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Hawaii Gardening

Replanting puakenikeni from cuttings

14 years ago

I am trying to plant a puakenikeni from cuttings. Has anyone ever tried this.... any tips? I'm new at gardening and would appreciate the advice! Mahalo!

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Comments (4)

garden_isle_dave
14 years ago
Aloha Keolapilina!

It is recommended online that you grow Puakenikeni using the air layer technique, because the mortality rate/success rate of PKK from cuttings is so low (I think the average percentage from a number of different sites online is around 90% mortality)
BUT, I did successully root 3 out of 10 cuttings I tried last year; started them right around this time, maybe about a month earlier or so actually. I rooted them as I rooted all cuttings, I didn't find out about the mortality rate and whatnot until I researched it online AFTER I tried to grow them (figures...).
I just dipped the cuttings in rooting hormone and pushed them into a peat/sand/perlite mixture, and misted these once a day until they rooted, it took about 2 months for them to show any sign of growth. Was alot of time, and like I said, I got 3 sad little plants to show for it (cuttings I tried to root were about 3" in length) which I forgot about and let dry out...Awful after all of that time put into them, but anyway...

I've recently started rooting Ti and Hibiscus in ziploc bags, makes it a bit more "set it and forget it". I fill the bottom of the ziploc with the peat/sand/perlite mixture, dip the cutting, stick it down into the soil, mist it a little bit, poke some holes in the bag with a needle so the airflow isnt completely cut off but the humidity is still trapped within to some degree. I have had NEARLY 100% success with this method growing Croton, Ti, Hibiscus, Fig, etc. but have not yet tried it with PKK. Using a similar, but a bit drier, method for Plumeria.

If you'd like to go ahead and try and airlayer, I've set these up before as well and can give ya my experience doing so, I just never saw the end result as they were for other people. Hit me up and I can give ya some tips on this method! =]
It's completely "set it and forget it", in fact...it will drive you crazy if you run out and check it every day, lol.

Take care and talk to you later, hope this helps a bit,

Dave
saharawrence_hotmail_com
12 years ago
I have a large bush that is at least 8' tall and quite full. It is at least 5 years old. I live on the coast in Puna since deb 2008. It has never bloomed. Do you know why? Is there anything I need to do to encourage flowering ?
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I'm from the Valley Island of Maui, and have seen a Puakenikeni tree about 40 feet tall, with a spread of 30 feet in Ioa Valley, planted in a large front yard. I have 3 Puakenikeni in my backyard and since my soil is hard clay, my trees are 10 feet high, smell out of this world (when in bloom) and planted 4 years ago. If you like how gardenia's smell, this tree, sometimes grown as a large shrub does deliver. They are worth every penny. Slower growing than many trees, they are mostly air layered, and sometimes brought into the larger home improvement gardening centers, if you can't find them in local nursery's. Not a good idea to plant them close to a wall. I'm wondering if the plants you brought home from Lowes were really Puakenikeni. They are solid green, and the flower is white to yellowish, and usually it takes a long while to see flowers appear. Don't think it has color? Anyway whatever happened to them??????????
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leilaniguy
12 years ago
You may have a seed grown bush. It may take 10 or more years to begin flowering. Cutting grown Puakinikini will bloom first year if cut from a blooming bush.
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Any more comments from experience on a stubborn (i. e. not blooming) puakini tree would be greatly appreciated. Mine has been in the ground for 10+ years, has an approximately 6”, healthy beautiful leaves, stands around 5 feet tall, but alas no flowers ever. It was purchased from an extremely reputable nursery for $40. I have tried many variety of fertilizer and probiotic formulae but still no flowers. I live on Oahu windward. Help!

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