Content

• To step
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Plumeria (or Frangipani) is a tropical plant that is used as a houseplant by us. Because this plant does not grow well from seed (the young plants do not always resemble the parents), plumeria is often pricked to become an exact copy of the parent plant. Although plumeria cuttings are slightly different from other plants at first, it is not difficult. Here's how to propagate a plumeria.

To step

1. In late winter, cut a piece of the plumeria with pruning shears, while wearing rubber or latex gloves.
   • For best results, choose freshly grown shoots that are light gray-green.
   • Make the pieces 30 to 60 cm long.
   • Remove all leaves, flowers and buds.
2. Let the cuttings dry in a warm place for 1 week, out of direct sunlight.
3. Prepare the potting soil.
   • Use a mixture of 2 parts perlite and 1 part potting soil without added fertilizers and mix well.
   • Wet the mixture until it sticks together well, but is not dripping with water.
4. Fill a pot of 15 to 20 cm in diameter with good drainage up to an inch from the edge with the potting soil. You need a separate pot for each cutting.
5. In the center of the potting soil, make a hole 12 cm deep and slightly wider than the diameter of the cutting. To do this, use your finger or the handle of a trowel.
6. Dip the bottom of the cutting in the water and then in cutting powder, and then put it in the hole you made in the potting soil.
7. Firmly press the soil around the cutting.
8. Cover the top of the potting soil with aquarium gravel or pebbles.
9. Place the cuttings in a warm (above 15ºC), sunny place where they will not be disturbed.
10. Give the cuttings a little water every week, 250 - 500 ml water per pot, until you see new leaves appear on the cuttings.
11. Once the cuttings have leaves, give them enough water every week that it will run out of the bottom of the pot.
12. Repot the plants in a larger pot or in the ground before the roots grow too large.

Tips

• It takes up to 45 days for leaves to form on the cutting, but it goes faster when it is very warm or sunny.
• You can keep the cuttings for several weeks.
• You can find cutting powder at the garden center or on the internet. If you can't find it, the cuttings will also get roots, but it can take longer.
• If a cutting starts to droop before it has any leaves on it, or if it has no leaves after 3 months, throw it away.
• If the cuttings are wilting with leaves already on them, you may have watered too much or too little. If the soil is very dry, water, if the soil is wet, do not water for a while and see if the pot has good drainage.
• The cuttings get roots most easily in the spring.

Warnings

• The juice of the plumeria can cause skin irritation. When cutting the cuttings, put on gloves and don't rub your eyes.
• Do not move cuttings that are just rooting. If you move them too much, the roots can fall off.
• Do not push the cuttings too hard into the potting soil. Then you damage the growing points. Make a hole with your finger or something else and put the cutting in it.

Necessities

• Rubber or latex gloves
• Pruning shears
• Pots
• Cutting powder
• Potting soil
• Perlite
• Aquarium gravel or pebbles