I have several old plumeria plants (25 yrs old) that I take cutting from each fall, when I bring my plants in for the winter, or in early spring, after they have been dormant for approximately 4 months. These old plants were potted up in the spring and now have produced numerous tips, some with 2-3 tips 18-24" tall and one has 5 nice tips growing, those tips are 12-20" tall. Can I take cuttings below the green growth, in the old wood, allow the usual time to callose and then root these cuttings? In doing so now, I might get more tips to grow from the old wood as well as rooted cuttings. The base of the old wood is anywhere from 3" to 4" in diameter and I would be cutting through approximately 2" thick wood.

I live in NE Mississippi, and my plumeria go through dormancy in heavy plastic bags lying in my enclosed, heated porch for the 4 month winter.

What do you think of my taking cuttings this time of year?

Ken (drdawg)

Ken, if you feel comfortable rooting then by all means go ahead, just be sure - as you said - to take grey wood.
The optimum time to take cuttings - from a rooting and re-growth point of view - is in the early spring but many people here trim their plumeria at this time of year.

Thanks, Hetty. I have rooted plumeria for twenty or so years with no problem. All those years I just gave away the rooted cuttings (dozens and dozens) to friends, family, and patients. Now that I am retired I have a (tiny) tropical plant business and no longer give away my plants. I only had the 'Celadine' for sale this year (through eBay) and have actually sold out of cuttings and then the rooted cuttings. I probably have sold three dozen plumeria cuttings/rootings total. Not making much money (and what I make goes to plants/materials) but I have met a lot of really nice people and it does keep me busy. I so wish I lived in S. FL or S. CA rather than here in NE Mississippi. It is a pain bringing in all my tropicals. I have two greenhouses, one being dedecated to orchids and seedlings and the other to my other tropicals.

I actually have put some rooted Plumeria plants by the road with a 'free' sign on it today. One at a time, and three have been taken so far. Makes me feel like I'm spreading the aloha spirit!!

I took six thick cuttings, with from 1 to 5 actively growing green tips loaded with leaves. Two of them even have flower stalks. I have hung them in my greenhouse, stem side up and will mist the leaves every day until the stems are well callosed. Just another part of my horticultural education. I like to experiment.

Keep us posted how that goes. I always clip all the leaves on cuttings... so I'm intrigued.

Will do. They are now all in a community pot of 2/3 coarse perlite and 1/3 milled spaghnum, with a coconut fiber mat on the bottom.

Leaves still there?

I removed all the leaves except the small, newly forming ones on the tips.