In attempt to help heal 2 of 3 broken plumeria branches, I taped them up securely last August. they seemed to do well, growing eaves and staying solid.
I un-taped them this week. They didn't take. Here are some pictures to show what is happening. The 4 ft tree has been indoors for a few weeks and showing no signs of leaf drop or dormancy. All three branches including the broken ones have some leaves, not many. But they all grew rapidly after shipment. The 2 half-detached branches are discolored now, have a few roots emerging, and are solid not mushy. Can I leave them be, attached to the plant until this spring when I will let them callous and plant them into the ground? Or do they need to be cut off right now?

Branch One:







Branch Two:

Hmmmm let me think about this. My first reaction is to break them off so the rootlets stay on, and they are of course already calloused.
More later when I'm awake.

I would think you would want to go ahead and remove all the affected branches now rather than waiting until spring. I belive leaving them attached to the "mother" plant might allow disease at the joint. Having everything exposed to air would limit problems. Unless you have a greenhouse or live in S. FL or S. CA, simply put the branches in a bag and place the bag in a heated area. You can pot up the branches next spring and will then have two more plants. If you have a greenhouse or live in sub-tropical areas, you can pot up the branches now. Hetty is the expert though and I would defer to her for the final word. Ken

Here's my location to help in the matter. I am in Tropical Zone 9A on the very north end of Harris County/ Houston, TX literally bordering Montgomery County. and about 45 mins north of the Galveston Coastline. The temps have been in the near 80's this week but at night in the 50's with the recent cold front. Today is supposed to reach the low 70's and sunny. The fluctuation in temps this time of year is why my most precious Tropicals are now indoors. She is sitting at the sunniest south-facing window I have with everything else that needs sun. I am holding off on making any moves on this little plumeria tree until I get help from ATP. Thanks in advance.

I haven't been given much more advice than what's written here. As I wait for instructions, it seems the roots are drying up and the branch continues to shrivel. Thoughts? Suggestions? Here's what it looks like today:



Branch One:


Branch Two

Same suggestion as before, unless Hetty comes up with another recommendation. If/when you cut the branches off at their break-points, the branches will shrink some and the roots will turn brown. That is just their nature of going into dormancy and is normal. You could go ahead and root these two branches if you have proper conditions to over-winter them. Ken

Sorry for not returning to this thread - I agree that they should be removed.

Here is my follow up. the branches have been removed and are actually growing next to the momma plant. They were simple to remove by just slightly pulling as most of it had rotted away from the momma plant. But now I have these ugly knots on the tree. The tree is doing fine otherwise, just needs some primping, maybe? What do you think??

If it were me, and I wanted a more "aesthetic" plant, I would cut the plant above the scars, and root the cutting. I would also cut the plant below the scars. That eliminates the scarring. Often, several branches will grow from the rooted plant where the cut was made.

Perhaps Hetty has a better solution.

Oh, dear, Ken! I never expected to go that drastic. Can't I just shave off the bumpy parts??

You will simply create more scarring. Hey, you'll get two plants from this one, and both will look better than what you have now. Win-win.

Personally I leave those kinds of things alone. When it's a tree and full of flowers, nobody notices a knobby trunk....

I already have 3 trees from this one: The momma plant, and the two branches that broke off are a success. I suppose those holes will scar over in time. I sort of like knobby knees, er, um I mean trees. It will have a story to tell. Hey? What are the chances of a branch regrowing from those spots. That's happened before. A branch broke, (never recovered darnit) and now there is another branch forming in the same spot! Does that happen??

I have never tried to salvage a broken branch by taping it back on, so I don't know what will happen with the scarred areas. I do know that new branches will form where a branch has been cut or broken off, forming just below the callous. Often multiple branches will form there. Time will tell.

In my experience branches form from the old leaf scars, and if a branch is cut (or broken) flush with the main stem you don't usually see branching occur.

Thanks for posting this, I never knew that a broken branch could start to root like this...great pics!

On the bright side, you have more chances for blooms this year: 1 from the mother plant and from the branches that broke off last year. And if you decide to cut the top from the Momma plant, not sure if the tip or the lower branch will recover fast enough to give you a bloom this year but you will have more plants and new branches from the Momma plant. Maybe wait for the bloom if you want blooms this year.

[quote="GigiPlumeria"]And if you decide to cut the top from the Momma plant, not sure if the tip or the lower branch will recover fast enough to give you a bloom this year but you will have more plants and new branches from the Momma plant. Maybe wait for the bloom if you want blooms this year.[/quoteA cut branch is unlikely to form a tip that blooms the same year.