Anyone who has a frangipani in the garden or as a houseplant knows that the exotic flower is not easy to care for. When the trunk becomes soft, the shock is usually great. We'll show you why this is and what you can do about it.
Why does the stem of a frangipani become soft?
The trunk of the temple tree, as the frangipani is also called, becomes soft when there areproblems with the water supply. Both too little and too much water can result in a soft trunk. Overwatering is the most common cause.
How do I determine if the trunk is too soft?
If the trunk of a frangipani, which delights with its exotic flowers and great scent, is too soft, you can easily tellby touch. In the worst case, the trunk can even become really mushy in the middle. As soon as you notice that the trunk feels softer than usual, you should take action and adjust the water supply to the needs of the plant in order to be able to save it.
What to do if the frangipani is too dry?
It sounds illogical, but it's not unusual: the plumeria's trunk becomes soft because it hasn't been watered enough. Then it is enough towater the plant heavily so that it can recover from the drought. If the plant has been too dry for a long period of time, pruning is usually necessary in which the soft or mushy parts are removed as generously as possible.
What to do if the frangipani was too wet?
In this case, the trunk must becut back so far that only the white flesh is visible. All brown, muddy areas must be rigorously removed in order to save the poisonous plant. The trunk may also need to be hollowed out a little. In order to avoid this damage from the outset, waterlogging must not occur under any circumstances. Nevertheless, the plumeria always needs to be watered sufficiently, especially in the summer months.
What should you pay attention to when overwintering the plumeria?
The frangipani must not be too cold or too wet in winter, otherwise the trunk will become soft. When overwintering in a bright place in the house or greenhouse, around 15 - 18 ° C is the ideal temperature for the plumeria. The shedding of the leaves depends on the variety; there are also evergreen frangipanis. If young plants develop a soft trunk during overwintering, it is because the roots cannot yet store enough water.
Tip
Fungal disease is also a possible cause
In addition to errors in irrigation, a fungal infection can also lead to the trunk becoming soft - although much less common, as the fungal infection first becomes noticeable on the leaves, often in the form of spots or dots. Then quick action is required, i.e. radical pruning. If the roots are already infected, the plant can usually no longer be saved.
