Does anyone know if there is a variety of Plumeria that is resistant to that ugly rust?? I have a large Plumeria (Plumeria rubra 'Intense Rainbow') that was kept in a container for many years without a single rust issue; then we planted it in the ground and every year since it gets covered with rust. I had my husband dig it up before we moved three weeks ago and I was going to throw it out but couldn't bring myself to do so; repotted it and moved it to Sebastian with us. I love this plumeria but I sure don't look forward to seeing the rust again this year.

I did find this info about Plumeria Rust when googling: http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc... I don't really like using harsh chemicals but I may have to get out the fungicide to try and control it somewhat this year. It would be great if there's a variety of Plumeria that doesn't suffer from the ugly rust fungus!

None of my plumeria, some 75 plants, get much in the way of rust. Just because I don't like fungal diseases on any of my plants, I did preventively spray them in late spring last year with Bayer 3 in 1. Because that seemed to work well, and before dormancy approached, I re-sprayed in late summer. That was the first and only year I have done this though. Because I have more plants now, and some seedlings/rooted cuttings that are maturing, I am going to do that same spraying this time around. If I had heavy infestations of rust, spider mites, or harmful insects, I would apply this every other week until I saw control.

The 3 in 1 is actually on my "buy" list when I visit Lowe's again.

I've been reading this thread with interest because I have a plumeria rooting in water. My son went to Hawaii in January and that is what he brought back for me. I am following the instructions that came with it, so it's been in water since the end of January and just got one little root since the beginning of May with bright green at the top that looks like it is trying to make leaves. I'm thinking about going ahead and planting it, but just haven't done it yet. I'm afraid our zone is not going to be conducive to having a plumeria in winter, especially one that is supposed to be the size of a small tree, lol! Really don't know what I am going to do with it if it does make it

That is interesting, Vickie. I do everything possible not to have my cuttings touch any water, at least not at the cut-end and certainly not any moisture that will be prolonged. You are rooting yours the opposite way that I do. It will be more than interesting to see how your plant roots as we go along. You need to update the progress with words as well as pictures. I selfishly want you to continue to keep it (rooting) in water rather than move it to soil or some other growing media.

Your zone, though much colder than mine, is still no different than what I have to do in the fall...........bring all my plumeria inside. You would just have to do this sooner than I and it would be later bringing your plant back outside in the spring. Dormancy is dormancy. Do you have a sunroom, a large window with lots of bright light, or perhaps a greenhouse, so that the plumeria will have an extended growing time? You only have the single plant so overwintering it will be a piece of cake.

By the way, simply because these are trees (and I don't know whether you have a standard or a compact grower), you can easily keep the tree about any size you wish. Just like you started with a small cutting, you would simply take cuttings to keep control of its size. Do you happen to have a variety label that came with your plant?

OOH, I know I know! I can actually answer that one... look at DrD's site, and you'll see how he overwinters his plumerias. They go DORMANT in winter, and you can totally dig them up (or unpot them if you have yours in a big pot like I do) and store them somewhere cool... then pot/plant them again in spring and let them go crazy! It'll take a loooong time for your cutting to get to "small tree" size, since it won't be outside in a tropical climate year-round.

I do like to stick mine in a small pot, keep watered, and give it some light (like by a window) in early spring, so it can start waking up and leafing out before it's really time to put it outside (when night temps are well above 40).

Ha, DrD has quicker fingers (and more knowledge) than I. Although since this is a cutting with extra meaning (from your son), I don't think I'd keep it in the water... I think it's time to move it to potting mix. Even with plants that root readily in water, those "water roots" are sometimes not very good at making the transition to "soil roots." But your cutting has started waking up and putting out roots, so I think it should root readily in potting mix now... ?

Nooooooooooooooooo. OK, go ahead and do as Jill says. I will get over it.

Hetty, have you ever heard of rooting plumeria in water?

Now I'm torn. To pot or not pot, lol! Maybe these pictures will help decide. Got the cutting in late January and now it's late May. One piddly root and two leaves at the top after 4 months!

I was told about 2 months ago by several members of my family to give up on it. It was almost comical, because they acted like I was torturing it by keeping it. I almost did pitch it once, but didn't. Then I noticed that the top seemed to be getting a bright green, so I thought it might still have a chance. Decided to read up on it some more and read on some website to add some rooting hormone to the water to keep bacteria from forming. Oddly enough, it was about two weeks after I added the rooting hormone that I noticed the root developing.

Even though the instructions that came with it said to change the water daily, sometimes it was 4-5 days before I did. Maybe that is what hindered its progress. It is a 12" cutting that has been in the same 9" vase since day one.

Thanks Ken and Jill, for the advice on keeping its size manageable and also for how to overwinter it. I do have a set of French doors in my kitchen that would work for keeping it indoors in winter. That part was really concerning me. But it seems like you are saying that I have to take it out of the pot in the fall and store cuttings. I did not know that. I thought I would just bring it indoors and keep it in the pot all winter.

I do have the tag! That is something that I made sure to keep.

Your plumeria is unnamed. It could be the Celadine but until you see some mature leaves, you won't know that for sure. The Celadine has specific borders that are not seen on any other plumeria that I am aware of. Of course, the picture may have absolutely nothing to do with your plant. It may simply be a "stock" picture that the grower puts on all his cuttings.

I think this rooting-in-water is just so interesting. You (and the grower who produced those instructions) are going against everything I was taught and everything I have done for the last 25 years. I would say just cover the cut-end, perhaps with 1/2" of water, but so far, what you have done (6-8" of water) seems to be working. Don't feel bad. I have a couple of dozen cuttings that have been in perlite for 8 months and there is not a single root to be seen.

Your cutting looks GREAT! It's coming out of dormancy, starting to put out leaves on top, and I bet if you pot it up in moist potting mix, it'll grow more roots and really take off.

I didn't root the cuttings DrD sent me in perlite (I didn't know about that, then)... I just stuck them in a pot of moist potting mix, and they slowly woke up and then took off.

Glad you find it interesting Ken. I had no idea that what I was doing was going against the norm. I guess the name of mine will be a mystery for quite a while. It surprises me that your cuttings are still viable after 8 months in sand! I thought 4 months was long

Thanks, Jill. I have some perlite and I guess I will mix the potting soil with some of that. I think I would like to go ahead and pot it up because I am afraid that the one little root will get broke off in the vase as it gets bigger.

I need to find a pot. Once planted, should I leave it in the house or can I put it outside?

Thanks for all your advice Ken and Jill!

When I pot newly rooted cuttings, I put them outside, but only allowing them to get early morning or very late afternoon sun. Over a period of a week or two, I will move them so that they get a couple extra hours of sun every 1-2 days. Young plumeria do well in bright light but little sun, so ere on the side of caution. I try to keep the potting media slightly moist while it begins to leaf out in earnest and I will fertilize with balanced fertilizer, diluted 1/2 strength, once a week.

Thank you!!!