I got this 5 X 5 plumeria from friend and need to prune it to keep it inside for the winter here in NM. Where should the cuts be made on this one to make it more compact next summer and where should I cut what I take off to start new plants? It had to hitch a ride in a pickup since it's so large, hence the battered leaves:( At least it's time for it to drop them anyway. Thanks for your help.
Yeah, those leaves can go now. Clip (rather than rip) them off leaving about 1 inch on the stem; these nubs will fall off in a few days; this minimizes latex loss.
I would cut the branches about 3-4 inches away from the main stem; the sections that are left on the plant will branch out again in time. The cuttings you take should be calloused for a week or so and can then be started to root (providing bottom heat) or you can store them till spring. Don't trim them any more - the longer the cutting the better.
Good luck!
PS what variety is this?
Thank you for posting your reply. I was hoping to be able to cut it that far back to the main trunk and letting it start over. I don't know what variety it is, I never saw it bloom. She said a friend brought it back from Kauai and that it has a red throat when it starts to bloom.
I agree with Hetty's advice. I can't tell what is three inches by the picture, but this is roughly where I would prune. It looks pretty lanky like maybe it didn't get enough full sun where it was. I would also wait until spring, if you can, to prune and root the cuttings as this is a difficult time of year to get cuttings to root.
If you want to go a little more drastic for a more compact tree, you could cut at these points. Then I would cut the "V" branches into separate cuttings after that for rooting.
I have 2 enormous plumerias - 1 pale pink w/a yellow throat, 1 darker pink edged in an even darker pink w/a yellow throat. It bloomed like gangbusters this year again even after getting blown over numerous times and still has two stalks of blooms. Each plant has seed pods that I am letting stay until they are completely ripe. The reason the plants are so huge is 1)they were well fertilized and watered 2)they were on my concrete drive in full sun & 3)I had surgery in Nov., 05 and again in Mar., 06 so I was unable to prune as I had wanted and I don't trust my DH (the non-gardener) to do it for me. I plan to prune each of them and I will have over a dozen good sized cuttings which I will pot and give away or sell - whatever - plus I will have all those seeds. There are two pods on one plant and (I think) 4 pods on the other so I will have beaucoup stuff to get rid of some way.
Thanks so much for the good info and clear instructions. DGers are the best!
Ann
Clare, Thank you so much for taking the time to show me my options for where I could cut. I am still trying to figure out where to put this big 'ol girl for the winter though!:) I keep looking around in the house for somewhere I could do the heating pad if it just can't wait that long. At least now I have an idea of what I need to do. Didn't have a clue without this site and everyone's input. Thanks to all who have posted advice for the rest of us to gain the knowledge about raising these awsome plants!
My pleasure, Debb. If you need to prune out of necessary to store for the winter, that is understandable. If you don't have room for a heating pad, some appliances make nice rooting places. My gas stove top is always warm because of the two burners so I used to put some cuttings right on the stove top for the night and then put them outside during the day. Sometimes, I would warm a cookie sheet on the burners and then put the cuttings on it with some supplemental light. I hear that water heaters make good places to root cuttings as well.
Hey, Debb, if you have any cuttings you just don't know what to do with, throw em my way!
See Clare, I'm trying!
Louise, there are a couple of offers for plumie cuttings over at the Classified section too in case you haven't seen them.
Here's the link: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/661713/
This message was edited Oct 24, 2006 10:39 AM
Yikes, bet they're gone...going there now.
Not finding the classifieds, can you send the link?
How did I miss that link!!!! Sorry Clare, was in such a big hurry to rush there that I didn't even see you included the link!
Louise, you didn't miss anything. Sorry about that. I edited my post to include the link. I thought that you hadn't seen my post yet and that I could just sneak it in, but you are right on top of things as I am too today:-)
LOL, what a nut I am! You're right, I'm spending too much time here looking for plumeria!! I just e-mailed Chris. Thanks for this.
My pleasure:-) Those look like nice ones, and the price is right.
I bought some of the cuttings from Buried Treasures and they arrived very quickly and with them already having small roots! Very nice cuttings.
Tammie
Yes the price is definitely right! Thanks Tammie for the testimonial!
Thank you.
Wonderful!
Thanks Clare for my newfound addiction! I'm really excited...even though I don't have alot of named ones, you can bet I'll be adding those to my collection, with the 2 I have coming, that will make 12 plumeria I now have!
Louise, I love my unnamed ones as much as my named ones. Congrats on your 12! That is a great start.
Here's an update on the big 'ol girl at the top of the thread. Her and all her babies are thriving. Thanks so much for all the help and advice I got to know what to do with her! It was interesting to lob the branches off (scary,too) and watch what happens. One of the cuttings even has an inflo! If it flowers I'll post it. I have one that is getting long branches but the main base isn't getting taller. Is there a way to encourage the trunk to grow? Thanks everyone and have a great day.
Lookin' good, Debb! Congrats on a job well-done! Growth occurs from the tips mostly so the base of that one won't get any taller; however, you can cut off the branches right where it meets the trunk and root those two branches, and then you will have a more slender tree if you desire it.
love your plumie army debb. nothing like a mom and her kids. LOL you did good.
for multi-branched cuttings the height of the base is already determined. all the trunk can do now is increase in girth. single-tip cuttings can grow in height until they flower and then branch. at that point the new branches will take over the vertical growth.
Thanks, Dete! I knew it was something like that! Ha!
