Propagating plumerias is a great way to expand your collection, or share your favorite plant with friends. In this post, I’ll talk about different plumeria propagation methods, show you when and how to take plumeria cuttings, and then show you how to grow plumeria from a cutting, step-by-step.
Plumerias (aka frangipani plant or Hawaiian lei tree) are beautiful tropical plants. They grow to be large trees in warm climates like Hawaii, and are popular for their fragrant flowers (which are used to make leis).
I brought home my first plumeria cuttings from Hawaii several years ago, and have propagated my plumerias several times over since then. It’s fun and easy!
Here’s what you’ll find in this guide for propagating plumeria cuttings…
Plumeria Propagation Methods
There are two main plumeria propagation methods you can use for growing new plants – from seed or by rooting plant cuttings.
In this article, I will show you how to grow plumeria from cuttings. I’ll save the seed starting for a future post.
I know it sounds scary, but growing plumeria from cuttings is actually pretty easy. First, let’s talk about when is the best time to try it.
When To Take Plumeria Cuttings
The best time to take cuttings for plumeria propagation is during their active growing season, which is in the spring and summer.
Summer is the easiest time of the year to root them too, especially when it’s warm and humid outside.
If you take cuttings too late in the summer, or in the fall as the plant is starting to go dormant for the winter, then they probably won’t take root.
Rooting Plumeria Cuttings In Winter
Plumerias go dormant during the winter, so if cuttings were taken too late they will likely stay dormant and won’t grow roots. However, if you store them correctly, you can overwinter them, and root them in the spring.
Just leave the cutting in the pot, and keep the soil completely dry all winter long. You can mist it with water every once in a while if you want, but don’t overdo it.
Then in early spring, give it a good drink of water, and follow the plumeria cuttings care instructions below for growing them.
How To Cut Plumerias For Propagating
There are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind when cutting plumeria stems for rooting (and for pruning plumeria plants too).
It doesn’t make a difference where you cut the stem, so it’s just a matter of how long you want to make your cuttings.
But you do want to be sure to use a sharp pair of pruners, and always sterilize them so you get a nice clean cut.
Also, plumerias are very prone to tip rot, so it’s important to always make your cuts at a downward angle so that water can’t settle into the wound.
Taking plumeria cuttings for propagation
How To Grow Plumeria From Cuttings
Before you get too excited and stick your plumeria cutting directly into the dirt, there are a few steps you’ll need to take to prepare it for the best chance of success.
First, remove the leaves from the cutting. This will allow it to put all of its energy into growing new roots, rather than supporting the leaves.
Second, be sure to allow the wound to cure (dry out) before you attempt to root it. This step is super important, so don’t skip it, otherwise your plumeria cutting will likely rot instead of growing new roots.
Let it sit in a dry place until the wound is completely cured. This can take several days to over a week, so be patient, and don’t rush it.
Plumeria cutting cured and ready to propagate
Rooting Plumeria Cuttings In Water
A common question I get asked is “can I root my plumeria in water?”. The short answer is yes. However, rooting them in water isn’t always a huge success. Many times, the stems will only rot when placed in water.
If you have plenty of cuttings to work with, then by all means experiment with this method! My preferred plumeria propagation method however is rooting them in soil. So, I’ll stick to that for now.
How To Root Plumeria Cuttings In Soil
When planting a plumeria cutting, it’s very important that you always use a clean pot to avoid any type of contamination.
Also, make sure you don’t use a huge pot for planting plumeria cuttings, otherwise you risk overwatering which will only cause it to rot.
I use 4″ pots for rooting most of mine, and once in a while I might go up to a 6″ pot if I’m rooting a larger stems.
Supplies Needed:
- Cured plumeria cuttings
- Propagation soil (I mix my own using perlite, potting soil, and coarse sand – but you can use a succulent soil mix instead)
- Plant rooting hormone
- A clean pot (I use 4″ pots for mine)
Here are the steps for how to start a plumeria cutting in soil…
Step 1: Dust the cut end with rooting hormone – Rooting hormone will help plumeria cuttings grow roots, and also speed up root formation.
You can try rooting your cuttings without it, but I find that I have more success with plumeria propagation when I use it.
Dip plumeria cutting into rooting hormone
Step 2: Make a hole in the dirt – Use your finger or a pencil to make a hole in the soil where the cutting will go.
If you didn’t dust the end with rooting hormone in step 1, then you don’t have to worry about this step. But making a hole in the soil first will keep the rooting hormone from rubbing off when you stick the cutting into the soil.
Step 3: Put cutting into the soil – Put the cut end into the hole you made, and then pack the soil down around the base of the stem.
You want to make sure the soil comes into contact with the cutting, and that it will stay in place. The roots will grow out of the bottom of the stem, so you don’t have to plant it very deep. Just deep enough so it will stand up on its own.
Rooting plumeria cuttings in soil
Step 4: Wet the soil – Give the soil a good drink, until water starts coming out of the drainage holes.
Allow the water to drain completely from the pot, and never allow it to sit in a tray of water. Then place your cutting in a protected, humid location, and wait for the roots to grow.
How To Care For Plumeria Cuttings
To encourage roots to grow, be sure to keep the air around your plumeria cutting humid, but the soil on the dry side. If you live in a humid climate like I do, you don’t need to do anything.
Simply leave it outside in the heat and humidity, and soon it will start to grow. Just be sure to keep it out of the sun until then.
But, if you live somewhere dry, or you’re trying to root the plumeria plant cutting indoors, then it’s a good idea to mist it every couple of days with a plant sprayer to keep the humidity level high.
Just don’t water the soil, you want that to stay on the dry side. Damp soil will only cause your plumeria cutting to rot, and you don’t want that. You’ll know roots have started to grow once you see new leaves growing from the top.
Leaf growth means plumeria root system has formed
How Long Does It Take Plumeria Cuttings To Root
How long it takes for the cuttings to root depends on the environment. If it’s really dry, then it will take much longer for plumeria cuttings to root.
But, if you keep them in a humid location, and give them bright light (not direct sun), then they will root much faster. In the right conditions, plumeria roots should start growing in a week or two.
Successfully rooted plumeria cutting
Transplanting Plumeria Cuttings
Once your cutting starts growing and has a few mature leaves on it, then you know it’s safe to pot it up.
You certainly don’t need to worry about repotting plumeria cuttings right away, you can leave them in the small pot until they become pot-bound if you’d rather.
The best potting soil for plumeria plants is a porous mix, and they should always be planted in a pot that has drainage holes.
They do not like to be overwatered, so it’s super important to make sure to use a fast draining potting mix, like succulent potting soil.
Or you can try to make your own plumeria potting soil by mixing coarse sand and perlite or pumice with general potting soil.
Once your new baby has become established in its pot, you can start fertilizing it to encourage flowers! Plumeria plants can flower starting their first year.
You can use tropical plant fertilizer specifically made for plumerias and other tropical plants. Otherwise, some of the best fertilizers are compost tea (you can get in liquid form, or buy compost tea bags to brew your own).
I also like to use fish emulsion or liquid kelp, but don’t use these two indoors because they are a little bit stinky.
Learn more about how to grow a them in my detailed plumeria plant care guide!
New plant after propagating plumeria from cuttings
Where To Buy Plumeria Cuttings
If you’re ever in Hawaii, you can find plumeria cuttings for sale all over the place. But if not, don’t worry, it’s also pretty easy to find plumeria cuttings for sale online (I bought this red plumeria cutting last year, and it’s growing great!).
If you want to purchase them online, just be sure to order your cuttings in the spring or summer for best results.
Plumeria propagation by cuttings sounds like it would be really hard, but it’s actually pretty easy when you follow these steps. They grow really fast too, so once you get the hang of it, you’ll have plenty of new plants to share with friends!
If you want to learn how to multiply any type of plant you can get your hands on, then my Plant Propagation Made Easy eBook is for you! It has everything you need to know in order to start propagating your favorite plants right away. Download your copy today!
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- How To Propagate Banana Plants
- How To Propagate Jade Plants From Cuttings
Share your plumeria propagation tips in the comments section below.
Mary Fuller says
One limb was damaged to the point of no return. I cut it off and have placed it in water but will put it in soil today. Problem is it has 2 seed pods I don’t want to lose. Help.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, definitely take your plumeria cutting out of water, as it will likely just rot in there. Unfortunately, since it has seed pods, it may not end up rooting. Producing seeds takes a lot of energy from a plant. So, if you leave the seed pods on there to mature, then the cutting probably won’t have enough energy to grow roots. It certainly won’t hurt to try though, so don’t give up. Think of it as an experiment. 🙂
Stefany says
Hi! I just received a plumeria cutting and it’s still warm in zone 8b (Mid-September). Should I try potting it and leave it outside for a while until it gets cooler? Would it be better to try and store it over the winter? If so, what’s the best way to store it? Thank you!
Amy Andrychowicz says
I would try rooting your plumeria cutting now, rather than storing it until spring. They tend to root pretty quickly when it’s warm and humid. If might not grow any leaves this late, but if it has roots before you have to bring it inside, then it’ll have a better chance of surviving until spring. Here’s a post about how to care for plumerias that will help you keep it alive until spring.
Daniel dunderman says
I have been somewhat of a Mr green-jeans and can grow anything from grass from seed, to to roses, vegetables, to trees, palms and beyond. my favorite are plumeria. i have over the years asked for cuttings from numerous customers, nurturing them to beautiful plants that produce beautiful flowers and are extremely healthy flourishing plants. now my problem is they are way to large in all 4 areas and are beauties, but i absolutely must move them from where they are. how can I. or can I take these huge beautiful mature plants and move them to several locations that have available without killing them or harming them?
Amy Andrychowicz says
If your large plumerias are in the ground, then it would be very difficult to transplant them. They are trees and, like any other tree, the larger they get, the harder it will be to move them. I would manage their size by pruning instead of trying to relocate them. If you mean that you want to relocate them because you are moving, then I would just take a bunch of cuttings and root them, then move those with me.
Lety says
I just bought 2. Cutting
S in Florida and brought them back to California , the placed them in plastic bags with rooting powder. I had them indoors for 6 days then in shipping tube for 1 or 2 days . By the 7 day they started to callous but the inside was concaved. Anything thing is that the were already starting to feel soft. Afraid they would rot I plated them. I think one had already rotted since it’s very soft, the other seems to be progressing it has not softened more but but the stem is looking old. Do you think it will still grow? And did I do something that made them go soft ?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Keeping your plumeria cuttings in a plastic bag is probably what caused them to rot. They need to dry out before planting them, and a plastic bag would hold way too much moisture for them. As for whether or not they will grow… it’s hard to know for sure. Time will tell. Good luck!
NIcole Abboud says
I left the plumeria cuttings for about 5 days as recommended prior to planting in soil and both are soft in the middle and the outside has turned a powdery shade of white. How can that be prevented next time?
Amy Andrychowicz says
It sounds like your plumeria cutting may have been exposed to too much moisture/humidity while it was curing. Next time, try putting it in a dry location, perhaps inside a climate controlled home or garage.
Robin Gower says
I propogated a Plumeria and gave to my friends, about 2 months ago. The tips are pretty soft and I am concerned about tip rot. Also, how long before they will start growing leaves? I have never done this before, so I am afraid I messed something up in the process. The plants are outside – we live in Missouri and it gets pretty hot. Just wondering if there are some tips I can give them so they are able to enjoy their plants at some point… Right now I think they think I am nuts! They look like bare, naked stems. 🙂
Amy Andrychowicz says
In the right environment, it only takes a week or two for plumeria cuttings to grow roots. Keep them out of the direct sunlight, make sure the soil stays on the dry side, but the air is humid. If the soil is too wet, then the cuttings will only rot. If the tips are mushy, then it may be a lost cause. But if they are only a little soft, then they might still have a chance. If the soil has been completely dry this whole time, then I could give it a little water. Allow the soil to dry out completely, and then give it a deep drink (until water comes out of the drainage holes), then let it dry out again and repeat. Hope this helps.
Robin Gower says
Thank you for the info. Should we try to cut off the soft parts of the cutting? Would that possibly help at all?
Amy Andrychowicz says
If the tips of your plumeria cuttings have rotted, then yes, you should cut the off and remove all of the rot. Otherwise it will just keep spreading, and eventually kill the cutting. Otherwise, if it’s just soft from dehydration, then no, there’s no need to cut the tips off.
Sandy Torrens says
I am outside Atlanta, Ga. and we had a storm last night that broke off two of my only limbs of my yellow Plumeria that just bloomed yesterday. So your propagation information is very helpful, thank you. My only question is that when the limbs broke, one split down one side. Will that hurt the plant any? As far as getting any type of disease? Or will it just grow over and more leaves come in?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Awe, what a bummer! But I’m so glad to hear that you’ll be able to propagate the plumeria branches that broke off! You’re welcome. 🙂 If you can, I would prune the split branch back so it has a cleaner wound (be sure to make the cuts at a downward angle). If it’s not possible, then just keep an eye on it. It should heal over just fine, but plumerias have a tendency to get stem rot if water gets into the would and settles there. Hope yours will recover just fine!
Vangie says
I planted my cuttings about two weeks ago and haven’t watered it since, am I supposed to and if so how often should i watter them?
Amy Andrychowicz says
They key it to keep the soil on the dry side, and the air around your plumeria cutting humid. So, you usually won’t need water it at all until the cutting has roots. You’ll know it has roots once new leaves start growing on it. If the cutting starts to shrivel, then you can either mist it or give it a bit of water, but not a lot. The soil should never be soggy.
Vangie says
I just planted my plumleria cutting and left them outside, do I need to take them inside the house when it rains?
Amy Andrychowicz says
The soil your plumeria cutting is in should dry out between waterings. So, if it’s going to rain a lot, and the soil can’t dry in between, then I would move it to a protected area or indoors to allow it to dry out. If the soil stays too wet, the cutting will rot.
Vangie says
Thank you so much for your information. Stay safe and God bless!
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome, you too. 🙂
Debbie says
Hey I was just wondering if you have any idea why my plumeria has never bloomed.it’s in a pot because I live just below Atlanta ga. It grows to about 5 feet. Its always looks healthy. I’ve never used the fertilizer that you recommended. I will be getting some next trip to home depot. I pretty much use an all purpose fertilizer like miracle grow. You think that could be the reason? Thanks for the great info!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Fertilizer is definitely important in order to get plumerias to flower. I don’t recommend using chemical fertilizers like the one you mention, because they strip nutrients out of the soil over time, and can cause major damage to plants. I recommend using a natural, organic type that will feed the soil, which will result in a much healthier, blooming plant. Here’s a post that’s all about growing them, and has tips for getting them to flower too… How To Grow Plumeria Plants.
Matthew MacKenzie says
Hi Amy. I love your website; your instructions are very clear and easily to follow. I have grown a plumeria from seed and it is now five years old. It is about 60cm tall but has not branched out or flowered yet…probably because I live in the UK. It is kept indoors during the winter but this year the stem has gone soft at the tip. Any advice? Should I cut the tip off?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Wow, you are one patient person to grow a plumeria from seed! That takes a long time! Sorry to hear the tip is soft. Unfortunately plumerias are very susceptible to tip rot, and it’s a very common problem. You should definitely cut off the rotting parts, or it will just spread and kill the whole plant. The good news is that, after you prune off the rot, your plant will branch out from the cut. Always a silver lining, right! 🙂
Glenda says
Will the Mother plant continue to grow and put out more leaves after propagation?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes! The mother plant will grow new leaves just below the spot where you took the cuttings.
Corinna wallace says
I live in Tennessee, I have a few cuttings, I have them inside right now potted, I will put a humidifier in the room for some humidity because it’s still chilly outside and uncertain of rain right now. Would it be a good idea for a plant heat pad under them??
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, you could put a heat mat under your plumeria cuttings if they haven’t rooted yet. That will help to speed up the rooting process.