Plumeria Cutting Propagation – How To Grow Plumeria Cuttings

plumeria cutting
plumeria cutting
(Image credit: BABYFRUITY)

Plumeria is a tropical and subtropical flowering plant that’s very popular for its fragrance and for its use in making leis. Plumeria can be grown from seed, but it can also be propagated extremely well from cuttings. Keep reading to learn more about how to grow plumeria cuttings.

Plumeria Cutting Propagation

Rooting plumeria from cuttings is very easy. About a week before you plan to plant, you should harden off your cuttings. 

To do this, you can either take your cuttings from the plant or simply cut a deep notch in the spot you plan to make your cut. Your plumeria plant cuttings should be between 12 and 18 inches (31-46 cm.) long. Either way, you should wait a week after this step before you plant. This gives the newly cut ends time to callus, or harden off, which helps to prevent infection and encourage new root growth. 

If you remove the cuttings from the plant straight away, store them for a week in a shady place with good air circulation.

Growing Plumeria from a Cutting

A week later, it’s time to plant your plumeria plant cuttings. Prepare a mix of 2/3 perlite and 1/3 potting soil and fill a large container. (You can also plant them directly in the ground if you live in a very warm climate). Dip the cut end of your cuttings in a rooting hormone and sink them about halfway down into the potting mixture. You may need to tie the cuttings to stakes for support. Water your cuttings as soon as you plant them, then let them dry out for several weeks. Watering them too much at this stage can cause them to rot. 

Place the containers in a spot that receives full sun or just a little bit of shade. Roots should form in 60 to 90 days.

Liz Baessler
Senior Editor

The only child of a horticulturist and an English teacher, Liz Baessler was destined to become a gardening editor. She has been with Gardening Know how since 2015, and a Senior Editor since 2020. She holds a BA in English from Brandeis University and an MA in English from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. After years of gardening in containers and community garden plots, she finally has a backyard of her own, which she is systematically filling with vegetables and flowers.