Hi eskimogardener, If you go to Yahoo.com register or join, then you can type in Aloha Plumeria Group and it will take you right there. mimi will tell you in Hawaii they do not use root hormone because it is not needed. She told me that I could use it but she didn't think it was important even for me but she did say that BOTTOM HEAT and tropical temps would be what was the most important aspect to get them to root. I didn't listen to her, both on the rooting method she suggested and the rooting hormone. I tried t he baggy method and I failed. I think if I had put them in a baggy and then put them outside when the temps here got warmer, I may have had roots form. I just decided not to risk it. Once I had them root with the raw egg method, and NO ROOT HORMONE, I decided just to stick with what worked best for me. What surprised me the most was how fast the cuttings started to root. the first one was my celadine which made me extremely happy. The celadine had grown an inflo while I was trying to root it. It only took about three weeks once I put it into a pot with the egg to get it to grow roots. I do realize that when it comes to rooting, many enviromental factors can affect the time it takes for the roots to grow. Mimi had told me that my two pudica cuttings would root first and they actually rooted last. Good luck with the egg method. I really think you will be surprised with the results. you can use an egg in just about anything you plant up too. I have a friend in Vancouver who put eggs in the bottom of the pots she planted tomatoes in. Good luck with the rooting and please keep us posted. I really want to know how well it worked out for you. I just got a new cutting about two weeks ago from a women that I met on the Aloha group so I will keep everyone posted as to how long it takes to root. Andrew

I have found Walmart to have better quality basic red, white, pink, yellows for $5 than the airport for $8.50. if its packaged and marked for export you dont have to have a further inspection. I would go to the Dole Plantation and get North Shore Brand. Its more expensive but better quality and better cultivars. Here is a sample of what you can get. From top to bottom Walmart ($5), HNL Airport Kiosk ($8.50) and Dole Plantation ($15). The airport kiosk was the worst and will probably not root. The Walmart and North shore cuttings are looking good and have small leaves after nearly a month.

Adele, I'll try to make this quick. Soil: fast draining, well aerated, quick drying. For rooting, 50% perlite or vermiculite and 50% coir (can eventually be replaced with cactus soil - not sure.) For planting, same qualities as above. Search this forum for "gritty mix". Water once when you plant the cuttings and do not water again till you see plenty of roots in your clear plastic bottles. Rooting hormones are not necessary - per se. Can be good, but many people found no difference. Personally, I use Clonex gel every once in a while. Especially on tough to root varieties. You definitely won't have to wait one year to see a leaf. You better not. Ha! Cuttings of decent quality should root in 6-8 weeks, some take longer, but you definitely should see growth. Flowers is a different story. Being in zone 5a myself; I can say that you eventually have to wait longer than two seasons to see blooms, but two seasons is a good time frame - do not expect too much and maybe they will surprise you. As for the rocks in the pots, many people use larger pebbles to weigh down their pots, so they won't get blown over. Additionally, the rocks collect heat over the day and release it over night, which is nice but these rocks can get pretty hot too and burn the base of your cuttings. I'd be careful. My plumeria go outside when night time lows are above 45F, usually around late April/May. They are out till the end of Sept./sometimes well into October. I watch for the same night time lows there. They should get as much sun as possible. Hope this clears some of your questions. Happy rooting and growing!

If you have a heat mat I would go ahead and start them. soil temperature is a key component of starting a cutting.