Frangipanis are usually grown from cuttings, but how exactly do you plant them? The good news is it’s a lot easier to do than you think! The cuttings are quite resilient and have been known to even withstand drought and neglect. Find out how to create a tropical paradise in your garden by growing frangipani cuttings.
Firstly, frangipani cuttings can be taken from several parts of the tree including herbaceous stems, woody stems, softwood, semi-hardwood, and hardwood. Once you have taken the cutting, allow it to dry out for a week or so before planting. This is gives time for the cut ends to heal over. Leave the cuttings exposed to air, but out of direct sun, to aid the process.
The frangipani cuttings can then be planted directly in the ground or in pots of sand. Just ensure the potting medium you use has good drainage and won’t retain too much water. On this note, avoid using a normal potting mix for frangipani cuttings because they will rot if the mixture stays too moist.
The frangipani cuttings should be placed fairly deep in the pot or container. Pack the soil firmly around the cutting so it can stand on its own. Then water the frangipani cutting and pack the soil around the plant if it has loosened. Continue to water the container every three to four days, until the roots have started to establish themselves.
Place your container in an area that gets full to partial sun. Being quite drought tolerant, mature frangipanis will be able to tough it out if soil is dry for days or even weeks. However, young plants require watering weekly in dry weather until they are established.
If you decide to transplant the cutting, be wary as the roots are brittle. Gently remove from the pot and transplant into well drained soil and place in a sunny spot. Now you can enjoy the fragrant smell of frangipanis from a cutting you grew on your own. Could you ask for anything more rewarding?
