Is it odd to...

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

Is it odd to be more excited about seeing roots from a cutting than seeing the flowers bloom?

I have just a couple of blooms this early in the season. My Kaneohe Sunburst flowered this past week. There are 7 tips on the plant and all of them have inflos pushing out! KSB is one of my favorites (I have a very small collection of named varieties that I can count on one hand :) ) so that was very exciting! I also had my Samoan Fluff flower as well and that was fun too.

Earlier this week, I had a cutting produce some roots. I got this no id cutting late last year. Thin, tiny little one. What's odd was that I was more excited seeing these roots than seeing the Samoan Fluff flowers! The Samoan Fluff flowered for me last year too so perhaps I was just expecting it to do that again. With rooting and having some failures and lost cuttings, it has been a challenge that I haven't consistently mastered yet so exciting when it happens.

Thought I would share that odd experience with you :) I'm sure all of you veterans think that flowers blooming are way cooler than seeing cuttings root and I hope to get to there at some point where rooting is second nature as we all are growing these plumies for the flowers. I have a seedling that I started in Feb/March of last year. It's about 2 ft tall now and fairly thick (1-1.5in diameter). hear that seedlings probably don't flower for 3-4 years but that will be another exciting moment to look forward to!

Featured Answer

tom_socal
Original Author

11 years ago

Lisa - grats in rooting the broken piece! I know how hard it is to throw away even the smallest pieces when you're in this hobby/addiction. I had a 1.5in tip accidentally break off in Nov/Dec setting up holiday lights and I couldn't bear to throw it away. I took it inside and here it is rooted and leafing! I placed a soda can next to it for size reference. I'm guessing I won't see any smaller cuttings out there as no one else will be crazy enough to go thru that effort for that little nub :) Now to wait another 3-4 years for it to flower....

phalanx - yes, the small victories are still very enjoyable! Hope I can continue to do this.

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Comments (8)

Lisa
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
I completely understand how you feel Tom. Remember my broken Miami Rose? Well, the big half rotted, but the little 6" piece is actually growing roots and claws as we speak! I was so shocked that out of the two parts, I was actually able to save the little chunk that I was sure would never survive. Maybe I will luck out and have accidentally created the first miniature Miami Rose Plumeria, lol... =)
phalanx_viridis
11 years ago
Totally normal, and the joy is always there...it is small victories that make this hobby so fun. Seeing that first fleshy white root never gets old!
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barb13_gw
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
I think that the thrill of growing these plants, from something that blooms for the first time, or some new seeds that start to grow, or a cutting that you just did not think would make it. All of them can bring a smile to my face. Welcome to the club, Barb
Lisa
11 years ago
Thanks Tom =)
rox146
11 years ago
I always put a very tiny tip break off right next to the mother ship... it takes a few years but I have had luck doing this. Here is a tiny 2 inch tip off India from this last winter. Will up date next summer in 2016.... roxanne
tom_socal
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi Rox - Glad I'm not the only one thinking it's worth trying to save those little tips :) I had a few other tips break off last year - kids are banned from playing ball near the plumeria now, we have a park 100yard down the street and they want to bounce the ball next to my garden....grrr. I did the same thing you did: Put it in the same pot or ground next to the mothership. They all wrinkled on me though so that last one when it broke late in the year and it was cold outside, I took it inside. Good luck on the India tip!
jandey1
11 years ago
Tom, you're in good company here. Some of us watch Hawaii 5-0 just to see if any plumerias pop up in the backgrounds ;)

I'm with Rox on putting the cutting in with the mother plant. Seems like the bigger plumie keeps the soil moisture lower and the cutting is able to root without rot, and without any help from us. This is true for healthy cuttings, but those with a history of prior rot don't do so well. Still, always worth a try to cut and re-pot, even with a short nub!