I had posted about my root balls that I left in the ground and now I can update the growth on them. The oldest root ball (10 years in the ground) is the one we call Sally, and the cuttings DeLuna Madre. She is a ferocious grower and the root ball is no slouch. Here is a pic of the stump we had to cut down because of freeze damage. The plant last season was 10 ft high and 14 ft across.
This was taken April 27th when the first growth appeared...




I took these one about an hour ago...she has 12 main branches! the yellow thing in the middle is a bright yellow yard stick for scale..





Now the exciting news...she has an Inflo!!!

That's a survivor, allright!

Here's some of the others...we have around 40 stumps and only 2 did not re-grow..

This is the fence line where we had 20 plants last season that we had to cut back to the ground..some are doing better than others...








This is the stump of our seedling we call "Lemoncello". I darkened the palnts around it avoid confusion. The Stump growth are the 2 darker leafed branches on the right and left, the lighter green on top is a Ryann Chelsey cutting..

Terry, that is quite a line up you have got there. Lovely. I have a friend in Houston and I know she told me all the Plumeria she had did not make it through the freeze last year, you are very lucky or know what your doing.

Thank you James...we were tired of losing everything, so this past winter, we dug up, covered up, or cut up....and thats what I was showing here with the stumps from the plants we cut up. Most of the plants in my garden, you see in some of the pics, are from large 4-6 ft cuttings...the root balls we left in the ground are what is re-growing and should make very full plumeria bushes. We are very encouraged about our results.

Terry

I know you must be. I will give my friend a call in a couple of days and see if any of hers might by chance made their re appearance. Hopeful for theirs and hers and maybe mine they did. Thanks for the pictures.

The thing we didnt understand was, that after a plant freezes back, you can still cut the trunk off above the ground and it most likely will grow back.
This is the root ball of a 10ft vibrant Slaughter Pink that probably had 40 new inflos at the end of the season going into winter last year. It was one of the ones we didn't cut up because it had 3 seed pods we were trying to protect...but with some many freezes back to back, she eventually succumbed. With so many others we were still trying to protect, I quite putting effort into her and didnt protect her anymore...she turned completely black and leached black ooze from the main trunk. I didn't cut off the main trunk for weeks after assuming she was a goner....low and behold....



Remember you must cut the trunk off...if you leave a wounded, half dead trunk in place, the plant will try to re-establish itself through said trunk. It will start new growth at the highest point that is green, even though the trunk is 70% dead. That is a compromised pipeline and the new growth will not be able to get enough to be vibrant. The limbs will be skinny, the shape of the re-growth will be ugly and mis-shapened and the blooms will be scrawny. By cutting it back you will have a full, beautiful, aggressive plant!

This info. is good to know and I will pass on to my friend in Houston. Thanks.

Hi Terry,

How exciting to see what you have going on at your home!! Wondering if you wouldn't mind divulging what area of Houston your in? I am in Houston, NE side, up by Lake Houston. I am wondering if I could put mine into the ground as well? I thought you had to bring them in after the temps fall into the 50's range? I've seen a gentleman here Clearlake/League City I believe (via YouTube) who digs his up every year. I bought a few from Chef Mike a few years ago, one didn't make it, but the others have done quite well. I would love to hear your technique, (what you use to cover them for the cold season, planting them into ground, etc. and if my area, if I too could plant into the ground like you have done. I have a dear friend who grew these, but she lived in Clear Lake area. Any assistance you might offer would be so much appreciated!
Thank you!! Lisa

Well I am finshed.
Drying out my, Nausau, Plumaria cutting now.
7-14 days and they will be ready to plant.