Plumeria tree
Question from Theresa:
I have a plumaria in a pot at my home in Kingsburg, Ca and want to bring it to my vacation home in Morro Bay Ca. I want to plant it in the ground and want to know if it will survive the salt air and the fog that Morro Bay has. It has been in a dry climate and was brought in the house in the winter. The summers are hot and dry in Kingsburg (south of Fresno).
Answer from Pat:
I know a man who lives near on the cliff above the beach in Solana Beach. He has many plumerias and says some survive better near the sea than others. Salt air does not necessarily harm plumerias, but salty air in Morro Bay can be cooler and wetter than in Solana Beach. They get lots of salt air in Hawaii but it’s balmy and warm there. Cold air, fog, and lack of sunshine are not conducive to good growth or health of plumerias. Mildew could be a problem because of the fog. Very hot dry weather such as you had in Kingsburg is not usually good for plumeria either but they can survive it with some protection and good care,which you have evidently provided. Frost kills plumerias if severe. You did well to bring it indoors.
My advice is that if you are bound and determined to take your plumeria with you to Morro Bay, plant it on the east side of your house in the warmest, most protected spot you can find in as full sun as you can give it, not on the ocean front. Perhaps there is enough warm weather left for it to become acclimatized before winter. Fall is often the warmest and sunniest time of year in Morro Bay. If you aren’t going to be there all the time to watch over it, it may not do very well. I wonder if providing a lamp on a timer might help keep it warm. (No promise on this, just an idea.) My daughter has a lovely plumeria in the ground on her south facing patio but it is in sunshine most of the time and gets reflected heat from the patio besides. I cannot predict success, but if you can’t grow it in a container any longer you may have no other choice. If it dies, grow another one!
I have talked to you before about my plumaria tree, but now I have a problem! I still have my plumaria tree in the pot and my husband knocked it over and some of the branches broke off it! I sealed every break point, so that bugs won’t go in, but I was wondering if the branch that the growth broke off, will ever grow more leaves and branches from it or if I sould cut it off at the joint. The other branch had some of the growth broken off of it, but otherwise seems fine! It happended over a week ago and the tree does not seem to be in shock! what do I do? Do I just wait and see what happens, or should I just cut that other branch off! It will be lopsided if I cut it off because the two branches form a V off the main trunk! I appreciated you helping me the last time and am looking foreward to hearing what you have to say again! Thanks for your help!
Dont be too concerned about your plumeria. Plumerias take well to pruning and people often take cuttings off them and the trees branch and regrow. You don’t need to seal the cuts. Just cut it straight across where it broke. Yes, don’t cut off the stub that is left. Leave the branch on the tree so it can sprout again.
The cuttings don’t root as well in fall as they do in spring but it might work to plant the broken section into a pot. Let the cutting callus off before planting, and then treat the bottom of the cutting with Dip’N’Grow according to package directions and plant in a pot filled with potting soil. Water the soil and cover it with a plastic bag. Keep the cutting indoors or in a warm, shady place and keep the soil moist. If you could provide bottom heat it would most likely have more chance of rooting at this time of year. Bottom heat could be anything over seventy degrees but best is eighty or eighty-two degrees Fahrenheit—no warmer than that. A seed-sprouting mat would be just right.
Thanks Pat! I feel better after reading your note! You have been a great help to me twice! Thanks again!
So glad this helped!