Software
Houzz Logo Print
photo_synthesis

My 'Hilo Beauty' Cutting is Finally Growing!

9 years ago

I bought this cutting online, back at the beginning of February. It looked slightly shriveled, but nothing too serious. I read up on rooting them in water, so I thought I'd give that a shot. I have plenty of rainwater that I've bottled up and stored away, so I used it; changing the water out daily for about two weeks. I never saw any signs of growth, and I didn't like the way the cut was looking, so I took it out of the water and cut off about an inch from the bottom. The stem looked healthy and it was oozing out a milky sap, so I dipped it in rooting powder and propped it upside down until it calloused over again.

After that, I just placed it back upright and left it out. For a couple more weeks I just left it there. I noticed the growth tip was looking slightly different, so I finally got around to potting it up. I gave the pot a good soak and then drained the water away. I flushed it out again until the runoff from the drain holes began to run clear. To soak up any excess water, I placed the pot on a damp cloth. I would occasionally wring out the cloth and let it soak up some more. I did this until it wouldn't soak up any more water from the pot. Then I moved the cutting out into my greenhouse, where I kept it heated up to around 80-90°F. I've been keeping an eye on it. Last week, I thought I noticed some small traces of new growth and took a photo of it...

This week, I looked again, and I could definitely see it has gotten larger...

I don't think that it has rooted itself just yet, but it clearly looks like it's on the right track. I've read that red plumerias are more difficult to root than others. Surprisingly, this is my first ever attempt at trying it. I was going to buy an easier variety of plumeria to experiment with first, so I could gain some experience, but when I saw how beautiful this 'Hilo Beauty' looked, I just couldn't say no to it.

I haven't watered it again just yet. I was tempted to, but I haven't. Fortunately, it stays very humid down here in the South, and the soil doesn't look dried out or anything.

I have many years of experience with growing many other plants, but not that much with plumerias. So if anybody would like to offer any advice, I will gladly listen to what it is that you have to say. I'd like to keep my little cutting alive.

Comments (10)

  • 9 years ago

    I agree. Don't water it. Especially if the soil looks moist. And yes, reds are harder to root. But worth it.

    Photo Synthesis thanked qaguy
  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The soil doesn't look moist. Though it doesn't look dried out either. The new growth continues to grow larger, so I'm just leaving it alone.

    "If it's not broke, don't fix it."

    I'm just glad that I insulated my small greenhouse much better and bought a small electric heater for it. It has certainly come in handy for many of my plants over the winter. Now it's keeping my plumeria cutting nice and warm, along with a few other heat loving plants of mine. I keep a wireless sensor in there, so I can monitor the temperature as needed. It gets nice and warm during the daytime, but the nights can still get chilly. Outside, that is. My greenhouse stays warm and toasty at just the right temperature. Nice and humid as well. I open it up in the days to air it out and keep the air fresh. Plus, I can't help but keep a watchful eye on its progress.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I checked on again for the umpteenth time, HaHa. I think that it's finally growing some roots. Before, I could notice a slight wobble to the stem. But now it seems to be anchored in place and doesn't move at all.

    I still haven't watered it. Though I did sprinkle a few drops around the outer edge of the pot to keep the soil humid.


    I only brought it in long enough to snap a few photos. Then it went back into my greenhouse. I am so glad that I bought a small electric heater to keep my greenhouse nice and toasty. My plumeria cutting and a few other heat-loving plants have been enjoying having a warm head start to the season. I wasn't planning on rooting a plumeria. I originally purchased the heater to extend the growing season for some of my other plants. Even on the coldest winter days, the temps inside my little greenhouse never dropped below 65°F; but now that it's somewhat warmer outside, it hovers around 80-90°F.

  • 9 years ago

    Very cool I'm looking for one

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well, my 'Hilo Beauty' is coming along just fine. Keeping it in my small heated greenhouse has definitely given it a head start. Once the days were warm enough, while it was sending out new leaves, I've been letting it soak up that direct sunlight from sunup till sundown. Then I'll move it back into the greenhouse to keep it warm and toasty throughout the chilly nights.

    Today, it endured its first thunderstorm. It really dumped a ton of rain on us. As if Arkansas needs any more water right now? I actually watered it last night with a little diluted fertilizer. Being out in the direct sunlight, its soil has been drying up much faster. So the rain did a good job of flushing the soil out. I have since bought it back indoors and placed it on a slightly dampened cloth to help wick away all of the excess moisture from the soil. Plus, I wanted to snap a couple photos of it to document its progress. It'll go back outside tomorrow morning.

  • PRO
    9 years ago

    Glad to see it appears to have rooted. Great Job and thanks for the update.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    It's been over a year now and I thought I'd submit an update on my 'Hilo Beauty.' It has gotten so tall in relation to the original pot that I had it in that it kept falling over from the slightest gust of wind...

    I repotted it into a glazed ceramic pot to give it more weight at the base of the plant. This pot is roughly double the size of the previous one...
    Fast forward two or three weeks until now, and i was outside watering all of my plants. When I got to this one, I noticed new growth emerging from the tip. When I looked closer, that's when I realized it was an inflo, and that it was finally going to bloom for me!

    Not bad for my first attempt at rooting one of these plants, considering the fact that it thrived on my neglect. Now I can't wait to see it in full bloom.

  • 8 years ago

    Great job! Looking forward to your blooms.

  • PRO
    8 years ago
    Great news. Post a pic when the inflo is in full bloom.
Sponsored