Plumeria (Plumeria)

Plumerias, also known as lei flowers or frangipani, are small, fragrant, flowering trees native to Mexico, the Caribbean, and parts of South America. There are several species of plumeria grown as ornamental trees, all members of the dogbane family. In a tropical garden, they are a great addition with pretty flowers and fragrance.

I. Appearance and Characteristics

Plumeria, also known as frangipani, is a genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Rauvolfioideae, of the family Apocynaceae. Most species are deciduous shrubs or small trees. The species are native to the Neotropical realm (in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, and as far south as Brazil and as far north as Florida in the United States), but are often grown as cosmopolitan ornamentals in tropical regions, especially in Hawaii, as well as hot desert climates in the Arabian Peninsula with proper irrigation.

The genus Plumeria is named in honour of 17th-century French botanist and Catholic monk Charles Plumier, who traveled to the New World documenting many plant and animal species. Plumeria is also used as a common name, especially in horticultural circles.

The name “frangipani” comes from a fictional 16th-century marquis of the noble Frangipani family in Italy, who created a synthetic plumeria-like perfume. Common names for plants in the genus vary widely according to region, variety, and whim, but frangipani or variations on that theme are the most common.

In eastern India and Bangladesh, plumeria is traditionally considered as a variety of the champak flower, the golok chapa, meaning the champaka that resides in the heavenly home of Sri Krishna, a Hindu god at the highest realm of heaven. In Sri Lanka it is known as “Araliya” or “Temple Flower”.The flower, considered sacred, is also known by the names gulancha and kath golap.

Plumeria branches are succulent. The trunk and branches of the Plumeria species have a milky latex sap that, like many other Apocynaceae, contains poisonous compounds that irritate the eyes and skin.

• Leaves

Plumeria trees are small or low shrubs. The leaves grow at tips of their branches. Various species and cultivar have various leaf shape and arrangements. The leaves of P. alba are narrow and corrugated, whereas leaves of P. pudica have an elongated shape and glossy, dark-green color. P. pudica is one of the everblooming types with nondeciduous, evergreen leaves. Another, semi-deciduous species that retains leaves and flowers in winter is P. obtusa; commonly known as “Singapore plumeria”.

• Flowers

Plumeria trees flower from early summer to fall. Their blossoms grow in clusters on ends of the stems, they are made of tubular corolla with a length of 2–4 inches (5.1–10.2 cm) that split sharply into five rounded and waxy petals that overlap each other. These flowers come in many colours including pink, red, white and yellow, orange, or pastel. They have separate anthers.

The flowers are highly fragrant, especially at night. Their scent is perceived to have floral elements of jasmine, citrus, gardenia, fruity aromatic notes of coconut, peach, vanilla, as well as lactonic, woody accords. However, they yield no nectar. Their scent tricks sphinx moths into pollinating them by transferring pollen from flower to flower in their fruitless search for nectar.

Insects or human pollination can help create new varieties of plumeria. Plumeria trees from cross-pollinated seeds may show characteristics of the mother tree or their flowers might just have a distinct appearance.

Its fruit separates into two follicles with winged seeds.

• Toxicity

Plumeria branches exude toxic, milky latex from a cut flower, leaf, or stem that can irritate the eyes and cause dermatitis in susceptible individuals. Mildly poisonous, ingesting leaves or flowers can irritate the digestive tract. If your dog eats Plumeria, he may show mild to severe signs of poisoning.

II. How to Grow and Care

Sunlight

These tropical flowers grow in full sun and partial shade but prosper in abundant sunshine for at least six hours per day.

Temperature and Humidity

Plumeria is a tropical plant that thrives in hot, tropical climates with high humidity. The plants do not tolerate frost.

Watering

The rule of thumb of about 1 inch of water per week also applies to established plumeria. However, the watering needs to be increased with exposure to direct sunlight.

In a location with full sun for most of the day, it needs more watering than in a partially shaded location so you might have to water in the absence of rain. Water deeply and then let the soil dry out before watering again.

Do not water outdoor plumeria in the landscape during its winter dormancy. Indoor plumeria that are dormant only need infrequent watering, as little as every two weeks. Water just enough so the soil ever fully dries out.

Soil

Loamy, rich soil is ideal but plumeria adapts to a wide range of soil types as long as it drains well. Avoid locations with soggy soil as it can cause root rot. The soil pH should be between 6.5 and 7.0.

Fertilizing

Established plumeria in the landscape do just fine without regular fertilization, unless the soil is poor. Give it a bloom-boosting high-phosphorus fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season. Avoid fertilizers high in nitrogen, as this will produce more foliage than flowers.

Potted plants should be fertilized with the same high-phosphorus fertilizer about once a month during the active growing season to make up for the nutrient loss from frequent watering.

Planting Instructions

• Plant your Plumeria at least 4 ft. (120 cm) from the house or any structure. This will prevent your Plumeria to be exposed to heat radiating off a brick or concrete wall.
• If planted too close to a structure, your Plumeria will also tend to lean out at a dangerous angle because all growth is on one side.
• Ensure adequate space outside: if planting more than one Plumeria, space them 10 to 20 ft. apart (3-6 m) so that their roots have adequate room to grow.
• Set your Plumeria in the planting hole so that the stem is just at the soil surface. If necessary, add some backfill soil to the bottom of the hole to achieve proper planting height.
• Water well around the plant after planting.
• Spread decomposed mulch around the plant to add nutrients and organic matter, to retain moisture in and weeds out. This will also provide winter protection for the roots.

Pruning

There is little need for pruning plumeria, unless you are unhappy with its shape and want to train it as a tree with a single central trunk or a shorter, denser shrub. In late winter or early spring, before the new growth starts. remove all the lower branches near the trunk or cut all the branches back to around half of their length.

Plumeria typically only branches out after an injury (i.e. pruning) or after flowering. Be conservative when pruning, as the tips of the branches produce the tree’s flowers, and cutting too much reduces the bloom in the following year.

Propagation

• Plumeria are usually propagated by cutting and grafting. You may also start new plants by seed, but the flower color of the new plant may be different from the parent plant.
• Take 12-18 in. cuttings (30-45 cm) of leafless stem tips in the spring and early summer. Use a sterile, sharp cutting tool to cut the stem. Cut at an oblique angle to the limb being cut.
• Remove all the leaves and set the cutting aside in a warm and dry location for a minimum of 3-7 days.
• Dip the cut end in rooting compound if desired. Plant it shallowly in sand or perlite (potting soil, etc.).
• Excellent drainage is essential.
• Lightly water the soil around the freshly planted cutting.
• Place the newly planted cutting in strong or full sunlight. Bottom heat helps promote root formation and growth.
• Do not add additional water to the soil or the cutting will rot (unless the soil has completely dried out).
• Watch for new leaf growth (usually 6-8 weeks).
• Water lightly until the new leaves are mature, then water thoroughly when the top soil is dry.
• Once the seedling is at least 3 in. tall (7 cm), you can transplant it into a larger pot.
• It will take one to three years for cuttings to bloom and three or more years for plants to grow from seed.

Potting and Repotting

Plumeria has a shallow root system, which makes it an ideal plant for potting. Use a large, wide pot, which prevents the tree from becoming top-heavy and toppling over in windy conditions. Make sure it has large drainage holes. Fill it with well-draining potting mix.

Because plumeria is a slow grower, repotting to a larger pot is only needed every few years when the plant has visibly outgrown its pot. However, it benefits from the addition of a fresh growing medium every year. Using a trowel, carefully remove the top few inches of soil and replace it with nutrient-rich compost and fresh potting mix.

Overwintering

If you are growing plumeria outside its hardiness range, bring it indoors when temperatures drop below 50 degrees F. To let it enter dormancy indoors move it to a cool room and water it sparingly. If you are overwintering your potted plumeria in a room where the temperature is above 65 or 70 degrees, the plant is unlikely to go dormant though it will drop some of its leaves.

Gradually acclimate the plant to the outdoors the following spring.

How to Get Plumeria to Bloom

Plumeria blooms between May and November. The exact bloom time varies from species to species and the local climate, but the bloom may last two weeks or more, while individual flowers last for a day or two.

The number of flowers per cluster varies greatly between the cultivars. Some plumerias produce as many as 200 flowers while others barely reach 50.

Another variable is the number of branch tips that will grow flowers, in some plumerias, only one out of 10 branch tips have flowers whereas in others, there are six out of ten.1 Your best bet is to select a variety that is known to be a profuse bloomer.

Deadhead the spent flowers to encourage more flowering and prevent seedpod production.

Pests and Diseases

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Plumeria is not bothered by any serious pests and diseases, but it may get common greenhouse and houseplant pests such as white flies, mealybugs, and spider mites. Use insecticidal soap to control them before it turns into an infestation.

Potential fungal diseases include plumeria rust, black tip fungus, and leaf spot.

Common Problems

Serious problems of plumeria are rare, however, keep an eye out for these signs:

• Wrinkled, Spongy, or Soft Branches

In cool, wet weather or when the plant is overwatered, a fungus in the roots or branches can cause branches to deteriorate. Carefully remove affected branches and, if the problem persists, apply an organic anti-fungicide for houseplants.

• Yellowing Leaves

In most cases, the culprit for yellowing leaves is overwatering. Cut down on the watering until the soil is completely dry and set the pot in an area that easily allows excess water to drain away. If it’s a potted plant, also check the drainage (including the soil, which may be compacted) and repot the plant if necessary.

Insufficient drainage of landscape plants is trickier to remedy. If the problem persists after you cut down on watering, work some organic matter and perlite into the topsoil layer of the soil to improve drainage.

III. Uses and Benefits

• Ornamental uses

Plumeria trees have widespread use in tropical landscapes around the world thanks to the endless variety of the color, size, and fragrance of their blossoms. They make a ravishing accent or specimen plant and can also be grown in containers, bringing color and fragrance to patios and decks.

• In culture

In Mesoamerica, plumerias have carried complex symbolic significance for over two millennia, with striking examples from the Maya and Aztec periods into the present. Among the Maya, plumerias have been associated with deities representing life and fertility, and the flowers also became strongly connected with female sexuality. Nahuatl-speaking people during the height of the Aztec Empire used plumerias to signify elite status, and planted plumeria trees in the gardens of nobles.

In the Philippines, where plumerias were introduced early in the 1560s from Mexico, plumerias are associated with graveyards, since the strong smell of the flowers were used to mask the “smell of death”. This association spread into neighboring regions in Ternate and into Malaysia and Indonesia. In these three countries, plumerias are still often associated with ghosts and cemeteries. Yangsze Choo in her novel The Night Tiger for example described it as is “the graveyard flower of the Malays”. Plumerias often are planted on burial grounds in all three nations.

They are also common ornamental plants in houses, parks, parking lots, and other open-air establishments in the Philippines. Balinese Hindus use the flowers in their temple offerings. The plumeria’s fragrance is also associated with the Kuntilanak, an evil vampiric spirit of a dead mother in Malaysian-Indonesian folklores.

In several Pacific islands, where plumerias were introduced in the late 19th century, such as Tahiti, Fiji, Samoa, Hawaii, New Zealand, Tonga, and the Cook Islands, Plumeria species are used for making leis. In Hawaii, the flower is called melia. In modern Polynesian culture, the flower can be worn by women to indicate their relationship status—over the right ear if seeking a relationship, and over the left if taken.

Plumeria alba is the national flower of Laos, where it is known under the local name champa or dok champa.

In Bengali culture, most white flowers, and in particular, plumeria (Bengali, chômpa or chãpa), are associated with funerals and death.

Indian incenses scented with Plumeria rubra have “champa” in their names. For example, nag champa is an incense containing a fragrance combining plumeria and sandalwood. While plumeria is an ingredient in Indian champa incense, the extent of its use varies between family recipes. Most champa incenses also incorporate other tree resins, such as Halmaddi (Ailanthus triphysa) and benzoin resin, as well as other floral ingredients, including champaca (Magnolia champaca), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), and vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) to produce a more intense, plumeria-like aroma.

In the Western Ghats of Karnataka, the bride and groom exchange garlands of cream-coloured plumeria during weddings. Red-colored flowers are not used in weddings in this region. Plumeria plants are found in most of the temples in these regions.

In Sri Lankan tradition, plumeria is associated with worship. One of the heavenly damsels in the frescoes of the fifth-century rock fortress Sigiriya holds a five-petalled flower in her right hand that is indistinguishable from plumeria.

In Eastern Africa, frangipani are sometimes referred to in Swahili love poems.

Some species of plumeria have been studied for their potential medicinal value.