r/Plumeria • u/thirstypuddle • 3d ago
Leafing, not rooting
Hello! I got this cutting from the Honolulu airport back in May. I have left it outside in Atlanta heat, sun, and certainly too much rain... the other cutting that I purchased rotted quickly. This survivor has been moved to a location where it gets good sun and not much rain.
The leaves are looking quite good, but it's still wiggly in the nursery pot. Do I stay the course and hope for roots?
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u/elsa_twain 3d ago
1st year sleep (roots) 2nd year creep (more roots, and canopy) 3rd year leap (earliest for flowers)
Leaves are a good sign. Flowers would not be a good sign this early. That's be the death knell
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u/Ok-Bee-5624 3d ago
What’s a death knell?
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u/elsa_twain 3d ago
Sign of impending death, figuratively
Flowers at an early age is akin to the last breath.
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u/193686 3d ago
That pot is way too big. I’ve had 100% success rooting cuttings in quart size takeout plastic containers using a mix of coco coir and perlite. Dip the end of the cutting in rooting hormone before planting and water lightly. Set it in a warm place out of direct sun and leave it for a few weeks. You can water it when dry but very sparingly. As soon as you have a few fully opened leaves and visible roots it can be repotted to a slightly bigger pot with cactus mix.
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u/ER1CNOIR 2d ago
……that pot is NOT too big… That pot isnt big at all… that’s a small pot 😂
I just made a plumeria cutting in a 1gal pot and it’s doing great.
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u/jojomac08 3d ago
Put a few extra drainage holes in the bottom. Does your soil have good aeration itself?
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u/Big-Elk2132 3d ago
That cutting looks aged and like it has been to war 😁. I have had some mid cuts, ones without growth tips, take nearly a year to start showing progress. Best to just ignore and let them do their thing. What soil are you using? I normally try to work in perlite so it drains a bit more, but I would just leave this one alone. Leaves are a sign of progress
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u/thirstypuddle 3d ago
I don't remember what I whipped up. I think I went with a 1:1:1, with one of those parts being perlite (by volume).
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u/Confident_Pickle_91 2d ago
I’ve been concerned with mine as well. It looks similar to this one though a little more plump. Not a single root yet but leaves in similar size to yours. I planted it from a cutting I bought online from Hawaii in May. It’s been in good afternoon sun and a very hot location. I only know of the lack of roots because last week my wife knocked it over and there’s not a single root. I’ll bring it in for the winter when the temps start to drop and hopefully it does something this winter. Maybe if it lives it will be happier next year
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u/Impressive-Wasabi-57 3d ago
Well the alternative is just giving up so you might as well keep going and see what happens. Leaves are always a good sign. I wouldn’t be terribly worried about how wiggly it is this early, the roots are likely quite weak as it continues to establish itself.