Frangipani or plumeria needs a comparatively lot of care - but cutting is not one of them. You can avoid cutting the houseplant altogether. If you want to shorten or increase them, you should proceed with caution.
When and how should you cut frangipani?
Frangipani or plumeria does not require regular trimming, but occasional trimming can remove diseased shoots, shorten shoots for branching, or obtain cuttings for propagation. Frangipani should be cut in spring to avoid unnecessary stress.
Do you need to cut frangipani?
If you have enough space and the frangipani is he althy, you can simply let it grow. Cutting is not necessary. As a houseplant, the plant rarely grows taller than two meters. But you can use scissors to
- to remove diseased shoots
- cut off discolored and diseased leaves
- Short shoots for branching
- pruning the root ball
- Cuttings to cut for propagation
The best time to cut frangipani is early spring, when you take it out of winter quarters. You should no longer prune from July onwards, as this is when the flowers for next year will form.
Branch frangipani better by cutting it
In the spring before the growth break, you can cut the frangipani back a little to stimulate new branches. To do this, shorten shoots directly above one eye. Do not cut off too much so as not to stress the plumeria unnecessarily.
Plumeria sprouts again at the interface and therefore generally becomes more compact.
Pruning root balls when repotting
You should not repot a frangipani too often. Every three to five years is sufficient. When repotting, it is recommended to cut the root ball back by a quarter. This stimulates the growth of the plant.
Cut cuttings for propagation
To propagate a frangipani, take cuttings preferably in spring. The shoots must already be woody. The length of the cuttings should be approximately 25 cm.
The cuttings need to dry for a few days. They are then placed in a glass of water in a warm, bright place.
Once roots have formed that are several centimeters long, place the cuttings in prepared pots. The care is similar to that of adult plants.
Tip
After overwintering, the frangipani occasionally suffers from a fungal disease that causes stem rot. In this case, you will have to cut back the houseplant radically to save it.
