Unless it's a center cut, the tip will be obvious: rounded, with tiny little 'claws' which will become leaves someday. A center cut (a section of a branch) can be oriented by looking at the leaf scars. The top of the leaf scar is flat, the bottom is rounded. Someone on this forum said "smiles not frowns" which is perfect.

As far as rooting, WARMTH is the most important factor. I use a cactus mix, moistened, a 2.5" pot, and rooting powder (Rootone is one brand). Dip the bottom end of the cutting in water to moisten it, then dip it in the rooting powder, then insert in the pot. Use your finger to make the hole. You want about 1" of powdered stem, and maybe 1.5" to 2" of stem in the soil. I recommend using a heat mat for bottom heat. Resist the urge to water the cutting; misting occasionally is good. When you see the tip turn a brighter shade of green and become shiny, you will know the cutting is waking up. It isn't necessarily rooted, but you will want to start keeping a closer eye on it. When the cutting starts sprouting leaves, usually that means rooting has started/happened, but I've had cuttings leaf out and BLOOM without rooting! The only way to be sure is to carefully tip the cutting out of the pot and look. If you don't see roots, repeat the initial steps and go have a drink...

Thanks for the excellent advice including the drink part

Hi Laurel,

I use bag rooting method. Only problem is when open the bag and repot it may break the some roots....

Here is a link:

http://www.socalplumeriasociety.com/rooting-cuttings/bag-rooting-methods