Growing plumeria from seeds is a rewarding way to add these exotic, tropical flowers to your garden. Plumeria, also known as frangipani, produce large, fragrant blooms in shades of white, yellow, pink and red during summer and fall. With proper care, plumeria grown from seeds can bloom in as little as two years.
Getting Plumeria Seeds
Plumeria seeds are fairly easy to acquire if you know where to find them Here are some options
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Collect seeds from a plumeria plant Look for oblong seed pods on spent plumeria flower spikes. Let the pods dry and split open to reveal winged seeds inside
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Purchase plumeria seeds online or from a garden nursery. Many specialty nurseries carry plumeria seeds of named cultivars.
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Join a local plumeria club or society. Members often trade seeds at meetings and events. Connect with experienced growers.
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Check seed swap websites. You may find plumeria seeds available in online seed exchanges.
Look for fresh plumeria seeds harvested in the past year for the best germination rates. Discard any seeds that are moldy, damaged or infested with insects. Healthy plumeria seeds have a corky, winged outer shell and white embryo inside.
Preparing for Germination
To increase your chance of success, create optimal conditions for plumeria seed germination. Here are a few tips:
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Timing: Start plumeria seeds in spring after the last frost date. This gives seedlings a full growing season to develop before winter.
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Containers: Use small pots, cell packs or seed trays with drainage holes. A loose, well-draining potting mix is ideal.
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Moisture: Keep the potting mix moist but not soggy during germination. Consider a seed starting mat for consistent warmth.
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Light: Provide bright, indirect light. Avoid full sun which can dry out small containers quickly.
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Nutrients: A general purpose fertilizer can be applied once seedlings emerge. Go easy on nutrients until plants are established.
Planting Plumeria Seeds
Follow these simple steps for planting plumeria seeds:
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Fill containers with moistened potting mix. Tap to settle.
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Place 1-2 seeds on the surface of each container, flat side down. Do not cover seeds.
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Gently press seeds into the potting mix. Ensure good contact with soil.
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Cover containers with plastic wrap or a humidity dome to retain moisture.
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Keep potting mix moist and seeds warm (75-85 F).
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Remove covers once seedlings sprout. Provide ample air circulation.
Caring for Plumeria Seedlings
Young plumeria need attentive care to grow strong and stay healthy:
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Light: Slowly introduce seedlings to full sun over a period of two weeks. Provide 14-16 hours under grow lights.
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Water: Water regularly allowing the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings. Avoid soggy soil.
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Food: Feed every 2-4 weeks with a balanced fertilizer diluted to 1/4 strength.
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Air: Ensure good air movement to prevent fungal issues in humid conditions.
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Pruning: Pinch back tips of seedlings once they reach 8 inches tall to encourage bushy growth.
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Repotting: Transplant seedlings after 1-2 years when roots fill containers. Use a well-draining soil mix.
Growing On Plumeria Plants
As plumeria plants mature, a few cultural practices are needed for best growth and flowering:
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Sun: Provide a sunny, protected location. Plumeria need 6-8 hours of direct sun daily.
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Heat: Grow plumeria in warm climates or indoors above 60 F. They thrive in prolonged summer heat.
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Water: Soak soil thoroughly when top few inches become dry. Let excess water drain away.
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Fertilizer: Feed every 2-4 weeks during the growing season with a balanced, bloom-boosting fertilizer.
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Support: Stake taller varieties to protect branches from wind and rain damage.
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Overwintering: Bring potted plants indoors before temps drop below 45 F. Prune back in early spring.
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Repotting: Transplant container plants every 2-3 years in spring as needed. Refresh potting mix.
Getting Plumeria to Bloom
Given warm temperatures, strong light and proper care, plumeria grown from seeds will flower in 2-4 years. To encourage abundant blooms:
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Select named cultivars known for prolific flowering. Evergreen types bloom heavily.
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Allow plants to mature and become well established before expecting flowers.
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Provide ideal growing conditions, especially plenty of sun and heat. Don’t overwater.
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Prune lightly in early spring to shape plants and induce new growth.
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Apply high phosphorus fertilizer or bone meal in spring to stimulate blooming.
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Protect plants from cool temps and excessive rain during flowering periods.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Plumeria are generally pest and disease resistant but may experience a few issues under suboptimal conditions:
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Rotting stems: Overwatering. Allow soil to dry between waterings. Improve drainage.
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Leaf drop: Insufficient heat or water. Move to warmer location and irrigate properly.
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Insects: Mealybugs, spider mites. Wipe leaves with insecticidal soap or neem oil.
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Fungi: Root rot, leaf spot. Avoid wet leaves and soil. Improve air circulation.
Enjoying Exotic Plumeria Blooms
With minimal care, plumeria grown from seeds develop into small trees or shrubs laden with incredibly beautiful flowers. Their sweet fragrance and vivid colors make them ideal for gardens in warm climates. Potted plumeria can be moved indoors to overwinter in colder areas. Share seeds and cuttings with gardening friends to spread the enjoyment of these exotic blossoms.
Start Fertilizing – Foliage
When: Before transplanting the plugs into pots, after three or four true leaves have grown. I use the same mix ( see below) approximately every two weeks.
What: BioBlast 7-7-7 NPK fertilizer, Vitazyme
How: Feed the leaves Bioblast (1 tablespoon per gallon of water) and Vitazyme (1 tablespoon per gallon of water) early in the morning or late at night. Do not spray in the hot sun it will burn the seedling leaves.
Because seedlings get their nutrients from seed leaves for the first few weeks of their lives. But when the seed leaves dry out and fall off, the seedling needs more nutrients. Bioblast works with every part of your plant. Soil organisms are invigorated with Vitazyme bio-stimulants providing quicker, more vigorous growth. Roots are encouraged with our Root Activator. A balanced 7-7-7 NPK provides the essentials of plant growth and structure. B-Vitamins and Zinc encourage a robust immune system, while Iron promotes chlorophyll production in the leaves.
How often I water: I keep the Plumeria seedlings in full sun and water them at least twice or three times a day, depending on the weather. My goal is to keep the plugs moist to the touch. I’ve had no damping off or rotting problems.
Before you plant your seeds
Soak plumeria seeds to test viability and soften the shell to give them a kick start.
When: Plumeria seeds grow best in the spring, but they can grow at any time as long as they get enough water and stay warm (above 60 degrees).
What: Use quality seeds, warm water and Vitazyme
How:
- First examine each seed by placing it between two fingers. If they have some thickness, they most likely are viable. Most likely, they won’t work if they feel like paper thin.
- To get seeds to germinate and grow roots faster, mix Vitazyme with warm water at a rate of 1% alcohol to oz of water, make a 5% solution, and dip or mist both sides of the seed. Allow seeds to dry prior to planting or soaking.
- To make a soaking mixture, add warm water to Vitazyme at a rate of about 1 29% or 1 oz to 128 oz (1 gallon).
- Spread the seeds out in the container. Put it somewhere warm and let them soak for four to six hours, or even overnight. Soaking longer than overnight could cause damage to the seeds. Seeds that are very thin and still float are probably not going to grow. Plant all the seeds, but mark the ones that didn’t sink to see if this is true.
- After a few hours, check your seeds to see which ones have soaked up enough water to germinate and sink to the bottom.
- Don’t let your seeds dry out before you plant them.
- Now your seeds are ready to plant.
Why:
- To soften the seed’s protective coating
- So the seed can take in as much water as possible
- To test the viability of the seed
- To give nutrients as soon as possible, which will help seeds germinate and begin the rooting process faster
When: Prior to planting seeds in plugs.
What: 2”x3” Grow-Tech peat plugs, warm water, Root Activator, and Vitazyme.
What we suggest: A mixture of warm water, Vitazyme and Carl Pool’s Root Activator.
How: Put your plugs in a bowl with 1 gallon of warm water, 2 ounces of Root Activator, and 1 ounce of Vitazyme. Let them soak for about two hours.
For this reason, Vitazyme is a bio-stimulant that helps the seeds stay healthy, and the Root Activator sticks to the plugs or soil to get the roots going.
The plugs are what I use because they keep just the right amount of water in and let the new roots breathe.
Watering: Keep your plugs wet or leave them soaking until you are ready to plant the seeds.
When: Plant your seeds right after soaking into the prepared plugs. DO NOT allow either to dry out. If they dry out they could be damaged.
Soaking Plugs, Pots, or Trays: I like to plant the seeds I grow for new cultivars directly into Grow-Tech FlexiPlugs, which are foam peat plugs that are 2″ x 3″. For the seeds Im growing for rootstock in flat trays or 4″ pots.
What: Carefully selected plumeria seeds, 2”x3” Grow-Tech FlexiPlugs. Warm water, Root activator and Vitazyme. You will also need a 36-hole tray and a flat for the plugs. Cover is optional.
Why: I use plugs because they hold water, so I can keep them wet while still letting the new roots breathe and getting enough air. I use 2″ x 3″ FlexiPlugs, which give me 14 to 21 days before I have to move the plants to pots.
How often I water: Depending on the weather, I water my Plumeria seeds two to three times a day when they are in full sun. My goal is to keep the plugs very moist to the touch. I have had no damping off or rotting problems with this method.
Best way to Sow Plumeria Frangipani seeds: Tips for Checking Viability and get fast germination
How do you propagate a plumeria plant?
Propagate plumeria by hand-pollinating flowers, a process that encourages seed pod production. Seed pods need to mature on the mother plant for 8-9 months, The seeds will be ready when the pod dries out and breaks open. If you don’t have the patience for starting with seeds, you can root plumeria cuttings, which are true to the mother plant.
Can you grow Plumeria from seeds?
While plumeria is not difficult to start from seeds the seed grown plants will not look like the parent plant when they mature, so commercial growers prefer to use cuttings. You won’t find plumeria seeds in most seed catalogs. However seeds can be collected from growing plants and a search online will probably locate a source of seed.
How do you grow a plumeria tree?
Select seeds from a healthy tree. Select seeds that are plump and look healthy. Soak plumeria seeds to test the viability and soften the shell to give them a kick start. When: Plumeria seeds germinate best in the spring, but can be germinated any time if provided with enough moisture and warmth staying above 60 degrees.
What do I need to plant plumeria seeds?
What you will need: Plumeria Seeds, something to soak them in, paper towels, 2” x 3” Gro-Tech FlexiPlugs and trays or plugs or good seedling soil mix to plant the seeds in, Vitazyme, Carl Pool’s Root Activator, Bioblast 7-7-7, Pro-Mix BX Mycorrhizae, Excalibur VI 11-11-13, Labels and permanent felt tip marker.