Plumeria trees are tropical and therefore must have conditions at least approximating tropical/subtropical in order to flourish. Plumeria do best in full sun with at least a half day's sun exposure to bloom properly. They do well when potted in an appropriate size pot to the size of the tree in well drained soil. The appropriate sized pot acts as a ballast for the tree so that it does not blow over in a breeze. The following is a list of items important to growing plumeria:
AS MUCH SUN AS POSSIBLE FOR WELL ROOTED PLANTS OTHER THAN IN DESERT ZONES
FERTILIZER HIGH IN PHOSPHORUS (NPK MIDDLE NUMBER)
WATER SOLUBLE FERTILIZER SHOULD HAVE A PHOSPHORUS CONTENT OF 50 OR HIGHER
GRANULAR FERTILIZER SHOULD HAVE A PHOSPHORUS CONTENT OF 20 OR HIGHER
PLANT IN A WELL DRAINED SOIL
MAKE SURE THE DRAIN HOLES IN THE POT ARE NOT CLOGGED, SO EXCESS WATER CAN DRAIN
PLUMERIA MAY BE GROWN INDOORS WITH GROW LIGHTS
PLUMERIA DO WELL IN SCREENED POOL CAGES IF THE CAGE IS IN FULL SUN
WHEN ROOTING PLUMERIA SUBMERGE NO MORE THAN 3 INCHES INTO THE SOIL FOR A 12" TO 16" CUTTING
DO NOT WATER PLUMERIA WHILE THEY ARE ROOTING, ECEPT IN DRY AREAS
THE ROOTING PROCESS SHOULD TAKE 5 TO 6 WEEKS IN LATE SPRING AND SUMMER
ROOTING PLUMERIA IS SUCCESSFUL AT MINIMUM TEMPERATURES OF 60 DEGREES
YOU MAY USE ROOTING HORMONE IF YOU WISH, IN MOST CASES IT IS NOT NECESSARY
DARK REDS ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT TO ROOT
SINGAPORE, WHILE NOT DIFFICULT TO ROOT, TAKE LONGER TO ROOT
BEGIN SLIGHT WATERING OF A ROOTING PLUMERIA WHEN THE LEAVES ARE WELL DEVELOPED
ONCE THE LEAF HEAD HAS FULLY DEVELOPED YOU CAN WATER NORMALLY
REGARDLESS OF POPULAR OPINION PLUMERIA LIKE WATER, JUST NOT TOO MUCH
WATERING SCHEDULE DEPENDS ON THE TIME OF YEAR
THE HOTTER THE WEATHER THE MORE WATER IS NECESSARY TO KEEP LUSH GREEN FOLIAGE
IF A BUD IS PRESENT IN A PLUMERIA CUTTING, IT MAY VERY WELL BLOOM WHILE ROOTING
WHEN DORMANT (WINTER, DECEMBER THRU FEBRUARY/MARCH), DO NOT WATER
REMOVE ANY COLD DAMAGE IMMEDIATELY (CUT UNTIL CENTER IS WHITE
BEGIN WATERING AND FERTILIZING AT THE FIRST SIGN OF THE GROWTH TIP COMING TO LIFE (IT BECOMES WET LOOKING)
PLUMERIA ARE HARDY TO 33 DEGREES
IF GROWN INSIDE OR IN A GREENHOUSE, PLUMERIA ARE SUBJECT TO (WHITEFLIES, SPIDERMITES, & MEALY BUGS)
THEY ALL CAN BE CONTROLLED WITH WEEKLY APPLICATIONS OF INSECTICIDAL SOAP
ROOTBOUND PLUMERIA BLOW OVER IN A SLIGHT WIND, REPOT OR ROOT PRUNE
ESTABLISHED PLUMERIA TREES, GROWING IN THE GROUND CAN TOLERATE LOW WATER CONDITIONS (XERISCAPE)
PLUMERIA MAY BE PRUNED MOST ANY TIME OF THE YEAR, BUT WINTER IS OPTIMUM
DO NOT EXPECT FLOWERS FOR SEVERAL YEARS ON LIMBS OF SMALL TREES WHICH HAVE BEEN PRUNED
LARGE ESTABLISHED TREES ARE CAPABLE OF BLOOMING THE SAME YEAR THEY ARE PRUNED
PLUMERIA GROWN FROM SEED DO NOT NECESSARILY HOLD TRUE TO THE PARENT
ON AVERAGE, A SEEDLING WILL NOT BLOOM UNTIL IT IS 3 YEARS OLD
CUTTINGS ARE FAR AND AWAY THE BEST METHOD OF STARTING PLUMERIA
POTTING SOIL OR PERLITE OR A COMBINATON THEREOF ARE GOOD FOR ROOTING CUTTINGS
FOR THOSE IN DESERT REGIONS OR EXCESS HEAT, (HIGH 90'S AND ABOVE), BE MINDFUL TO NOT EXPOSE CUTTINGS TO DIRECT SUN ALL DAY. THIS WILL LEAD TO "SCORCH" AND POSSIBLE DEATH TO A CUTTING OR PLANT. PLANTS GROWING IN POTS ON CONCRETE OR DECKS WILL OBVIOUSLY REQUIRE GREATER HYDRATION