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Air Layering Plumeria

9 years ago

Hello, fellow Plumeria growers...

I have a few questions, and would really appreciate a little help and/or input. I'm in zone 5, Northern IL.

Several years ago, I was gifted with a Plumeria cutting, which I successfully rooted... under questionable growing circumstances, I might add, but it rooted and grew.

Now, several years later, I'm experiencing its very first bloom, but the stem, or trunk, is too tall and lanky... and I'm afraid it won't make it through this next winter and may break under the weight of its palm tree-like top.

The top part of the stem is thicker and healthier than the lower part due to growing environment issues and other variables that were, for the most part, out of my control.

My question is... can I air-layer this plant now, while it's blooming... and it's already the end of July... or should I do my best to wait until spring of next growing season?

I have done a bit of research on air-layering, and I see it can be done to Plumeria successfully, but the examples are mostly plants that are grown in Florida, or the west coast where it's much warmer with different overall climate and seasons.

The technique I've come across involves peeling away the outer "bark" of the stem with a potato peeler, then wrapping the peeled ring area in moistened sphagnum moss, and enclosing that within plastic wrap, tied or taped at top and bottom.

Is that the type of technique any of you would suggest, and could it be successful now, at this time in the season, in zone 5, while it's still blooming?

Can anyone please help with me my air-layering dilemma? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!

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Comments (4)

mksmth zone 7a Tulsa Oklahoma
9 years ago
I have always just cut and rooted. The benefit to that the rooted part can go ahead re sprout new branches at the cut while your cutting is rooting. I dont know if that would happen if you are air layering or not. You may be ahead of the rooting process by a few weeks by not having to let a cutting dry out but I dont know that either. You also can run the risk of the plant rotting at the air layer so that something to think about. Either way you should start the process now and probably abort the inflo too.

mike
jodik_gw
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you, Mike.. I appreciate your input.

The plant has been blooming for the past couple of weeks or so, and since this is the first time I've seen it bloom, I hesitate to cut off the flowering parts...

However, I think your suggestion of just cutting it off and rooting the top part is a much better idea than perhaps risking rot in the air-layering process, and losing both top and bottom.

I don't know why I didn't think of simply cutting it and rooting... perhaps because the "tree" is so tall... or perhaps I've been so worried about losing it that the simplest solution just didn't occur to me... or something!

But anyway... thanks again! Much appreciated!
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Dave, good luck with that! Let us know how it turns out. Sunseeker, you might even consider cutting out a center piece to graft onto an even shorter trunk, then you'd have a nice thick center-cut to root as well. In fact, you might be able to air-layer at two spots on the trunk, one about a foot above the other. That would be a good experiment. And to answer your question from the other post, yes, I did lose that inflo on Makaha when it got grafted. It was awful because the buds were so close to opening but the cutting was getting horribly shriveled and I was afraid I'd lose the whole thing. Now I have to wait another couple years to see those gorgeous buds again, which looked sooooo promising! The air-layering posts on MPG came up shortly after I discovered this on my multi-tip Intense Rainbow: For some reason it wasn't covered with latex though I found the break after only a day or so. Don't know what happened and if it was ball play damage, no one here is fessing up to it! After reading about someone's borer experience I freaked a little and quickly covered it with masking tape to discourage any boring critters that might want to make a home there. The break goes about 2/3 of the way around. I checked it after a couple of weeks and it, too, is starting to swell to form roots, but I decided instead of air- layering I would just let it heal and grow over like a graft since I'd rather have just one Intense Rainbow with several tips.
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Hi all, thanks for the responses. I'm of the same mind about waiting for the next growing season except that I think it may be easier to protect it against the ravages of winter if it's a metre shorter, assuming of course that I can chop it before the cold starts. Also, the winter really takes it's toll, and the plant really only gets going again early to mid summer. I wonder whether recovering from the winter AND coping with making new roots at the same time might be too much to ask. I could wait until it really gets going next year, but it could well be another foot taller by then and if past events are anything to go by, something bad will happen to it! i guess I'm going to go for it nowish. Wish us luck. Andy.
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Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
9 years ago
hi Jodi!!

Another thought. Stake the tree and enjoy the blooms for the rest of the summer. Then next spring / summer cut center part out and graft back to the tree!!

Just a thought. I'm working so I just had a second to reply

Be back later!!

Nice to see you!!

Ã°ÂÂÂ

Laura
jodik_gw
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks, Laura, for your input... I've never air-layered or grafted, and quite frankly, the thought is a little scary to me. I don't want to lose this plant. It's one you gifted me with, and I'm enjoying it so much! Thank you! :-)

The flowers are a beautiful white, and the scent is wonderful! Coincidentally, it opened its first bloom on my son and daughter-in-law's Anniversary!

I do have it staked, but it still seems rather unstable and top heavy... it also needs a re-pot, but when I saw the inflo starting, I decided to leave it alone until it actually flowered. I didn't want to chance that it might abort blooming.

It finally has the light it needs, and much better humidity in which to grow during active season.

I think I will upgrade the stake to a stronger one, and give it until spring before attempting anything drastic!

Thanks, Laura! :-)

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