Endless colors, tropical flair and pleasing aroma characterize the plumeria, or frangipani, plant. Plumerias are native to the Caribbean and Mexico. More than 2,000 different varieties of plumeria exist, with endless variations of fragrance and flower color. According to the Plumeria Society of America, growing the plant from cuttings is the only method of reproducing cultivars and retaining desirable characteristics.
Things You'll Need
Gallon-sized container
Perlite
Potting soil
Rooting hormone
Small stones or pea gravel
Step 1
Prepare your container and soil mixture. The Valley of the Sun Plumeria Society recommends planting cuttings in a 1-gallon pot filled with a mixture of 2/3 perlite and 1/3 potting soil or cactus mix. Fill the pot with your soil mixture, leaving approximately 1 inch of rim exposed. Gently tamp the soil down.
Step 2
Dip the cut end of the cutting in water and then dip it into a rooting hormone, thoroughly coating the ends. Rooting hormones inhibit fungus and encourage the cutting to establish roots quickly.
Step 3
Plunge the cutting cut-end down into your pot of soil mix. Place the cutting approximately 4 inches down. Add a 1-inch layer of small stones or pea gravel to the pot to stabilize the cutting. Firmly press the gravel, securing the plumeria cutting in place.
Step 4
Water the cutting thoroughly after planting and place it in a sunny location that has heat on the bottom such as a concrete patio or sun-baked sidewalk. Bottom heat encourages root formation. Avoid watering the cutting again for approximately three to four weeks.
Step 5
Watch the cutting, looking for signs of new leaves. New leaf growth signals that your cutting has formed roots and you have successfully planted your plumeria cutting. This usually takes approximately six to eight weeks.
Tip
Cuttings occasionally bloom in the first year after planting; however, it usually takes one year or more for cuttings to begin blooming.
Store cuttings in a warm, dry location before transplanting. You can take a cutting at any time and store for several months, but allowing cuttings to establish roots and begin to grow within a few weeks of cutting will yield the best results. In addition, the plant will establish roots most successfully during spring and early summer months.
Warning
If you are planting your plumeria cutting in the heat of the summer, skip adding gravel to the pot -- it may cause the cutting to burn. Instead, add a wooden stake to the pot to provide the cutting with stability.