Grafting plumerias - who woulda thought!

[QUINNPALMS]

My first attempt at grafting a plumeria!

So far it seems to have taken hold, the donor piece is even getting ready to bloom 3 weeks after surgery !

[_Keith]

Why would you graft a Plumeria?

[QUINNPALMS]

Why would you graft a Plumeria?

Multiple flower colors on one plant...

[_Keith]

ahh, never thought of that. Kind of like that 3 different apples from one tree thing.

[MattyB]

That's crazy and unnatural. I curse you!

[Silas_Sancona]

Quinnpalms,
Very cool. Hope the grafts take for you. I recently read over an article from the So. Cal chapter of the Plumeria society regarding a grower who had grafted several varieties onto one tree. The picture posted of the tree was amazing to say the least.

Another reason Plumerias are sometimes grafted has to with ease, or difficulties in rooting particular varieties. A grower id spent sometime talking with while visiting their nursery explained that using a hardier rootstalk, generally a seed- produced specimen, helps them propagate harder to root red or rainbow colored cultivars. Many of these more challenging hybrids perform better grafted as well. It also speeds up the time to flowering since, as I see in my own, seedling grown specimens can take years of growing before initiating their first flowers. A lot of people don't want to wait 6+ years for their specimens to bloom. I don't mind waiting since it is possible that some of my seed grown specimens may be completely different than the original cultivars. A little history: Some of the Moragne crosses took 10-12 years before producing their first flowers.
-Nathan-

[QUINNPALMS]

Quinnpalms,

Very cool. Hope the grafts take for you. I recently read over an article from the So. Cal chapter of the Plumeria society regarding a grower who had grafted several varieties onto one tree. The picture posted of the tree was amazing to say the least.

Another reason Plumerias are sometimes grafted has to with ease, or difficulties in rooting particular varieties. A grower id spent sometime talking with while visiting their nursery explained that using a hardier rootstalk, generally a seed- produced specimen, helps them propagate harder to root red or rainbow colored cultivars. Many of these more challenging hybrids perform better grafted as well. It also speeds up the time to flowering since, as I see in my own, seedling grown specimens can take years of growing before initiating their first flowers. A lot of people don't want to wait 6+ years for their specimens to bloom. I don't mind waiting since it is possible that some of my seed grown specimens may be completely different than the original cultivars. A little history: Some of the Moragne crosses took 10-12 years before producing their first flowers.

-Nathan-

gOOD POINT! thanks for the info!

[Daryl]

Also, if you graft onto good rootstock, you will get a plant that generally performs better. A lot of non-grafted Plumeria also blow over easily in storms, so grafted Plumeria do better in hurricanes etc

Congrats Quinnpalms...hope you enjoy the fruits of your efforts!

regards,

Daryl

[QUINNPALMS]

Updated photo showing the new flower color !

[MattyB]

That's so cool!

[Stevetoad]

That's a great idea. I should try that being that I'm limited on space but am always cramming plumerias in. Very cool!

[QUINNPALMS]

That's a great idea. I should try that being that I'm limited on space but am always cramming plumerias in. Very cool!

Ya it was my first try , I basically "swapped " one branch from each tree , and both are doing great! Super easy!

[Dan in Vallejo]

They also graft desert rose!