My potted Rainbow Riviera is tall. About 8 feet tall with a substantial "Y" branch at the top. (The third branch broke off when it toppled over). It has been growing in a large pot. The trunk is about 3" in diameter. Can I cut this tree?? In half? You know how large the leaves get on this variety. They are sometimes 18" long! I hate to think how top heavy it will be this summer. It will topple over again for sure! Help? Suggestions? Hints? I will get a picture of it in a moment.

Here is the tree in the foreground. It may actually be 10 feet tall!

Yes, I would cut it and re-root. Boy that IS tall....

That's not the only tall, leggy plumeria you have in the picture, Cheryl. Even if you cut it in half, you are still going to have very tall plants. If I were doing it, and I'm no expert here by any means, the first order of business would be to get control of the legginess of those plants. To do so I would make a cut perhaps at the 18" point above the soil line. As likely as not, you'll get branching on that already rooted section. Then I would continue to take 18" sections until I ended up with the top branch 18". I can't see where the branching goes on the Riviera so don't know how long the branches/tips are. If I have branches/tips say 24-30" long, I have no qualms about cutting those tips in 12-18" sections. I prefer multi-tipped plants and I like multi-tipped plants that are not overly top-heavy.

Of course, I have to bring everything in in the fall, so not having extremely tall plants is a must for me. I don't have the advantage of leaving my plants out year round.

cut them up and you will have a shorter plumeria you can enjoy. I cut up my large Hausten White this Feb now I have 4 multi tip Hausten White ( new instant trees) that are starting to leaf out and some tips have inflos that are ready to bloom. The mother plant's branches are producing multi tips too. I expect it to bloom late summer or early fall. If not, it will be the first to bloom next year.

Thanks! I figured you all would tell me to cut it. Since this will be my first time performing surgery, Would someone please walk me through it??
1. What do I cut it with? Do I have to sterilize the blade? How muck bleeding (latex) can I expect and what should I do about it?
2. Do I unpot it first?
3. The 2 tips are a mere 14". They should probably become 12" cuttings on their own. Should I leave the other cutting as a "Y"?
4. Can I expect the base of the mother plant to regrow? Do I have to worry about rotting from the open exposed ends? Will I be doing anything special to the mother plant?
5. Where is the best place to dry the cuttings? Greenhouse? Air conditioned home? Outside covered area in the shade? In the sun?

I nervous about this as all get out but this tall tree is a problem for me and something has to be done. It is a fast growing tree. I wonder if they all are leggy?? You might notice the tree behind it. That is a real tree! It is almost as tall only there are 4-18" branches starting at 4 feet high, each with 3 and 4 more branches growing out of it. There are two more sucker type branches that start from the base of the old trunk. AND she is pregnant with twins! That is the tree I call Auntie Chris. I like that one!

Riviera Rainbow is indeed a tall grower.

1. A small saw or sharp knife. Sterilizing between cuts is a good idea when cutting ANY plant.
2. No need
3. Yes and Yes
4. Yes, the base will sprout new branches from the old leaf scars. I never put anything over the cut ends, but you can use wax or a piece of cling film.
5. Outside, in the shade, is best.

Good luck!

Also per my experience, when you keep the Y and you get lucky enough and it blooms, then you will have an instant mini tree. (I usually cut it just 8 inches below the Y to keep it more stable when I plant a Y cutting.)

Good luck and post pics.

I chopped my plumeria. It's not so painful fix i know the cuttings are going to dedicated plant people and plumeria-lovers. But it's rating and looks like more rain to come over the next week or more. Should i put wax on the cut, put it into the greenhouse, or will it be ok? I fear rot.

I never worry about my plumeria when I take cuttings. The cuttings will all go into the greenhouse because rooting them is done in dry perlite. The rooted plant that was cut, well, she stays outside in the weather and full sun. I have never put those plants that have had cuttings taken in the shade. I have never used wax and never even heard of it being used. Just let those cut ends callous. Everything will be fine.

That's just the way I do it and apparently I don't do a lot of things that others do.

Some people seal the cut; since it's a big trunk there isn't much risk, but if it makes you feel better you can put some glad wrap over it for a week or so. There is something called parafilm that is even better.

I use parafilm, but use it when I am grafting.

Im worried. Should i be? It has been lightly covered in Gkad Stick 'n Seal for a week. The plastic blew off today and i saw this :



The trunk is about 30"- 3 feet tall. Should i cut it back again?

hmmm, I'm kind of on the fence about this, which means it would probably be best to cover it. Do you have access to pruning seal?

No pruning seal. But I can get some. It has been covered up until today. We had a lot of rain lately but only about 1/8" today. Go figure. I will replace the cover.

What's the big deal? You have plenty of stem to cut back and as importantly, plenty of summer temperatures for maximum effect. I have never used pruning seal, wax, cellophane, or anything else over my cuttings. Perhaps I should, but why? I'm not the expert here.

@drdawg "What's the big deal?" WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? ! How kind of you to belittle my feelings of woe over my beloved plant. I am definitely no expert. This IS a big deal to me. End of story.

I know how you feel Cheryl. I had similar thing happen to my very first plumeria, Trimark. So the lady that gave it to me advised me not to take any sign of rotting lightly because it could spread fast.

If you suspect that the top is starting to rot, I would suggest you cut the top that shows signs of rot until you see fresh white sap. Then cover the exposed cut until you can find a pruning seal. Hopefully you get sun soon so the top part can completely dry or heal.

I was able to stop the rot on mine and my Trimark is now 4 years old and the one that blooms for me every year and has given me a lot of cuttings.

You can drop candle wax on it too, instead of pruning seal. Key is that you seal the top. Gigi gives good advice too.

Has anyone ever sprinkled cinnamon over cut areas? Every time I trim an orchid or take divisions of orchids, I sprinkle cinnamon over that cut surface. It seems to prevent bacterial/fungal disease.