Hi all, 1 out of 3 of my plumeria branches doesn't seem to be doing too well. It's blackening and it seems to have formed a notch on its side, and splitting in other areas. Please look at the pictures and let me know what I should do!

@GigiPlumeria

for the tag Sue

@Meix333 Your plumeria branches have black tips either due to frost/cold damage or fungus. You have to cut the damaged parts until you reach a healthy tissues (meaning healthy white part of the branch with white sap). You have to do it right away so it will not travel fast.

Please clean your knife or pruning shears each time you cut. You can put cinnamon on cut ends but not necessary as long as you protect it from water until it heals or callous.

Good news is, your plumeria is taller so you will be able to save it. Just as a precaution, let your pot dry totally before watering again. Do not water too much until new branches start to sprout or the media totally dry.

Hopefully other members will chime in also but I think your plumeria will survive.

@GigiPlumeria Ah thanks so much! I really appreciate the answer (I'm quite new to plant problems lol). I didn't think it was sunburn though because I put it in the same spot as I did last year and it grew wonderfully - even bloomed for the first time last year! But this year, its leaves seemed to all start out black when I put it outside as the weather warmed up. How does fungus start?
Again, thanks so much!
I will prune it tomorrow and let it dry out and hopefully have a future update!

Not really sure we usually call it stem rot. It happens a lot more often on adeniums where rot travels from the tip and if left uncheck could travel and kill the plant.

Definitely keep us posted!

cut off that blackened top, that way you can see how far along the damage has gone.

I delayed mine way too much..so eventually killed one of my plumies. Thankfully I still have my Celadine.

@tarev Oh no! Well advice taken and much appreciated! She's been pruned and added some cinnamon on the top!

Looks great! Protect the top from rain until it dries up.

Yes, rot travels fast. My neighbor didn't cover their huge plumerias winter time. And didn't prune the damaged tips. When they finally did, after 3 weeks, the entire trees have rotted.

If you look closely there are 2 plumerias trees (1 is closer to the fence) that rotted all the way to the ground.


I'm trying to revive a stump but I doubt it will survive.


I had to cut it more because the rot traveled.

My plumies rot went way beyond redemption..so just letting the heat fry all of it..not ready to plant anything there..it is too hot to do any...maybe next Spring.




Thankfully my Celadine is doing much better..it also had one branch that was struggling, but all other areas have leafed out nicely and the stressed branch decided to leaf out from a lower node. That was actually the reason I have delayed too much..I was hoping the other plumie might do likewise.
This is the stressed part of my Celadine:

The entire Celadine:

Probably best to take a cutting or cuttings a back up of your celandine and plant it on that empty pot.

That's okay, just showing @Meix333 what happens..so in the future better approach for the plant.

On my part, I just intend to keep this one..as long as it can do so, no plans to take cuttings..it is already good to see at least one cultivar tolerates my area...all others do not last due to our extremely dry conditions.

@tarev The poor thing! But wow look at the Celadine! Growing great! Come to think of it, I actually don't know what kind of plumeria mine is. A friend bought me a "mystery cutting" - do you guys know what mine might be? Here's pictures of it from last year!

Hard to ID but it reminds me of plastic pink plumeria.

Plumeria (Plumeria rubra 'Plastic Pink')

I was thinking the exact same thing @gigiplumeria

TeamCll said: I was thinking the exact same thing @gigiplumeria

Yes, more photos when it reblooms again will solidify the ID.

@GigiPlumeria Hey! Is there anything I should do when the cinnamon dries up on the plumeria? Or is it okay just to leave it there?

I just normally leave it on. Over time it will just disappear although I know some would brush it off when the tips are calloused.

I always leave it.

Update! She's growing so nicely now Thank you guys for all your help!