location of your cut is key.
To stimulate new branches to emerge for a bushier plant with a lower profile make your cut a minimum of 2-3 inches inch above a leaf node or branch junction at a 45-degree angle.
To eliminate and prevent new branches, cut flush with the branch junction
Best video I have seen on the considerations for cutting plumeria - Thank you! I was hesitant to cut mine in the middle of a branch and didn't know that this stimulates new nodes to grow versus cutting off at the juncture... I had no idea that you could cut much farther down the trunk as well, so long as there are nodes. And finally, to make sure the cut is 'clean' with no browning. This was immensely helpful! I now feel confident to cut my grandfather's plumeria that I received as a cutting years ago.
So glad it's helpful!
After searching all over the internet, I finally found your video which answered all my questions. Thank you very much!
Cool video, living in FL, our plumerias never stop growing. It makes them long and lanky and susceptible to summer wind storms. This is the exact information I needed to make my pruning easier! Thanks for the great video!!
My neighbor gave me a beautiful plumeria cutting that I planted in my front yard. I had heard "you can plant a cutting and it will grow!" It was pure luck it grew at all. The angles smiled on it this spring because it went crazy! But the branches have gotten so long they're sagging. Not a complete idiot, I also heard "pruning" is a good idea. Then found your video. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I can't wait to prune it and replant the cuttings in my backyard. Plumerias are the best; they're forgiving to brown-thumbs like me, the giant leaves make them very easy to clean up after (can't say the same for my three dogs), and now I know they're pretty easy to care for.
Indeed--plumeria= joy! Sounds like you have a very happy plant and a good pair of gardening hands. Happy gardening!
I’m planning to plant the plumeria cutting in my front yard same as you did. Can you tell me how you did that? Did u straight plant the plumeria cutting on the ground? Can u please tell me the procedure.
Thank you
I really appreciate when you mentioned about where to cut to encourage more branches.
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us! You inspired me and I got a plumeria this summer. I got 6-10” of snow for 2 days (right above Tucson) and would have never known to trim off the soft part. 🌈💕💖🦄🍥💘🌸🐹😋
Plumeria are worth the effort! What kind did you get? Stem rot can be very aggressive if not treated. Glad to hear you took care of it quickly and best wishes for a strong comeback in Spring.
I'm growing plumerias in pots in north Tx. Learned a lot here.
Thank you for this video! I feel more confident to prune my wild plumeria correctly.
Thank you very much, very helpful instructions, love plumerias, so delicate, I will be doing some cuttings soon, WPB FL. Hot temperatures changing to getting cooler slowly in the middle of October. Thank you again. 💞🦋
Thanks. Now I can prune it back.
Yes so helpfull. I have several non dwarf plumeria super lanky at 10ft and I'm looking to prune and spread them out to make a fuller tall wall along my driveway.
Best videos on plumerias!! Very informative. Thanks!
Great video, thank you! When cutting the plumeria to increase branches, is spring best time or can this be done at any time of year. I’m located in South Florida in case it makes a difference. Thank you for your help! Short story, I decided this year to “net” my seed pods. I always seem to miss when they opened sooooo, I thought I’d catch 2 of them this year! I have numerous trees in my back yard! Well, then came the virus so I thought it would be a great idea to grow from seeds , did my research bought everything “they” Recomend, no problem- had nothing to do anyway so growing 99% of the seeds from the 1 pod which contained probably 50-60 seeds no problem right? . I figured some would not make it. WELL, that was NOT the case! I ended up with 45 healthy plumerias growing happily on my patio! After I re-potted all of them THIRD TIME I realize I needed a nursery to deal with all of them! Luckily I have wonderful friends that took about 25 off my hands. I started the seeds 4/25- in 3 months, they range in size from 2+ feet to over 3 feet tall! With a lot of them shooting branches also. 😳😳. Well, all I can say is lesson learned! I gave the other seeds from different pod away........it’s full time work but a labor of love! I can’t wait for them to bloom & see what colors I get! Sorry this was a bit long........ thanks for your help with my question!
Very cool that you propagated so many plants from seed. Well done! Do your plumeria go dormant in Winter? If they drop their leaves in Winter then Spring is the time to prune. If they have leaves year round then you can prune safely at any time.
Really informative. Thank you so much! Am eager to now get out and prune my frangi's
Thank you for the help. I live in Hawaii and I see lots of talk Plumeria trees and well I love the smell, mine was small but it was in a bucket, as a grew it broke the bucket and rooted itself into the ground.
Wow--strong roots! Happy gardening!
Thanks for teaching. Very helpful. 💐💐💐🏅👍
Great, informative, video and any questions I could think of have been answered in your replies to others! Thank you!
Thank you that was really clear and very helpful- Teejay with a tree bugging my neighbour in Abu Dhabi!
Great info....some day I hope for a flower!
Thanks a million for the great video, excellent information I learned a lot.
when you prune your firestorm I'd love a cutting ! oh Hello from Buckeye AZ
Kevin Tunaley same! it’s my favorite color of them all :)
Suelo reproducir todo tipo de arbol este es muy hermoso
Thanks for the basic video.
Fantastic education on plumeria! Thank you so much!!!
Great video I learned a lot thanks
This was a great informative video video that covered everything. Thank you very much
Great information Thanks
Hello from Yuma , Az !
Thank you for wonderful video and lesson
At the end when you say cut along the trunk to stimulate nodes, do you mean cut the whole trunk off and start from a smaller tree? Or can I do like a half cut or so and keep what is up high and stimulate new nodes near the bottom?
To stimulate nodes, your cut needs to be all the way thru to where you actually cut off the branch. It cannot be superficial slicing or partial slicing. You can cut up high on the branch at the tip to preserve the size of your current branch or lower down to shorten the branch. Hope that helps
Nice video! I don’t get the last cut in the video to get the plant growing branches lower to the ground. In the video you suggest te cut the main stem halfway. In such a way you cut away the whole top of the tree; which of course will die without roots. Will the remaining main stem make new branches? Or do you suggest the top of the plant as a cutting for replanting?
Thanks! The last part was to inform that one can reshape a tall lanky plumeria to a shorter bushier structure by cutting off the top. The part you cut off or remove can be thrown out or sold as a cutting or rooted yourself if you wish into a new plant. The reason why we make a drastic cut like this is so your in ground plumeria will be stimulated to grow new lateral branches that would otherwise not have grown.
Great Video! Thanks so much!
The biggest plumeria tree i have seen was there stories talk diamond head beach park AKA shows .
I want to do a height reduction on my plumerias. It’s over 10 feet tall. Do I follow the same technique as the smaller ones in this video?
Yes; stop the vertical growth by lopping it at the desires height and it will force side shoots.
Does the size of the branch matter it’s pretty thick?
@@KINGSTONSPRIDE There is no harm with vigor. Just like any plant branch-- if you stop the growth by topping and the plant is healthy, it will push new ones as it can no longer grow from the cut point. It forces the plant to re-shape.
I have 2 potted plants I started from cuttings I bought in Hawaii. They are both leggy above a V. If I’ve got this right, I can cut 3” or more above the V for new growth and to keep a manageable size. Is that correct?
I live in Colorado and the plants got some frost damage last night. I failed to get them inside, where they spend the winter. Is now a good time to cut the softened tips to prevent any further damage? Then wait to spring to make the cuts to make a shorter and fuller plant?
You are correct. The best time to prune or head back is in spring as the plumeria come out of dormancy. One of the worst times is to prune just before they go dormant as they need energy from the sun and heat to heal over the cut. If your plumeria is actually rotted at the tip from damage then yes it's best to prune it off now but seal it with some Elmer's glue. When I experimented with hard pruning before winter storage, the branches did not properly heal and cavities formed causing dieback of the limb so I learned my lesson there and only prune when the plant is actively growing.
How do I cut it low? At an Angle or just straight in to get the thicker growth in the bottom.? I have a pretty big one. And I would like to get it to expand in the bottom area..
Re-shaping is best done in early spring. Doing it now may stress your plant with the heat of summer. When you cut the branch off, make the cut at a 45-degree angle to prevent water from pooling at the point of the cut. Latex will ooze from the cut and eventually callous. You have choices on where you make the cut but I personally cut at a minimum of 6" from a branch junction or 12" from the ground (if shortening the main trunk) so you ensure enough surface area for the new side shoots to emerge
I have plumerias. Lots of them. Not as many as you do, but enough where they make a statement in my yard. I have had them for 15 years. In all this time, I have only gotten three flowers. I'm sad.
I'm sorry to hear you have not had blooms. Have you tried feeding them in Spring with BR-61 Plant Food 9-58-8 ? A high-Phosphate fertilizer (middle number) helps stimulate blooms
@@EnlightenmentGarden I have not! I will get some and keep you posted. How often and how much should I use?
@@EnlightenmentGarden I did buy some Scott's Super Bloom NPK 12-55-6 a long time ago for the plumerias. I never really used it because I'm always afraid to over fertilize. It's about six years old, but from what I read, it should still be good. I just do not know how much to use. Some of my plumerias are in very small pots. Some are in 30 gallons pots. I have more time now to care for them better. There is a lot of frost damage because I quit bringing them indoors. Which led me to your video. I'm ready to prune off the damaged stems now and I will fertilize. Hopefully, mine will bloom this year!
@@DaabigO I don't have any first hand experience using the product you reference or that old. However, does not hurt to give it a try. You may want to try BR 61 on half and your other food on half and see what happens. Directions for feeding are generally on the box and I do follow that for how much I feed and how often. Best of luck!
@@EnlightenmentGarden I will get some BR61. Thank you so much for helping me. I'll let you know if I get some blooms!
Is there a limit of how far down you can go to cut? I missed this year's chance to cut as they are starting to bloom.
I have not tested limits but personally would not cut a branch to less than 6" tall from the soil or branch union. It likely can tolerate less but that would be a severe cut and can stress the plant.
How old does the plant need to New to start blooming? Does it bloom on new branches or only on older branches?
Though not common, I've seen newly rooted cuttings bloom. In general, a plumeria plant grown from a cutting can form inflos and bloom its first year but year 2 and beyond is more common. Getting them to bloom is more about providing the correct nutrients and light than age. However, plumeria grown by seed takes longer to bloom at 2-3 years. Plumeria only bloom at the tip of their branches and do so on both older and young branches.
Thank you, I'm in Atlanta Georgia, I just brought my tree in since it went below 55 during the night. Is it OK to prune it now, or should I wait till March ?
My plumeria is doin very good at the top & is branching out well, however the bottom, from the pot up the fork, & up to the new branches r brown & look bad, is my tree a gonner??
It's hard to say without seeing it.If the wood is not soft plus growth from the top, the plant should be fine. If soft, then rot set in and that is very hard to reverse.
It's not soft it jus looks bad to me
Hi, I was negligent on my cut. I thought I sealed it but now the branch is brown inside but still hard. I tried cutting it back but the brown is closing into the junction. Still no white sap. Do you seal your cuts? Will that branch heal well and survive without White sap? If I cut to junction, I am down to a tall 2 branch tree.
The fact that its not soft is a good sign but if you have brown/no sap to the junction it sounds like dead tissue and likely will not get new growth from that area. IMO you might as well cut back to the junction/healthy tissue but ensure it's angled so no water can settle. I do not seal my cuts as we are very dry in my climate in Phoenix but in a more moist climate I've heard that waterproof wood glue is a good way to seal it. But never seal it the day you cut it. You need to wait a few days until the sap bleeding out hardens otherwise you can introduce rot by sealing in moisture. Hope this helps and good luck.
Many thanks. Helps a lot. How about grafting a plumeria. Perhaps one tree thais multi colored?
Cheers, Johno
Good to hear. I have never attempted a plumeria graft. I've purchased some grafted varieties and they seem to be less vigorous. In any event I just may have to try grafting at some point; multi-color would be amazing!
Yes you absolutely can graft and have a plumeria with different colors...
Nice tutorial, thank you. ;-)
At 10:12 "put a cut and you'll get nodes". Does this mean to cut a little into the trunk (damage the bark) and this will promote a node to grow?
I am trying to balance out my tall lanky plumeria by promoting lower growth for stability and symmetry. Would love more info. Thanks!
It's not a superficial cut; you'll want to top your plumeria. Like any other plant, once you top the vertical growth by cutting it at a certain point, lateral branching will be induced. It's not instant and will take time, but that is a sound way to manage the shape of you plumeria.
Enlightenment Garden I appreciate the response. Unfortunately I require a bit more layman's terms... "Top your plumeria" is foreign to me. Sorry!
@@cristym8118 You would completely cut through the branch with a pair of bypass pruners to shorten your plant to the desired height, thereby removing the excess length of the branch. You can even save the branch you cut off and attempt to root it if you wish to create a new plant.
Enlightenment Garden Thank you kindly for the further direction. Have you had any success in grafting a cut piece the the main trunk?
@@cristym8118 I've never attempted grafting on plumeria but it is a nice way to diversify
When is the best time to take cuttings? Winter, spring, summer, fall? Does it matter?
IMO, start of Spring is best. The cuttings need sun and heat to grow once rooted so it's best to give them as much time as possible to do that. Any other season is going to limit the number of days in their growing cycle.
I recently moved to Georgia from Florida , I had lots of plumeria in Florida ; do. You think I could grow my plumerias here without bringing them in for the winter. Thanks for your advice
In ground plumeria can't deal with freezing temps for long periods. What are your lowest lows in Georgia and how frequent are they? Zone?
My plumeria has recently gone into dormancy. Its currently a 2 tipped plant but it sustained some damage from a large tree branch that was blown down during a tropical storm. Basically one branch was broken at the midpoint of the limb. I made a clean cut and before dormancy began a new bud was just getting going about 2 inches below the cut. The other branch is now much longer and the plant is not balanced. I would like to shorten the undamaged branch to restore the shape. The question is can I do this now or wait until later this winter
Not sure what your winters are like but if zone 9B I'd wait until the last chance of frost is over to make the cut to balance it. The risk of doing it now is you don't want to encourage growth when it's going dormant when the cold this winter could zap any new growth and the plant is more vulnerable. In Spring at bud break, the plant will respond with vigor with food, water, sunlight and warmth.
@@EnlightenmentGardenThanks for the reply! I'm in zone 6b-7a (mid-atlantic) depending on the map, so its in a large pot that I bring in for the winter before first frost and store in a dark corner of the basement. Late winter I move it to a warmer room and put a grow light over it to bring it out of dormancy well before our nights temps are above 50 to get a head start on our short growing season. Sounds like its just best to wait until I'm ready to bring it out dormancy in late winter1
10 minute mark, cutting further down the trunk to stimulate new branching. Do you mean cut completely off or make a small cut to stimulate new frown at one of the nodes?
Correct; I mean cut it off completely.
When do you replant after cutting? Immediately? I read when you propagate, you should let the fresh cut dry out before planting, but it may be different for shortening a plant.
Hi, let me start off by saying what a great & informative video. I am new to plumeria growing & live in Southern California. I have 2 plants currently & as you may know we had a very wet winter. since putting in ground they have grown but not alot. they went in around middle summer. 1 has split the other is still a single stalk. both have yet to produce any nodes or leaves yet, tips are still bare. main stalk seems quite healthy thou. Unsure what to do at this point to stimulate new growth without damaging, especially the single stalked one. Any ideas would help.
I'm thinking of pulling the single stalked up and placing into a pot as where it is seems to not get enough sun.
Thanks! Plumeria tend to be slow growers for the most part and do need heat and sun to put on any growth. We had a very cold (20s) wet winter here in the Phoenix area. The ones that survived in my yard are just now showing some signs of the tips waking up. It's still early in the season--plumeria really start their activity when the lows are 60+ so later this month you should see some leaves emerge from the tip. My thought is yours may not be getting enough sun. Container growing may be a better option because you can move it around your yard until you find the perfect spot where it thrives. You can also bring it inside when temps go below 50. Once your plant comes out of dormancy, I do recommend feeding with a high phosphate fertilizer like BR-61 to jump start them in Spring. It promotes both flowering and growth. Hope that helps.
Hope you're still here! How long after cutting a long stem back could we expect to see development of new lateral buds from the nodes on the stem? Like in your video, I cut several stems about halfway, leaving about two feet of stem to the ground. This is in SoCal; it's cool at night but beginning to get warm during the day.
It really depends on variety and diameter. Thicker areas can take longer to callous/heal and form side growth. I generally see the start of side shoots 6-10 months later when done close to or at the start of spring. I've heard some growers report it taking over a year. Being in socal, you should see results this year with a long warm, growing season
Very good information, just what I was looking for thank you!
Thank your for the video. I have a 3- year old plumeria in my backyard about 4 feet tall. Unfortunately last Friday my back fences fell right on it and broke it. Only thing left above the ground is the main trunk about 3 inches. Do you know if my plumeria will survive? Or will die? Is there anything I should do to help her to survive? How should I clean the trunk breakage area/surface? I knew she has a health root system underneath but not sure if there is enough trunk for her to come out with new stem and leaves. Thank you for any of your ideas. I will propagate the stems knocked off from the tree.
Thanks! 3" is not much but I would not give up on it as it may be able to shoot some side branches and regrow into a strong plant. For the break, make a 45 degree downward cut with sterilized pruning shears to prevent tip rot. New branches should emerge within the next 3 months.
Can the cuttings be planted? If I cut in the winter, can the cutting be held until spring/summer before planting?
Yes cuttings can be rooted after allowing them to dry for 2 weeks or callous on the bottom; however, it's risky to take them in Winter and store until Spring as the viability declines with time. I'd recommend taking them in Spring instead and rooting then.
I pruned my plumeria and it seems to be drying up. It does not seem to have rot as the base of the tree is still firm and a little bit green. I do not know what to do. I'm so sad as this plumeria was fabulous last year when it bloomed. My husband wanted it cut back because he said it was getting too large on our patio. It had 4 branches from the main trunk and I cut them all off as instructed about 4" from the main truck at a 45 degree angle. All had healthy tissue with the milky substance coming out. All of the cuttings I planted got mushy and died. On my original main tree the 4" branches just dried up and became hollow in the centers of the branches. Like the core milky area dried back. I cut them off. Now I just have the main tree and it is wrinkly at the top, but hard, and still firm at the bottom. The very top where the 4 branches were has been cut back to the main trunk. If I cut it back any further do I need to seal the trunk somehow to prevent it from drying out? I don't want to lose it. Suggestions?
It's odd that your plant dried up from pruning. The best thing I can suggest is cut to good tissue again with a 45 degree cut and then wrap the tip in parafilm (amazon carries it). I use parafilm for rooting fig cuttings. It prevents dry out and acts as a sealant but is temporary so you can remove it once the stem properly callouses over.
One other tip would be to never prune all your branches at once and really only prune if absolutely neccessary. By pruning all your growth tips off you will not have blooms for at least a year because the plant has to send out new branches and inflos and that takes time.
When you cut a tree so it not to get tall, do we dry the tree For one week before planting Like you tell us to do on a 12" Cutting Or do we carted dip it in a gross powder and planet to same day I'm talking about a tree that has already 46 branches but want to make it shorter
When taking a cutting to root, you should let the cutting dry out for about 7 days and callous before rooting whether you use rooting hormone or not. The cutting will bleed when you cut it and you never want that fresh wound to directly come in contact with soil as that could introduce infection/rot. Hope this helps.
plumeria tree can be really big !
Can the new growth produce blooms that following season?
Blooms are not guaranteed the next season. Some varieties have bloomed the next season and others take longer.
I have a plumeria that I'm afraid the stem or root has rotted. I had them in a greenhouse and while I was away for two weeks, it was blown over and the plants were exposed to a lot of rain, and low temperature (around the 40s). I cut off the soft and hollow spots at the top, and while most of the stem is firm, it has turned a dark color. Darker than the other plumeria I have. I did a scratch test and the wood underneath is dark green/brownish, while on the other plumeria it's bright green. Is the dark one dead?
Sorry to hear that. Brownish discoloration does indicate stem rot. It may recover. Treat it with a liquid Fungicide and let the soil dry out.
@@EnlightenmentGarden Thanks for the reply. I will try that.
How deep would you make the cut on the branch to encourage new growth?
Question: I have a Grafted Variegated Maya Plumeria (growing in a clay pot).. It's 36" tall with NO branching yet... Experimented with removing the growth tip... in hopes of stimulating branching, but to no avail... You state in this video that I should make a Cut on the trunk to stimulate dormant growth buds... How DEEP should this cut be ? ps. I'm in zone 7b
Cutting a tip off is enough to stimulate new buds. You don't need to take the plant down short to get it to set new bud. That's just an option if you don't like the current height. I will say that getting new growth takes time. It can take 6 months or more to see new buds form. My Dragon Tears did not sprout growth from the branch cuts I made until the following season. How long has it been?
Air layer it
Do you have a video on how to re-plant large plumerias ? I have three large in one enormous pot, I would like to plant it out keeping the three trees together but I have zero experience. Thank you.
I don't have a video on re-planting but have removed plumeria from containers. Plumeria roots are quite fine and delicate and break easily so you will lose some in the process. You may need to prune the plants quite a bit to make the job more manageable and better match up the plant size to the roots remaining. If your plants are dormant right now, I would personally wait to re-plant them just when they start to break dormancy and the buds swell so that the pruning cuts can heal and the roots can grow back faster. I've learned not to disturb plumeria with pruning or transplanting when dormant given they don't have the energy to heal and grow at that point and as a result, can be set back. Hope this helps!
I have a plant that is 4 foot high with only one stem. Can I cut it down to 1 foot and try to propagate the top I cut off? Thanks
Yes; that would be a great way to force a bushy shape for your tall plumeria and also give you the opportunity to propagate a 2nd plant.
Great video! Can you tell me what brand of cutter you're using in this video? Maybe mine are just old, but yours seem to cut so much easier and nicer!! Thanks in advance!!
Thanks! I used the Fiskars Bypass Pruning 5/8” Plant Clippers (91095935J) in the video. They do dull like any blade with a lot of use. I personally use the SHARPAL 103N Multi-Sharpener to keep my cutting shears sharp. Both are available on Amazon
In the end, when you “top” the tree, will you expect new nodes/branches from the bottom part (the part in the ground)? Also, do you root the top part and replant it? Thank you! I’m a plumeria novice trying to save the few I have.
Exactly! Stopping the growth by pruning the branch will force the plant to produce new branches. You can definitely take enough of the branch off as a cutting to start a new plant. When you take the cutting, leave it in your house or your garage for a few days so the cut can callous over. If you directly plant, the open wound can get infected and it won't root. After it callouses you can root it in a container or in ground (depending on climate). Here is a good video on rooting a cutting -- ruclips.net/video/AH66Vb_9NpY/видео.html
Enlightenment Garden thank you so much!
You answered my question too! Thank for the beautiful and very informative video!
Vicky Stojmenov I did exactly this and now have two lovely plants!
Does applying insecticide spray damage plumeria? I mean I use Insecticide for my rose plants, can I also use the same on my plumeria?
Regards.
Insecticides for flowering plants should do no harm to your plumeria. The only concern with insecticides is their effect on beneficial bugs. Many insecticides (even organic choices) harm bees and butterflies
Plumeria are sensitive to chemicals. They can easily react to over spray from chemicals being used nearby. At the least the leafs will grow deformed for a few sets. At worst the crown will grow nubs several nubs(not to be confused with inflos).
When and how do you handle seed pods on your plumeria?
I've only had pods develop twice ever. I cut them off well before they matured which takes 9-10 months. As you probably are aware, one can propagate plumeria by seed but I'm not interested in propagating right now so I don't leave them to mature. Sorry; this is an area I don't dabble much into.
Very informative, I LOVE plumerias and are in the process of rooting cuttings. What city are you doing this in???! Thank you, :) -michael
Glad you found it useful. I garden just outside Phoenix, Arizona which is in zone 9B.
I’m in the midwest and I have 3 plumeria in pots. They all have single stalks. Should I cut them back in the spring so they bunch?
Hi! Yes, you certainly can if your preference is for a bushier plumeria.
It's about a hundred and thirteen today in Phoenix I have two large potted plumerias on my covered patio that don't get any direct sun right now. Once leaves are starting to curl. Anybody know why this is?
It's probably due to aphids. Spray with soapy water or diluted neem insect control. - www.hunker.com/12554771/plumeria-and-leaf-curl
Some say the cuttings won't bloom till two yrs after rooting. Do you think it's true?
It is definitely true depending on variety. Some varieties are precocious and bloom months after rooting and yet others already rooted at planting like Wildfire and Som Chanika have not bloomed once for me in over 2 years.
@@EnlightenmentGarden thank you for your quick response 😀
I don’t expect a response to this but I’ll give it a try considering the age of this video … but … here we go. I moved into a home and it looks like someone planted a 4 ft cutting from a plumeria, it’s leaning heavily but I’m wondering if I can cut it back 12 inches or so from the ground to generate new stems and promote a straighter growth pattern. Thanks for any help!!
If you are located in a tropical climate where plumeria grows year-round and never goes dormant you could go ahead and head it back now but if you are anywhere else, I would wait until spring to shorten it to generate side branching. In the meantime, you can tap some posts/stakes in the ground and brace up the plumeria. My go-to for that is to cut some 1/2" poly tubing about 6-8" wide and thread 100 lb wire through it when counterbalancing a young tree with stakes. The poly tubing ensures the wire will not cut or damage the plant and is very sturdy even in windy conditions. Hope that helps.
@@EnlightenmentGarden thanks for the quick reply! Yes I’m in Florida and although the plumeria will drop it’s leaves I don’t believe it ever gets cold enough for it stop growing honestly.
Where are you? Could we plant these in Texas?
I'm near Phoenix, AZ. USDA 9B. If you get below 32, plumeria can be killed unless frost protected so it's better to container grow if you don't want to deal with cold frames and heating in winter.
Hi..
After 2 weeks of the pruning, is it possible to plant it on the ground directly or has to be on the pot first? How to do it if I want to plant it on the ground right after pruning?
Thank you
Two weeks should be ample time for the cutting to callous. From there, if you are in a frost free zone, you can simply coat the calloused bottom of the cutting with rooting hormone and plant the cutting in the ground. You may need to stake it from both sides to keep it upright. If you are in a zone with frost, then a container is a better choice to try to root it and get it to grow where it can be kept indoors in a warm environment when temps outside are cold this winter and fall below 40. This a video that provides solid info on rooting a cutting that you may want to review - ruclips.net/video/AH66Vb_9NpY/видео.html
Enlightenment Garden thank you so much for your info. This is gonna be my 1st time with plumeria. Can’t wait to see how it will grow
Enlightenment Garden which soil is better for plumeria? Is it cactus, palm and citrus soil is better to use? Do you add perlite?
@@nikosushi1 In ground, I take half native soil out and replace with half cactus soil which usually already contains perlite and mix it up for a more porous media. When container growing or rooting plumeria, I do half perlite to half peat moss.
Enlightenment Garden thank you so much for your help and explanation
My uncle and aunt brought me back a plumeria from overseas when they returned from Hawaii for their honeymoon. The plant was bought at one of the islands in a bag, and I tried planting it. The plant at the bottom is rather dead-looking, but the top 3-4 inches is healthy green... do I cut off the dead part, and let it try to grow anyways? Would really hate to lose it, especially since it's from overseas.
On a healthy plumeria, new growth on the stocks are green and older growth is hardened off and greyish. Is the bottom soft? If it's hard, your plumeria is just fine. If soft, you likely have root rot from over-watering. If that's the case, it's very difficult to reverse. I recommend taking the top green healthy part as a cutting and attempt to root it.
@@EnlightenmentGarden The bottom is hard. I scratched off (gently) the tiniest bit of the darker, harder layer to find a healthy green underneath and white sap. This means it's healthy, right?
@@beachdad99 Congrats! Sounds like you have a healthy plumeria.
I've only just realized that what we have is Plumeria and not a variety or cultivar of an Adenium :O
So we bought it with flowers, like 2-3 years ago but it never really bloomed again. It has a lot of leaves but turns yellow like after a month? or so. I live in the Philippines, so it receives full sun. Is pruning vital for it to bloom/flower again? Thank you!!
Plumeria don't like constant water. Yellowing leaves may be a sign it's getting too much. To encourage blooming I've found I need to feed them a fertilizer with a high phosphate number like a NPK of 10-50-10 in Spring
I have a plumeria stock I have been raising. It was really windy and a tarp flew over her and damaged her two little horns where leaves were just starting to grow. Now the tips look like they are rotting. What should I do?
The top of those growth points may darken and die but as long as your plant still has good roots and is healthy, it will form new side growth just below the tips soon. You really should not need to intervene.
Enlightenment Garden thank you so much. I will leave her alone and wait. If the rot starts to spread is there something I can do?
@@tingwang767 Yes; you can always cut the damaged tip off back to clean tissue where there is no brown if the injury is introducing disease or allowing water to pool on top.
Enlightenment Garden do I just cut the whole top off at an angle? I just have one stem about 8 inches long. If I cut the top off will leaves start to grow out of the spots on the side of the stem? I wish I could send you a picture.
@@tingwang767 You can email me at livewellplantz@gmail.com
thx❤
Hey hope you can help!! I think my friend got a bit scissor happy with my tree. 😩 can I help revive it or is it lost?? If it’s cut just after the junction? 🤔
For a new branch to form you generally want to leave 5 cm from the branch junction. If less than 5cm remains, it's unlikely for a new side shoot to have enough surface area to form there. From my knowledge there is nothing you can do to restore a branch once cut off nearly clean to a branch junction. I'd recommend to wait and see and if necessary rebalance the tree by pruning lower down next year
how long will it take for the cutting to form leaves? I have planted them 10 days ago but no result uptil now? and now leaves are there.
It can take a plumeria cutting anywhere between 45 and 90 days to root in favorable conditions. Generally leaves only form after a good amount of roots have grown and can be supported.
I'm new to plumeria (if not to gardening altogether), it seems Plumeria grow slowly, likes to mainly branch out new growth at each end in V or Y shapes, and only grows leaves at ends so the overall shape kinda looks like a palm tree. My new home has one that mostly a 7 ft 'V'. How do I make it put out more leaves and then flowers? Last year it had maybe several leaves at the top and no flowers. Will pruning it, say a foot or two, encourage it to wake up some?
Those are great observations! Plumeria do focus growth at the top and yes, you can make them bushier by reducing their height with pruning. You may want to try a blooming-type fertilizer with a high P value. I tend to feed with that at the beginning of spring and go with a more balanced NPK ratio after so I do not overdo phosphorous in the soil. Hope that helps.
@@EnlightenmentGarden also my previous homeowner planted the plumeria in heavy clay soil. It seems plumeria like it opposite but theres no easy way to change this right? like I cant just try to fix the top soil. pretty sure its deeply rooted already.
@@lcglazer Agreed; no reason to dig it up if well rooted. I find plumeria are well adapted to a variety of soil types. I planted my initial plumeria plants in mostly native AZ clay and they did fine. You could always add some organic material to the top of the soil like pine mulch, compost and/or worm castings. It will work its way in over time.
I live in Central Florida and my leaves get this orange stuff on the underside and then they dry up.
constance zell that could be rust. try spraying your plant with a copper fungicide
My plumeria is finally flowering! Should I prune after flowering?
If you live in a tropical climate, you should be fine to prune anytime. But if not in a tropical climate, I would wait to prune in spring as the plant needs time and energy to heal over where it was cut and form new branches. That typically takes at least 2 months and requires consistent warm temperatures.
one of my frangipani tree has grown straight without any branches, it has taken a height more than me...approx 7''. At what height you would recommend i should cut it without killing it? I want to keep it low in height but dense.
The height is really your preference. I personally like mine to branch anywhere between 2' and 3' from the ground. Once you top it or shorten the branch, it will produce multiple side nodes which will encourage a bushy shape.
@@EnlightenmentGarden thank you 🌸
I accidentally cut my plumeria all the way down below the junction. Is there any chance the it might actually grow?
It won't regrow from that cut branch junction in my experience. New nodes usually only form just below where a branch is topped or shortened. A completely cut-back branch has no surface area to form new growth on.
@@EnlightenmentGarden Is there a chance to propagate the cut portions if they didn’t experience any rot or diseases?
@@joshnarheabhargavan8906 Absolutely! Try to root the branch you cut off
Thank you so much 😊
Hi, I found that I have infestation from a leaf minor in one of my trees. Any idea how to eliminate?
Hi--most gardener stores recommend applying a Spinosad Based Control (like Monterey Garden Insect Spray). An application is Spring should prevent the cycle from continuing next year.
Do you need to cover the cut area to prevent water getting into the branch
6:40 in the video I address this. It depends. If you get rain, then seal if dry, no need.
Enlightenment Garden what did you say to use to seal it? I’ve heard some suggest caulk. Thanks for the video.
@@robbiewood391 I mention a product called parafilm. It's a breathable tape that people commonly use for grafting. You could also use buddy tape. People may use sealant like caulking or glue but that sounds toxic to me so I prefer using something innocuous that is impermanent and can be removed easily when callousing occurs in a week or 2.
How do I store the cuttings before I plant them?
I usually keep them in my house or garage in a dry place for at least 10-14 days after taking the cutting to callous (cut end dries and hardens). After that, you can plant them
In Florida I just throw the cut pieces in a pot with a bit of soil at the bottom. The plumeria sense where the soil is and will send out roots to try to anchor itself. By the time I figure out where I want to replant the stalks, most of them have roots started.
What is the lifespan of plumeria tree? How long do they live?
According to Google results, around 40 years
My grandmother has had her plumerias for over 60 years.
Great video!! Do you recommend removing the stem from where the flowers grew from after the flowers fall off or should that just die off naturally?
Thanks! Yes; I've left them and most of the time they fall off on their own but sometimes they don't and begin rotting and will damage the branch below. Best to snap them off to be on the safe side once the stalk is done blooming.
@@EnlightenmentGarden I've yet to hear this advice other then from you. Before you started snapping them off, how many started to rot? 1 out of 5? Curious
Yes most people leave the inflo. Rot ocurred on a couple out of my collection of 15. Micro-climate was likely a factor. There is always the choice of leaving them to see what will happen. I just don't take the chance with mine. If you don't get frost, its likely a non-issue but in my zone, we get it every year and that makes expired inflos the weak link.
@@EnlightenmentGarden , thank you. That makes sense.
root rot ? I think you mean branch rot...we have some predicted nights of 38 coming at the airport in about a wk...but nothing at freezing, at least near the downtown anywhere...your plumeria should be fine :) we've been real fortunate in that--so far--we now are into our 4th or 5th straight year...with higher than normal winter temps :)...hope it continues at least thru what I call the "killer"frost period...roughly Dec.15th/16th - February 1st. We still can get below freezing much later than that, of course, but that is usually the highest risk period...
2015 was bad in my area with temps down to 24-25. I do feel very fortunate with the mild temps this year and last for my young tropicals but am ready to combat a cold snap if we get one.
Rubbing alcohol is probably better than hydrogen peroxide for sterilizing shears
Good content but slow on the narrative. Made it difficult to get through. Thanks for the tips though.
Had to speed up the video to watch this.