It was an unusual situation, I was only to receive..5. My first pkg. was returned to the sender, I was told by USPS, when I tracked it. The sender nicely sent a second. Both packages were somehow routed to Toledo, Ohio, instead, and then back to me. I told the vendor, and offered to pay for the second package, but he told me to keep it. He'd tracked the pkgs., too and we were both mystified as to why packages from Hawaii would ship to CA ...by way of ...Ohio??!!

very strange!

Yes, Hetty, it surely was!
And, Tarev, while I understand your reasoning, single plumerias now remind me of that saying about "watched pots never boiling ". It's true that they boil faster, if you're doing something else at the same time.

That's great! and I'm very impressed with the Seller too. Happy plummie growing!

My 3rd attempt is still there, but I think it is weak even after the heat wave.

In the meantime, I got a plumie cutting from my favorite japanese garden store...my hubby just cannot understand why I am so stubborn to try again Anyhow, here's to a new 4th one..while waiting for 3rd one to try and live. I'll give it a few days to get used to the garden temps, then move it to a sunnier side.

Cyra, do you ever wonder why our USPS operates at a multi-billion dollar deficit year after year?

Here is my third attempt at a red NOID Plumie from Hawaii that seems to be thriving in the sun and sitting on top the hot metal hood of the old truck DH doesn't drive any more. Maybe, just maybe she might take??



The mushy bottom of the branch has firmed up. But I still worry about this part. It give a little too much when pinched.

Looking good on the one in the upper photo Cheryl!

Yeah, I would be worried too on the 2nd one..have seen it on my previous attempts But who knows, it may still recover.

Thanks! I am hopeful and forever the optimist. From the close up, I see I have TWO branches coming! And I need a manicure! I couldn't see that with the naked eye, or I am that blind! The second picture is the same plant. Hopefully she will firm up on her own. I have some bigger Plumies next to her to give her incentive.

It should plump up soon, I try so hard not to overwater them when I'm rooting but I don't want them to dry out either. So I normally wrap them with wet paper towel leaving the tips exposed and then I only mist the paper towel. This way, I don't overwater the plant, which causes root rot.

I don't let the soil stay bone dry though, I think a little moist but not too wet soil, helps. You sure do have healthy tips, looks like you are going to be rewarded with 2 branches.

I fine-spray mist all my cuttings every morning, and "rim " water my cuttings only when my pots are completely dry. (I dribble 1/4 of turkey baster full of water down the inside of my pots, not around my cuttings) Seems to work. No more "rot losses " since I started watering this way.

This is a little off the beaten track, but is a follow-up on Cyra's problems with the USPS. This is a completely true story that started three weeks ago, with the final episode completed yesterday.

I shipped a 2 yr. old Fiddleleaf Ficus to a lady in NH, but rather than addressing the label to a "Secomb" Street, I mislabeled it to go to "Second" Street. My mistake. It went out Priority Mail. After a week the lady contacted me and said the plant had not arrived. Going out Priority Mail, it should have gotten to her in 3 days. I gave her the tracking number and she contacted her postmaster. He said the package arrived at the post office but was returned to the sender (me) because they did not recognize the address. The lady told me that it was being returned to me and I asked her what size town she lived in. She told me that the population was a bit less than 2,000! I was incredulous. Her name is unusual and she said her family was the only one in town with that last name. Hoping that neither she nor her family were post office employees, I said: "Surely, don't you think in a town so small and with your family's (name) being the only one living there, the post office workers would have immediately recognized the mistake and delivered your plant? Everything was correct, name, street number, and zip code." She said she would ask one of the workers why they did not deliver it, with the address so close to being correct. (I don't think she ever did ask.)

I received the plant yesterday, exactly three weeks after I sent it out. Believe it or not, the Fiddleleaf was still alive though de-hydrated with leaves lacking chlorophyll. I thought Fiddleleaf's were tough - now I know they are. I think the plant will survive but won't know for sure for a couple of weeks. Of course, I am replacing the Fiddleleaf at no charge.

It no doubt took so long to be returned to you, Drdawg, because it was routed.....through scenic ...Toledo;)....
-Cyra

Probably so, Cyra, probably so.

My 4th attempt is looking more promising as days go by...continuing to keep my fingers crossed..here's some photo updates..
11July


22July


31July



The other plumie cutting from 3rd attempt is still barely alive..oh well...if it grows fine..if not okaaaay ...I have 4th attempt now looking more promising..I will get the hang of this one of these days! Now I know which part of my garden it likes..that corner behind the calamondin tree..getting early morning sun and early heat up then part shade during the hotter part of the day, and another batch of late afternoon sun later.

That cutting looks great, Tarev. Reminds me of my salvaged "Oahu Star " cutting ; when it began to look like yours, I knew it would survive. Mine was in an Eastern window, early morning sun & heat, then plain day light, the rest of the day...

I am realizing now the mistakes I made before:
1) right after winter, mistake of watering right away - saw that on my first attempt
2) mistake on the temperature needs - bringing it outdoors right away, when temps are still fluctuating hot/cold even if it was already spring - saw that on 2nd & 3rd attempt
3) too much sun while still a cutting - have to give it some good shade while still a newbie cutting - saw the improvement on this 4th attempt
4) impatience - got to be very patient and avoid watering while no fully formed leaves... thought I can trick it to form new leaves faster before

I asked a cacti nursery to call me when they have grafted plumies available..they called me two days ago.....not cheap...I think I will stick to this cutting I am trying to root right now before I venture to an expensive plant, and get my basics right.

Tarev, not sure what prices you were quoted but check Florida Colors....

Hi All.
This is going to be a really stupid question, but why would you do a graft to begin with? With a fruit tree you're grafting to produce a combination of fruits, correct? So, is grafting just a way to have a single type of plumeria produce more than one color / type of bloom?

Sorry for the dumb question.

There are no dumb questions as far as I am concerned.

Grafting is generally done to create a superior plant. With fruit trees this is usually done by grafting a known well-producing or especially delicious cultivar branch on to a rootstock that is vigorous and proven.
Pretty much the same is true for Plumeria. Some varieties do not root easily from cuttings and I have observed plants struggling for years with an inferior root system. These are ideal candidates for grafting.

You CAN graft to create a mixed tree but it isn't really done all that often.