Greetings to Plumeria Experts,
I'm totally perplexed. Hope you experts can help me. I gave someone a branch of a Plumeria called "Moragne #600" in late 2009 from a plant growing in ground. Lucky I did because we had back to back devestating freezes the winters of 2009-10 and 10-11. Mine killed to the roots the first winter and then killed completely after the second when tree rats (squirrels) chewed off the stem returning from the roots.
I had salvaged one small cutting which rooted and now in ground doing well. The donated large branch got cut into smaller pieces and potted. The gardener recently told me it had not flowered, ever, and gave me one of the potted plants. Its main trunk is about 1-1/2" in diameter with 3 branchlets - about 2' tall. The "trunk" was planted 5" below the soil line.
Just decided to take a look at it and repot it if necessary. What a surprise…it has not one single root, nor any sign of a root coming! It is still alive and just starting to put out leaves. Is it normal for plants that are stored pot-less and dormant over winter to have no roots? If so, when do they get them?
Now what can I do? The base of the plant is not squishy or rotted. Do I cut off some of the base, allow it to callus and attempt re-rooting, or should I cut off the smaller branchlets and try rooting those? Do I just stick it back in well-drained soil and hope it gets some roots PDQ? Or is it too late (already in mid- to upper 80s here) to do something with it?
Obviously I'm not a Plumeria grower as this is my one and only. Like having a single child I'm rather attached to it even though the form is Dr. Seuss-like – branches willy-nilly going every which way.
I'd really appreciate any help on the best way to keep this one going.
Monica
