Full Sun
ORPartial Sun
Medium
Easily propagated by cuttings taken in spring. Allow the base to dry or callous before planting.
Plumerias need to have a balance between sun and water. The less sun, the less water they require and vise versa.2
Plumeria seeds can be planted directly in soil as if they had dropped to the ground from a tree. This means that the plump end should be plunged into the soil and the papery wing left protruding above the soil line. After planting, water gently so as to not wash the seeds from the soil. Another method that works very well and is used by local Houston experts is as follows. First, the plumeria seeds are placed between two layers of a wet terry cloth and allowed to plump by absorbing water. The seeds that do not plump are probably not viable and should be discarded. The seeds then can be planted in soil as above after a 24 hour soak in this manner or left between the sheets until they sprout a root. In either case, they will need careful monitoring until the cotyledons (seed leaves) have emerged from the seed sheath. You may have to moisten the new seedling with a spray mist bottle and gently remove the sheath to expose the cotyledons. If you do not moisten the seed, you will most likely break the root off! Within a few days, the seedling will produce its first true leaf.
Seeds generally sprout in 3 to 14 days. On an average, you can expect a seedling to reach 6 inches in height in about 8 weeks. A one year old seedling will stand about 1 foot tall. After 2 years’ growth, 2-3 feet tall, and 3-5 feet after 3 years’ growth. After 3-5 years’ growth, the seedling could bloom and branch, which will modify its race to become tall and skinny. Often times a seedling will appear to be setting its first bloom bud, but no flowers develop. The plant will usually branch at this point just as if it had bloomed. This process is called nubbing by some experts. The next bloom attempt probably will produce flowers.
Plumeria seeds are best started in a sterile soil mix, then, transplanted to a mixture suitable for mature plants after 3 or 4 true leaves have developed. Feed monthly after transplanting with a balanced fertilizer such as 20-20-20 for the first 1 or 2 years of active growth. If possible, do not let seedlings go dormant their first winter. Treat seedlings as adult plumeria after the first full growing season. 1
These estimates for how long Plumeria takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.
Average 14 days | Min days | Max days (0)
Average 56 days | Min days | Max days (0)
Average 365 days | Min 47 days | Max 47 days (2)
Frangipani, Pagoda Tree, West Indian Jasmine, Red Paucipan, Red Jasmine, Common Frangipani, Temple Tree, Cacaloxochitl (Mexican Nahualt), Suchitl (Mexican Nahualt), Melia (Hawaiian), Tipani, Champa (Indian), Châmpéi krahâ:m (Cambodian), Châmpéi slük sruëch (Cambodian), Frangipanier à fleurs rouges (French)