I recommend "Celadine" to start with. which is a yellow center and white fringed bloom. Its fragrant and blooms easily year after year.

It was the first cutting I bought going on 14 years ago and is still going strong.

Or Aztec Gold, which has a scrumptious peach scent and is an easy grower.

Thank you both for your recommendations !
Is there any good online nurseries where I could buy these? Is eBay a good source for plumerias?

Hi Cast1 - do you want to buy rooted plants or a cutting and root it yourself? Rooted ones are more expensive but of course you get started faster and don't have to deal with rooting. Unrooted cuttings are much cheaper but you will have to root which will take at least 4 weeks.

I trust about 3 people on Ebay to buy cuttings from and that's it. Many, many scammers on Ebay, One very well known and trusted Ebay seller is this one and usually his stuff is rooted. I think he may be your best bet. He'll usually list new stuff on Sundays. You can check his other listings to get an idea of what he offers.
1-Stop-Aloha:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ROOTED-PLUMERIA-PLANT-HAWAII-CUTTING-TROPICAL-DREAM-/151247183571?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0amp;hash=item233708ded3

These sellers sell both rooted and cuttings:
Plumeria World: (shipping is very reasonable, $8 for one cutting, $11 for two)
http://plumeria.storenvy.com/

Maui Plumeria Gardens: (shipping is around $12 for one, but he always gives a mystery freebie so you get 2x1)
http://www.mauiplumeriagardens.com/index.php?cPath=1

This place sells only rooted:
https://bradsbudsandblooms.com

Good luck, let us know what you get!

Guillots Sunset is another that is easy to root!!!

Send me you addy and when I trim I'll send you a Celadine and a GS!!!

Have fun!!

Laura

Elucas101,
Thanks for the links!
I will surely spend a couple of hours looking at those plumerias!

Loveplants2,
Sent you an email!

A big thank you to the both of you!

Cast, you have some great recommendations and are wise to want to start with the reliable ones. Many newbies get discouraged after buying the most exotic ones they can find, only to find out why they're so exotic: because they're difficult!

The only other one I would add that you may like is Penang Peach. And check out Florida Colors. They have cuttings, rooted and grafted plants and a great selection.

Jandey,
Thanks for the recommendation !
I'm currently in college so I'm looking for reliable plumerias.i don't want to spend too much. :D
A Home Depot by my house has a giant plumeria in a 3 gallon pot. The price is $125.
If only I had the cash :D
I will try to get a picture of it and share it with you guys!
Thanks again!

CAST....

Received your email !!!
I'llI send out when I cut In A few weeks!!!

;-)
Laura

Thanks Laura!
I'll be waiting... :D

Laura, in case no one has mentioned it lately, you are a candidate for SAINTHOOD! Your generosity overwhelms me - thank you for being the person we all wish we could be!

Mahalo, Kay...

Laura

Hi cast1- I am in Arizona as well and there are several nurseries in the east valley that carry plumerias. Also, end of May/early June you should be able to find them at lowes. What part if town are you in?

I'm cutting tomorrow, will mail next week!!! ;-)

Enjoy!!!

Laura

Houndmom,
I'm in Chandler. I have seen them at Lowe's before but I was broke! Lol

Laura,
I'll be waiting... :D
I'm so excited!

Cast1 - I am in Chandler as well. As soon as I start seeing them at Home Depot or Lowes, I will let you know. Treeland on Country Club has them also.

Laura ,
Thank you so much for your generosity!
I received the plumerias today and I'm super excited!
How do you recommend planting them?
Thanks,
Cesar

Hi Cesar!!

Glad to hear they arrived all in one piece!!

( Tammy too!! ;-)

You will read lots of ways to callus your cuttings and get them ready to start the rooting process. Some callus in Perlite, mulch, soil mix, vermiculite , bark, coir, etc.

There are all sorts of methods .. Your cuttings were just cut from my trees on Friday, so they are very fresh!!! ( I already dipped your cuttings In Rootone ) I like to take the fresh cuttings and dip in Rootone and then leave them for 10-14 days to form a callus. When I first started, my mentor taught me to just set them aside in the house and let them be for a couple of weeks. I still do this to my cuttings and they all do well. Some other growers like to pot into different mixes and callus this way, if you desire this method, I would encourage you to read about the different methods of callusing .

Potting up the cuttings... Again, lots of different ways.

I like to use Starbucks ( medium size) plastic cups and or small water bottles. ( cut the top off of the bottle and add drainage holes to the bottom of cups/ bottles. Clear plastic makes it easier to see the roots start to form on your cuttings . The problems beginners have is moving the cuttings to look for signs of roots. These cuttings like to be left alone and this way if you need to peek, it doesn't bother them as much as when someone goes digging into the container searching for roots.

Bag rooting is another method that some like to use. (Baby bottle plastic liners )

You can take cactus mix and perlite ( 1/2 perlite and 1/2 cactus mix) and make a starting mix to root your cuttings. ( an easy method for beginners)

Once the bottom has callused( 10-14 days) you can pot up to start the rooting process.

Bottom heat is the key to rooting and can help speed up the rooting process. I like to use seedling heat mats. (Hydro farm) makes a good seedling mat. You can find them at most big box stores at this time of the year or at hydroponics stores. Just place the bottles or cups on top of the heat mat.

You can also use the sun to help with bottom heat as well.. Placing several rooting bottles, cups , bags rootings Into a large pale and set them on the warm concrete ( driveway. Pool area etc). You can use your imagination when looking for bottom heat if you want to use the natural sunshine ...

We advise to water ( one time...) once you pot them up into the bottles and then leave them and keep them protected from The rain until you see leaves form that are about 6-8 inches long . This will be an indication that roots are forming and then you can start to give water to the cuttings. ( wet -dry cycle) If you think they are needing moisture, you can mist the cuttings every week to ten days.

I hope this helps to get you started with the joy of growing Plumeria!!!

This is a easy way to get started and you can keep it simple or you can change things up and learn much more. There is plenty of time to really understand different growing methods. Everyone has their different ways of growing. The most important piece of advise that I can give to you is to be Patient!!!!! These cuttings can take up to 8 weeks to root and sometimes even longer. You could also see roots form earlier in some cases...

Have fun !!

Let us know how things are progressing !!!

Have a great day!!!

Laura

This post was edited by loveplants2 on Tue, Apr 1, 14 at 13:28

I've been growing Celadine outside in the SF bay area since 1998. In pots,in ground for a few years,back in a pot. Survived everything.
The largest Arizona Plumeria's I have seen photos of were tree sized P.obtusa in Yuma. I get the feeling that the Singapore evergreen Plumeria is a sort of secret in Arizona and soucal compared to the many P.rubra's.
And if your sticking with growing in a pot,then P.obtusa wins that too. Its a better "forever" potted Plumeria then the open and gangly P.rubra. My 2 cents..

Laura,
Thanks for the tips!
I will keep you guys updated as time goes by.

Thanks Stan!
Cesar

Wow Laura, you're such a nice person to do that for them....so maybe you can answer a quick question. I bag rooted a few cuttings. I can see nice healthy roots and leaves are now growing. When should I pot them up?

Thanks in advance,
Chris

Hi Chris,

You are very kind, Mahalo!

I read your other post about the bag rooted cuttings and I would say that it would depend on how well the root mass is on the cuttings. I like to see plenty of roots before I pot up, but that's just me because I like to know they are well established and then if there is any breakage, it wouldn't be a problem.

You mentioned that you had a few rooting, so you could always do as DisneyHorse mentioned and test a few.

If you only see a few roots, then I would wait until you see a mass of roots. That is my opinion. I'm sure you would be very gentle when you pot up, but they are in the process of taking off right now..

Congratulations on the rooting!!! It's a great feeling ...

Im Sure others will give their opinion on what they like to do!!!

Let us know how your cuttings are doing.!!!

Take care,

Laura

This post was edited by loveplants2 on Fri, Apr 4, 14 at 0:31

Laura,
I went to a local nursery today looking for coleus when I noticed they had several tall plumerias in the back.
They were in five gallon pots and were asking $30 dollars for them. I brought one home with me.

Wow Cesar!!

That is a huge tree!!!

What a great price!!!

I'm sure you are pleased...

Whoohooo ! SCORE!! ;-)

Laura

Laura,
My grandmother who is visiting from Mexico got excited when she saw the cuttings you gave me. She told me that she planted one by my uncle's grave back home. She also gave me the task of finding a red plumeria. She wants to take it back with her.
Cesar

I just want to say thanks to everyone for sharing your knowledge. I am new to Plumeria plants. I currently have pudica (bridal bouquet ) and its doing very well. Its time for my next one.

Laura,
Do you think their ready to pot?

I would go ahead!!!

Good luck!!!

Laura

Hi there!
Just want to say thanks again to Laura for the beautiful cuttings! You're so sweet to share your love for plumerias to beginners! I read the tips on here. I have mine all in pots right now with half cactus soil and half perlite. I was going to put them outside, but after reading this thread, I guess I should wait for some nice leaves. Would it be okay to just put them outside on days when it's nice and warm, or should I just keep them in my home and not disturb them?

Hi!!!

I would keep them inside until the temps are not to cold at night. That way you won't be bringing them in and out and keep moving them around. It's best to keep them in one spot, but if the days are getting warm and you don't have cool temps at night, then I would put them where they will get bottom heat. Keep them from getting wet from the rain..

You are welcome.. Thank you!!!

Have a wonderful night!!

Laura

Laura, here's a SUPER big cyber hug from me

(((((Laura)))))!

Thanks Laura! I've been misting them in the morning like I normally do with my other plants. When they get a few sets of leaves, I guess it would be time to move them outside. :)

I just joined gardenweb.com today. I HAD two large potted plumeria trees in my front yard. One of which my deceased father gave to me years back. Unfortunately, they were STOLEN back in January. (It broke my heart, since one was sentimental) So now, I am on the hunt for new ones. I would like to try the dark pink variety. Are they easy to care for? Or should I stick with the white?

Hi deeoftexas, welcome! I'm so sorry to hear about the theft, that's just awful :( I am glad to hear that you are willing to try again though, they haven't broken your spirit!

There are tons of dark pinks and even reds that are just as easy to care for as the whites! Some dark reds may like a little less sun depending on the variety but all take essentially the same care. Since you grew your other ones, you can grow pinks or reds with no problem.

Good luck and please let us know what you decide to get!

I recently bought my first two cuttings (Pudica and Lemon Chiffon) and have a couple questions:

I live near Virginia Beach and the temps are already in the upper 80s during the day. I was instructed by the person who sold me the cuttings to pot them and only mist once a week. However, much of what I've read says to water thoroughly when you pot them and then leave them alone.

They are currently potted in cactus mix and setting in black pots on my driveway. I did not top the soil with pea pebbles as many people do to avoid scorching the cutting. The soil is completely dried out at this point.

Should I add the pebbles (they're currently staked with bamboo) and do I need to do the initial watering? Once watered, how dry should I let the soil become while rooting?

Sorry if this has been discussed already! Looking for answers from folks who grow in my zone.

Thanks!

Kay.. Xo!!!

Tamela.. You are more than welcome!!! ;-)

Dee. I'm sorry to hear of your loss and of the stolen trees. Celandine is a great one to start with. Easy to root and is a classic scent!! Good luck!!

Emily gave you great advise.. ( hi, sweetie!!)

Raucey!! Welcome to the forum!! Nice to see another from the " 757"

Staking is a good thing. I wouldn't add pebbles, but be careful of all of this rain we are having. Keep them somewhere that they can get bottom heat but keep from getting soaked as well.. If the soil is bone dry and you didn't or they have never had a good initial watering, then I would add a little water and then let them dry out. It will take 6-8 weeks to root. So be patient. When I first started, I put mine on the deck facing the west and then placed an umbrella over them to protect them from getting soaked. If you want to mist, then once every 10 days is fine. They like to be left alone, so be patient with them!! Sounds like two beautiful varieties!!! Being in black pots , you won't see the roots, so don't go poking to find any. You will see signs of activity at the tips. They will get shiny and start to green up!! I would water for the initial potting up, then wait for leaves to be anywhere from 5-7 inches before I give them water., Then water on a wet/ dry cycle!! This is a great time to root, so you are doing a great job already!!

Where are you in VB or ORF?

Good luck..

Laura

Laura,
The cuttings you sent me are doing great! I will post a picture tomorrow.
It was easier than I thought!
Thanks!

That is wonderful news, Cesar!!!

I am so happy for you.. Looking forward to your pictures!!

It really isn't hard if you let them grow on their time ( plant time) instead of people time!!!

;-)

Laura

Well here they are. One of the celadines was getting too much sun I think.
I put them all nun the shade for now.

I'm actually in Portsmouth.

I've done a good job keeping them out of the rain...until today.

I gave them an initial watering but have left them alone since. We've had a 50% chance of showers all week but I've seen nothing but sunny skies overhead so they've been left outside. Today, however, the bottom dropped out and I'm sure they received quite a shower. I'm going to pull them in tonight to let them dry and will be careful to avoid more rain. Hopefully they'll be ok!

On a side note - I gave my father one of the Pudica cuttings (I had two) and he's already getting leaves! Im super jealous. He planted them in the same way I did at the same time. The only difference was that he watered them once or twice thoroughly before I decided to water mine. Any thoughts on this? Cuttings came from the same source...

This post was edited by Raucey on Thu, Jun 12, 14 at 13:38

I always water once thoroughly after I pot up and then let it dry out.. Then, The wait begins unless it starts to show signs of shriveling.. Then I would mist .

Just put them back out in the heat.. We did have torrential downpours today and I can imagine they did get plenty of rainwater.. You do have drainage holes in the bottom, right?

I wouldn't worry.. They should be fine, but try and keep they from getting drenched again. As far as your fathers cutting.. He might have it in a warmer place. Different environments will produce different results.. Just what a plant decides to do with the natural or artificial elements given...

You will have success!!

Good work!!

Laura

Yes they have drainage holes in the bottom. I stuck them outside this morning under our covered deck. They should get ample afternoon sun that will hopefully dry them out. Ill put them back on the driveway when the chance of showers has reduced.

When I got the cuttings, each one still had about 5-6 little leaves at the tip. Since potting them, some of the leaves have turned black and fallen off. The stem still looks healthy and feels firm. Is the leaf drop normal during this stage? I've notice that a little bit of white sap comes out of the top too...

Thanks for all of your help!