Why do we subscribe to the notion that a plumeria has to callous for 1-2 weeks before we root it? If it goes in 100% coarse perlite, like mine do, that perlite is bone dry and will remain so. What's the difference of the cuttings sitting on a bench for two weeks or sitting in perlite for the same two weeks? Just wondered.

Not much difference, Ken. From what I know about cuttings that need to callus over the key is to get the cut end to dry as fast as possible. This is to prevent the invasion of pathogens which of course stick to a wet surface much more than a dry one.

It stands to reason that an end exposed to air unimpeded will dry a little quicker than an end stuck in perlite even if it is dry. The perlite pieces might stick to the wet end, giving not as much air circulation and slower formation of the callus.

I'd be inclined to take cuttings indoors at this time of year so they could dry in the a/c environment. Much faster than outside in the humidity.

I have gotten to where I take the cuttings into a greenhouse (really a hothouse if there ever was one) where I have fans running 24/7 (I'm curing my garlic there). I might leave those cuttings for only 24 hrs. but more likely for 48 hrs., and then into the perlite they go. Five years ago I would never have done this. I let my cuttings callous for the prescribed one week (minimum) and usually that would be two weeks. I seem to get faster rooting by getting the cuttings into the perlite more quickly. It may be my imagination.

I've tried this with cacti, and there seems to be no difference to me. They all root just fine. I'm thinking it would be the same with the plumeria too.

I have taken more cuttings and made plants that are doing great by just trimming the leaves off and cutting end off even, dipping in water, the in Root Stimulator. Sometimes I just put in a pot with potting soil, no perlite, and they grow like crazy! Sometimes, if outside and one little one is broken, I will cut limbs off and stick in pot where tree is it broke off of.
Now, I need to ask. Tree cutters were cutting branches off huge oak tree and one hit my big Plumeria. It striped some of the bark off. Should I wrap it in green tape for a while to let it heal? I did this with one that split, tightened it really good, and it grew back together. I just want to protect this because in the middle of a huge plant. Thanks for any advice.

@Giniloua First a little forum advice, best not to tack your question onto a thread that is 7 years old, it may or may not be seen by anyone. (I just happened to forget to "unwatch" this one)

In answer to your question, if you live somewhere humid, or get a lot of rain at this time of year, I would say it's best not to wrap the wounds with tape. Just let them dry as much as possible and they will heal. If you wrap, and moisture gets inside the tape, that will surely cause the bare stem areas to rot, and you'll probably lose the branch altogether.

In my opinion, @Giniloua, I would not put any covering on the scarred plumeria. Plumeria seem to have a strong healing capability.

I'm an FNG here so I'll throw etiquette to the wind I guess. I have had such great luck not waiting to callous the end that I don't even bother anymore. I cut from a large branch and stab it into a pot of fresh cactus soil and wait about 3 weeks and get leaves. Out of about 20 cuttings I've lost 2 and it was a center cut with no top, however I have done several center cuttings and got rooted and flourished.

I don't know what "FNG" means (I'm 80 years old and lots of stuff go right over my head. ), but you are not the only one who simply "sticks" cuttings in soil media of some sort and have those cuttings root. I was taught by a Hawaiian grower, 30+ years ago, to callus my cuttings for 7-14 days (depends on the time of year) before rooting them. I still do this. I have rooted 1000's of cuttings, and do so 12 months each and every year. As you have noted, rooting mid-stem cuttings is more difficult to do. That's simply because those cuttings are trying to root and at the same time, trying to branch. Cuttings only have so much "energy" to do these two things.

drdawg said: I don't know what "FNG" means (I'm 80 years old and lots of stuff go right over my head. ), but you are not the only one who simply "sticks" cuttings in soil media of some sort and have those cuttings root. I was taught by a Hawaiian grower, 30+ years ago, to callus my cuttings for 7-14 days (depends on the time of year) before rooting them. I still do this. I have rooted 1000's of cuttings, and do so 12 months each and every year. As you have noted, rooting mid-stem cuttings is more difficult to do. That's simply because those cuttings are trying to root and at the same time, trying to branch. Cuttings only have so much "energy" to do these two things.

F**king New Guy.
I am amazed at the resilience of the plumeria. One of mine that is thriving was left outside in a half broken pot at my aunts house a few years ago. It was the winter that got down to 10-15°F for a couple of days. I found it the following spring. I re potted it in a large pot and it has taken off.

Survival of plumeria at that temperature is hard to imagine. Some varieties are so cold sensitive that they won't even survive at 32. It becomes awful iffy when you speak of temperatures in the mid to upper 20's. I learned that the hard way when I stored my plumeria in an unheated garage. Our temperature got down into the mid teens but never got above freezing for two days. That sort of temperature for Mississippi is very, very rare. I lost every single plumeria, several dozen of them.

Sorry to hear about the loss of all your plants. My garage has a room above it so it never gets too cold there. I bring the plants in when the temp forecast dip under 40 for more than 2 nights in a row. I'd hate to lose any after putting so much effort into them year after year.

I sure can understand you not wanting to lose valuable plants. That prolonged freeze was back in my Mississippi days (65 years there), and that occured 10-12 years ago. I learned my lesson. That garage was still used to store some of my 100 or so plumeria, but I built a little 6' x 8' greenhouse on one side of the garage and could easily warm that small area. The garage was oversize, and even with the "greenhouse", we could still put two cars in there. That 100 plumeria grew to about 500 when we moved onto a 2.5 acre property in Vero Beach six years ago. And that was just my plumeria. I had well over 1000 tropicals before we moved to this tiny piece of property 9 months ago. Now I'm back down to 50 plumeria. This is all the backyard I have now. I've utilized about all of the yard that I can.

good looking plants and yard.

I now have the time to pamper all of them. It's simply a tiny yard. I doubled the size of the three flower beds and had the (paver) patio built to give me more space for plants. It was tough going from 2.5 acres to 0.20 acres. But at 80, my wonderful wife, Kathy (almost 52 years of marriage), said it was time for me to slow down. Thus the move last year.