Planting and Caring for Plumeria

Planting and Caring for Plumeria

Plumeria care, for the most part, is very minimal.

I received my cutting, now what?
Prepare a mix of 2/3 perlite and 1/3 potting soil in a large container. If you live in a tolerant zone you can plant directly in the ground. If you have rooting hormone you can dip the end in it, otherwise stick the cutting not quite half way down into the soil mix. Water deep as soon as you plant the cutting, and then do not water them at all for several weeks, or until they develop leaves. They are very prone to rot at this stage, so keep that in mind. Place the container in a location that gets full sun or just slight shade. Cuttings should root in 60-90 days.

Caring for Plumeria
Plumeria do not like to sit wet, so make sure they have plenty of drainage. Water deeply, and then allow to thoroughly dry before watering again.  Reduce watering mid fall and stop watering completely as they go dormant.

Sun
Plumeria can tolerate, and thrive, in full sun.

Fertilizer
They should be fertilized once a month during the growing season, we prefer a 10-30-10 to encourage blooming.

Over Wintering Plumeria
Plumerias need to be kept above 50F at all times, if the temperatures drop below this they will not recover from the frost damage. Ideally, they should be above 60F or even 75F where possible. For plumerias grown indoors, over-wintering is easy. Simply cut back any old or damaged, dead or diseased growth, remove fallen leaves from around the base of the plant, and stop watering for several months. When the day lengths start to shorten in winter, they will become inactive, and stop growing. They will automatically begin growing again in spring.

Do not keep them next to a radiator or central heating system as they can burn and the leaf scorch or dried-out branches won’t recover in spring. Ideally, they should be kept in a warm room in direct sunlight.