Tany,

Couple questions. how long in current pot? Potting media makeup? Pictures possible? Whole plant and close up to leaves and branch tips pics might help diagnose.

Also, don’t fertilize anymore until she’s back in rhythm with synthetics, or you know it’s a nutrient deficiency. I would try to flush if you do have fertilizer salts present. It sounds like you didn’t do anything different this year so it could just be in a funk. If it still doesn’t perk up, I’d try a dusting of sul-po-mag, water in.

-s

I would be guessing as well without images. Any possible spider mite activity?

Hi, all - thanks for replies.

No sign of spider mites. Note too that leaves are actually firm: not pulpy or shriveling for lack of water.

I tried to post a pic my first post: didn't work. Trying again from PC .

He's been in this big pot for at least three years. Bloomed beautifully last summer. Potting medium looks like the usual potting soil.

new growth at tip...

Tch! Sorry, can't get this pic to orient properly.

When we hauled this guy out of the garage last year, it was already mid-May. We did NOT see this drooping at that time. Mind, I think he'd dropped a lot more leaves over the course of that winter.

Will greatly appreciate any advice you may have!

It Might be root bound.

Yikes. It's going to be a b***h to re-pot this guy cause he's so big and unwieldy. I fear I might break a branch. But I'll give it a try. He's going to have to go back into the same pot, though - it's already at the upper level of us being able to load him onto a dolly to move into/out of garage. Will give him all new potting soil.

i suppose if I see rotten roots it's safe to cut them off. But should I see that he's pot-bound, is it safe to prune the roots any?

And during its past two winters in the garage the pot did rest on bare concrete. We kept lights on constantly and ran a small heater on those few days when it got really cold as we had other plants in the garage. The first winter in the garage didn't seem to bother him any.

(snivel) if he dies my heart shall break. I got him because he's the same type frangipani as I was familiar with from my childhood in Saudi Arabia, where this Singapora Obtusa was common and grew to HUGE trees, and perfumed their entire vicinity. He's grown from a mere stick into the specimen you see in the pix.

Ok so my theory is the roots might have been more crowded down near the bottom in this most recent winter and the cold concrete may have been more of a factor with more roots down at the bottom. Buffering might help with plywood or several layers of cardboard next winter.

Root check: lay out a tarp or large moving blanket to dump your pot out onto, Get some help to watch your thinner branches or bind them up so they don’t flop. Try loosening soil by tapping the side of your pot or kicking as long as it won’t break or scuff the pot, rubber mallet works great too just don’t break the pot.

Then tilt on the side and continue tapping to see if you can get the weight down by separating soil from roots and dump loose soil out. Once the tree is light enough to pull from the pot without tearing too many roots, pull it out and start your investigation.

Keep us updated in the case ;)

-s

Thanks for advice. Will buy couple big bags potting soil, say rosary, gingerly dump the pot out.

Last questions for now: if I see rotten roots it's safe to cut them off? And - should I see that he is pot-bound, is it safe to prune the other-wise healthy roots any? If yes, to what approx. extent?

Will let know outcome. If all goes well, I'll post pix of the eventual blooms. Wish I could post the fab scent!

Agh. Leaves have started to drop off now! Husband home today; he's bringing potting soil and we'll unpost the frangi tomorrow. But PLEASE some final advice from my last post...

if I see rotten roots it's safe to cut them off? And - should I see that he is pot-bound, is it safe to prune the other-wise healthy roots any? If yes, to what approx. extent?

Yes, prune roots in both instances. Cut off anything rotten, black, or slimy. If the root seems meaty, cut a small piece off and look for white roots. Pot bound plants respond well to root pruning.

a great tutorial on root pruning by laura

Is the main stem still firm at soil line?

Time to go digging.

good luck,

-s

With great trepidation, we've just unpotted the frangi and re-potted him with all fresh soil. He had a lot of skinny little roots extending all the way to the bottom of the pot, but the main root mass seemed to still have considerable room - the roots were nowhere near filling the entire pot. I did trim away a few small, dead black roots. Lots of good white roots; I did some pruning there. Questions, please - should I water him in immediately? Yes or no, should I use some *root stimulator*?

I'm so grateful for your advice! Here's a photo of how he looked last summer. Fragrance was incredible! Here's hoping....

p.s. the main stem was still firm at soil line.

Sounds like all was in order. Better to know you don’t have rotting roots. For me, the roots always tell the story. And now, you have experience unpotting and repotting your great tree!

Yours may be throwing a little fit or may also be getting onto your timing schedule of going in/outdoors. It is starting to anticipate the move and needs to put out leaves wired for real sun.

Water? Yes I’d give it a good watering after planting to collapse any air pockets.

Root stimulator? Up to you. If you have one, like b-1, you can use it but studies are mixed on efficacy; I wouldn’t waste the time. Your plant looks to be already doing well so if you have any, apply sul-po mag or some like super thrive (also mixed study results) as fertigation. Or just go kick back in the hammock after watering it and take a nap.

-s

What ever happened to this tree? My 15 yr old 9 foot tall plumeria currently doing the samebut in the ground! never seen anything like it before