I have no clue, Stewart. That looks so miniscule to me, with my jungle of plants, that I probably would not even take a second look at it. In my experience, plumeria, with their large leaves, have all kinds of "irregularities". The leaf size simply magnifies them.

That's not just an irregularity. In the first photo there is definite burning on the edges. My sunburned leaves don't look anything like that. What and how did you fertilize last? Insecticide? Has it been exposed to any chemicals? When they powerwashed my house many of my plants got hit with their chemicals and it spotted the leaves. Thank goodness I moved my Plumies out of harm's way!

Does the back of it have yellowish powdery type substance? If yes, then it is rust and not harmful to plumeria.

Thank you all. So here is the breakdown - all three trees where planted about 2 months ago with new soil and fertilizer (same soils / fert combo we always mix) Backs of leaves do not have dust. No chemical insecticide , we do use neem which can burn a plant if temps are over 80 but why would only a select few have this issue out of all the plants we have?


Top right: Problem Mid: No issue Left: One leaf



Under leaf



Our problem child

Hmmm, not exactly sure. Maybe the leaves are just stressed. I'm notorious for removing old leaves on my plumerias so I might have some of these but didn't notice them thinking they are just older leaves. I don't like picking up fallen old plumeria leaves so for as long as I have time to play in my Plumeria garden, I'm out there trimming older leaves. I feel like it also improves the circulation around my plants.

I do the same thing before giving away my plumerias. I've given a few of my plumerias away already and I've been trimming them so that only a few leaves are left so it looks clean and for ease of transport.

water in a handful of epsom salts

It could be heat related, but I can only guess. I simply water every day to combat heat-stress. None of my plants are showing any signs of stress. I am a little bit like Gigi. I remove older leaves when they begin to yellow. It sure wouldn't hurt to water them with Mg either. I add about 1 tbsp. per gallon. If you are not already doing so, try to keep the soil evenly moist. That's tough to do in these high temperatures, but that's my goal.

I am taking a lot of cuttings right now, and have a couple dozen sitting in the greenhouse. I haven't yet removed the leaves and I can tell you, from seeing all those lush, green leaves on the cuttings, they are completely healthy looking. That's not to brag, but that's just what I see. These cuttings were taken yesterday, so right now, though there are fans running, the temperature in this particularly greenhouse is 120 F.

I think I will bag up all of these. It appears to me that bagging is producing quicker rooting. I had (2) Vera Cruz Rose and a Celadine root in 12 days, and I don't remember ever having any of my cuttings root that quickly.

You must have perfected your craft Ken. I will only cut if the stems are mature grayish or hard wood instead of greenish color or soft wood. I find that soft wood rots faster. It broke my heart when I killed a perfectly healthy four tip cuttings but soft wood of myAussie Pink last year. It is still mad at me and did not bloom this year.

To tell you the truth, unless I have a cutting from late summer and it sits in a bucket of perlite for 4-5 mo., I cannot remember a cutting that has rotted. And the vast majority of those don't really rot, they simply dehydrate so much that they don't root. Some of my cuttings that appear to be "green-wood" are 24" long. If I have problems with these cuttings rotting, I will surely tell everyone. That's the way we learn. I certainly haven't perfected anything when it comes to growing and propagating tropical plants. I simply have a lot of them and have done this for 25+ years. I very seldom root a three or certainly a four tip cutting.

Hehehe I'm the complete opposite. I love the instant tree look, which doesn't always work on my favor. Most of my rooted cuttings are multi-tip cuttings.

We have different goals in mind, Gigi. I am in the business and you are a collector-grower. I do enjoy my plumeria, particularly when they are in flower, but my long-range sights are always towards selling tropical plants. Plumeria are nowhere near my major plant or my main interest (that's orchids). Keep in mind that 95% of what I sell has to be shipped. It can get really "interesting" boxing up a large, multi-tipped plumeria. It is bad enough that I have to custom-fabricate about every box I ship. My limit is a 40"x6"x6" long box. Shipping anything larger, such as doubling that 6" to 12", really drives the shipping costs up and nobody, and I do mean nobody, wants to pay even a low shipping cost.

I spent 1/2 hr. this morning trimming off all the leaves from the cuttings I have taken the last two days. I filled a large garbage bag with leaves. I leave a 1-2" nub of leaf-stem attached and will allow these plants to callus for a week or so. When those nubs begin to easily fall off without the "latex" oozing, that's usually the time I will begin the rooting process. I am using a really expensive, commercial-grade rooting hormone now. There is no way to know for sure, but I have a feeling that I can root things more easily and more quickly than using the hobby-grade hormones, such as Rootone. Few would spend the money for what I use, and I would agree that it is cost-prohibitive for the casual "rooter". I do a lot of rooting of plumeria but also several ficus varieties, and an amazing landscape shrub, the Euonymus 'Manhattan'.

Hey, I was out in the garden cutting off older, rusty leaves too :), it may sound crazy, but I enjoy doing it. I found 3 seedlings with buds, I am so happy and 3 regular plants with buds.

We'll your right about our different goals. And you know how I hate to ship that's why I don't join any trades because I don't like shipping anything. Plus I really don't have time, not yet retired, maybe someday.

Here are my instant tree looks. 4 tip Confetti/Barbados Showgirl



This is just one side

Wow, Gigi. That's awesome.

Ken!

Beautiful Gigi !! Those Adeniums look great mixed in amongst the Plumeria ...

Love the look, Gili!