Frangipani a.k.a Plumeria Hey Champa ! You have three qualities - colour, beauty and fragrance but the only thing you lack is that honey-bees never sit on you

The exotic-flowered, many-named Frangipani is a mystical flowering tree that is present in most tropical countries and is intertwined with their cultures. It has romantic fragrance and a choice of beautiful warm tropical colours. For centuries frangipani has been one of the great plants for human adornment. The early uses of frangipani have been recorded by the ancient Aztecs. .

Synopsis

Common Name: Frangipani

Scientific Name: Plumeria

Height: Up to 25 feet (8 m) tall

Growth Rate: Slow

Sun Tolerance: Full Sun, Shade

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial, Deciduous

Growth Habit: Tree, Shrub

Flower Color: Red, Pink, Orange, Yellow, White

Special Characteristics

Fragrant – The flowers are very fragrant and are often made into leis or worn in the hair.

Poisonous – The white, milky sap is toxic and can irritate the skin.

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass: Asteridae

Order: Gentianales

Family: Apocynaceae – Dogbane family

Genus: Plumeria L. – plumeria

Species: Plumeria rubra L. – temple tree

Etymology and common names The genus, originally spelled Plumiera, is named in honor of the seventeenth-century

French botanist Charles Plumier, who traveled to the New World documenting many plant

and animal species. The common name "Frangipani" comes from an Italian noble family, a

sixteenth-century marquess who invented a plumeria-scented perfume. Many English

speakers also simply use the generic name "plumeria".

Frangipani is also known by it’s botanic name Plumeria .

Frangipani is named after an Italian perfume used to scent gloves in the 16th century and

named after its creator, Marquis Frangipani. When the frangipani flower was discovered,

its natural perfume reminded people of the scented gloves and so the flower was called

Frangipani.

The 17th Century French botanist and ecclesiastic Charles Plumier gave the tree its generic name and there are literally hundreds of provincial names throughout the tropical areas where it has become so popular.

They are native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America as far south

as Brazil but have been spread throughout the world's tropics.

Frangipani is known by different name in different places. In Mexico, Frangipani is known as "cacalloxochitl" which means "crow flower." In English, it is known as Jasmine Tree, Dead Man’s Flower, Life Tree, Frangipani, Crimson Temple Tree, and Pagoda Tree. Here are other names for Frangipani in other countries KembangKamboja - Indonesia

Kalachuchi - Philippines

Araliya or Pansal Mal - Sri Lanka

Champa - Laos

Lantom" or Lilarwadee – Thai

Temple Tree or Champa - India

In India, it is again known by many names in different languages.

llattelari, kallimandarai, perungalli (Tamil) Arhataganneru, nuruvarahalu (Telugu) Arali,vellachampakam (Malayalam) Apocynaceae.Gulachin, gobur champ, chameli, golanchi (Hindi) Dalanaphul, gorurchampa (Bengali)

In culture Frangipani is associated with temples in both Hindu and Buddhist cultures.

Hindus call frangipani as Temple tree as they make use of the flowers in worship and they

are frequently given as votive offerings to the gods.

In Hindu mythology there is a saying " rooptajey to Radhikey, or bhanwar Krishna kodaas, is

mariyaadeykeliyebhanwarnaaaye pass" (the beauty of champa is compared to Radhika, who

is wife of lord Krishna and honey-bees are servants of Lord Krishna and this is the reason

honey-bees don't sit on the champa flower)

To both Buddhists and Mohammedans the tree is an emblem of immortality because of its extraordinary power of producing leaves and flowers after it has been lifted from the soil. For this reason it is frequently planted near temples and in graveyards, where daily the fresh, creamy blooms fall upon the tombs. These are now common naturalized plants in southern and southeastern Asia. In local folk

beliefs, they provide shelter to ghosts and demons. The scent of the frangipani has been

associated with a vampire in Malay folklore, the pontianak.

In several Pacific islands, such as Tahiti, Fiji, Samoa, Hawaii, New Zealand, Tonga, and the

Cook Islands frangipani species are used for making leis.In modern Polynesian culture, it

can be worn by women to indicate their relationship status - over the right ear if seeking a

relationship, and over the left if taken.

P. alba, one of the speciesoffrangipaniis the national flower of Nicaragua and Laos

In Bangladeshi culture most white flowers, and, in particular, frangipani is associated with

funerals and death.

In the Philippines and Indonesia, frangipani, which is known in Tagalog as calachuchi, is

often associated with ghosts and graveyard. Frangipani is often planted on cemetery

grounds in both countries. Balinese Hindus use the flowers in their temple offerings.

In Sri Lankan tradition, frangipani is associated with worship. One of the heavenly damsels

in the frescoes of the 5th-Century rock fortress Sigiriya holds a 5-petalled flower in her

right hand that is indistinguishable from frangipani.

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

Characteristics Frangipani is related to the Oleander, Nerium oleander, and both possess an irritating,

milky sap, rather similar to that of Euphorbia. Each of the separate species of frangipani

bears differently shaped alternate leaves, with distinct form and growth habits.

It is easy to grow in hot, dry areas. It requires full sun and grows best in well drained, slightly acidic soil. It has moderate wind resistance and salt tolerance. For best growth and flowering in the landscape, irrigation is needed during dry periods. The trees reach maturity (full size) in about five years to a relatively large size in large tubs. The species and hybrids vary somewhat in tree size, compactness, and branching character,

leaf and flower size and color.

The tree grows up to about 25 ft high and is multi-branched with thick foliage. The leaves are usually glossy green but may be dull green; they are generally ovate, may be blunt-tipped or pointed and range from 2 to 4 inches wide and 8 to 12 inches long. In deciduous types, the leaves fall during wintertime, and new leaves emerge during or following the spring flowering period.

The flowers are tubular; expanding into a “pinwheel” of five petals those averages 2– 3 inches diameter.The flowers are waxy and fragrant and may be white, red, yellow, pink, or multiple colors. Flowers of most cultivars are highly fragrant and bloom from March to October. The hybrids differ in their profusion of blooms, with some producing more than 200 flowers per cluster and others only 50–60 flowers.

Frangipani flowers are most fragrant at night in order to lure sphinx moths to pollinate

them. The flowers have no nectar, and simply dupe their pollinators. The moths

inadvertently pollinate them by transferring pollen from flower to flower in their fruitless

search for nectar.

Plumeria rubra formarubra (syn. P. r. typica) shares most of these names but it is also called the Red Frangipani and Red Jasmine. It is a smaller tree than the preceding species with leaves not more than 22.5 cm. long. The predominantly redflowers have glowing yellow centers and rise from downy, red stalks. They also have the typical intoxicating perfume but it is less overpowering.

The meanings of the Latin names are acutifolia “with pointed leaves”, acuminata “long pointed”, rubra “red” and alba “white”.

Plumeria rubra formaacutifolia (syn. P. acuminata) is the species with yellow-throated white flowers and long, smooth leaves. Plumeria alba, a native of the West Indies, has yellow-eyed, white flowers and long leaves which do not have thetypical marginal vein. Stems and buds are greenish white with no hint of red. Plumeria obtusa is an evergreen species with large, dark leaves, blunt ended and with margins tending to roll under. The pure white flowers are much larger than any of the other species described and less funnel-shaped. The more broadlyoval petals are not so noticeably overlapping and are gently recurved, forming a handsome, rounded blossom. The clusterscan be enormous and crowded with up to twenty flowers. A variety, also with large, white flowers, has narrower petals anda hint of yellow in the throat.

Frangipani occasionally produces seeds. When pollinated, the flower produces two hard, narrow, pointed pods up to 7 inches long containing 20–60 winged seeds. Maturation of the seed pods is usually in early spring from a previous season’s pollination.

Seeds look like this...

The whitish seeds are winged at their bases, the papery wings helping with wind dispersal

of the seeds.

Propagation

Frangipani is very adaptable. They can be grown in containers, in the ground, or you can

use the plunging method (sinking containers into the ground).During their growth season,

your plant will require lots of sun, water and fertilizer to thrive. When your frangipani gets

at least six hours of full sun per day, it will delight you with lots of sweet smelling, beautiful

blooms. This plant feeds heavily and will grow and bloom vigorously if you give it plenty of

its favorite fertilizer. Frangipani also loves water, but they can't stand to have wet roots. Be

sure and plant your cutting in fast draining soil or make sure it has adequate drainage. In

tropical areas, frangipani can grow up to 20 feet high and 20 feet in diameter… but you can

control the size of your frangipani plant by the size of container you choose for it.

The usual way to propagate frangipani is by cuttings, because this method maintains the selected cultivar. Tip cuttings 1–2 ft long should be allowed to “cure” in a dry place for at least two weeks before planting. Plant them in well drained soil in thelandscape or in a pot. Do not water too much or too often while rooting is occurring. Treatment of the base of the cutting with a rooting compound (0.3% indolebutyric acid) enhances rooting but is not a requirement for rooting. The young root systems are brittle, and transplanting, if necessary, must be done carefully. Do not leave plants in small containers too long, or the circling roots will cause problems of weak establishment when the plant is transplanted into the landscape.

Frangipani can be propagated from seeds collected from a tree, but seeds are not commercially available. Seed from plants with white flowers produces mostly white-flowered seedlings. Similarly, dark red will produce red, and yellow will produce yellow, but pinks and multicolored plants are more likely to produce a range of colors in the seedlings. Flower quality is unpredictable, although it will tend to reflect the parent plant.

Collect seeds when the pod splits open and sow them shallowly in pots or trays. Dry seeds will keep for about three months in a plastic bag before beginning to lose viability. Seeds germinate in about two weeks. Transplant seedlings to individual pots when 1 or 2 pairs of true leaves have developed, and move the plant up to a larger container until it is large enough to plant out.

With plants started from cuttings, flowers can be expected within the first year, depending on the original cutting size and the time of year that it was taken, although only limited production will occur. Seedlings take three years or more to produce flowers.

Frangipani can be grown in pots also as dwarf plants are now available.

Culture When frangipani is grown for commercial flower production, it is planted 10 ft apart within rows 12–15 ft apart and pruned to keep the canopy low, encourage branching, and make harvesting the flowers more convenient. Branched cuttings are selected for propagating, and the branch axil is set low to the ground to result in a shorter-statured plant. Once established in the ground, a frangipani can reach 10– 12 feet in 6 years, given adequate fertilizer and moisture.

Soil Frangipani requires a soil that promotes good drainage. A good mix would be 1/3 sand, 1/3

perilite, and 1/3 bark compost or peat. A bag of cactus mix will also do well. Even a mix of

50% sand and 50% soil mix will do.

Water When watering your frangipani just use common sense. If the dirt is dry give the plant

some water. If the dirt is moist, skip the water this time and wait until tomorrow. The most

important thing to remember with plumeria is they don't like 'wet feet', don't let the soil

become soggy. This has a lot to do with the makeup of the soil. If you are just starting out

with a cutting, plant it in the soil and wet thoroughly, do not water again until you have 4 or

five well formed leaves. You can mist the tips every couple of days if it is very warm and dry

out. Once you have 4 or 5, 2-3 inch leaves, then water once per week for the next month.

The same goes for a rooted frangipani that you may have purchased; except for the fact that

you can lightly water the plant once a week until a few well formed leaves begin to grow.

After that, water and fertilize as needed. When the time comes for the plant to go dormant,

these rules go out the window. The only time the plant should be completely dry is in the

winter when it has entered this dormant period.

Light Frangipani love full sun! However, if your plant has been shaded for awhile, such as in the

house, do not just plunk it down in the middle of yard. Move it gradually so it can adjust to

the strong rays of the sun to avoid 'sunburn'. Stems that have been stored for the winter

need this same gradual care. In order to bloom, your frangipani will require a lot of sun.

They prefer bright, airy spots like sunny greenhouses with good ventilation, or a front

walkway that catches the early morning sun into the afternoon. If your succulents and

cactus like the spot, so will your frangipani.

If you would like to keep you plants growing even during the winter, consider growing

frangipani with florescent lighting.

Temperature Remember, frangipani grow in the tropics! Make sure they are kept at temperatures above

50 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. Once established, they can tolerate occasional drops to

around freezing for very short periods. Frost will kill the ends and cause a delay in your

next bloom. Exposure to freezing temperatures for longer than a few hours will kill your

frangipani. As for high temperatures, as long as they have good ventilation, they can do

very well on very hot days. Here in Atlanta I have noticed that the hotter it is, the happier

my frangipani are. I just have to water every day. Frangipani need warmth, so if you live in

a cool climate, you may want to grow them in a greenhouse for the best results. For peak

growing day time temps should be in the 80s and 90s while nights should be in the mid 60s

to 70s.

Fertiliser As mentioned before, frangipani needs a lot of food. Fertilization should be applied by

liquid or time release methods or by spraying the leaves weekly with a mix of fertilizer.

Don't worry about adding soil mix that contains fertilizer such as Mircle Grow or other

plant soil mixes or manure. These do not have the proper drainage needed and will become

soggy and are slow to filter the water. Let your plant get its food through the water you give

it. If you love to pamper your plant and wish to mix up your own batch of water/fertilizer

mix, it is currently recommended that you use a high phosphorus (middle number) water

soluble mix such as a 'super bloom' type fertilizer (10-50-10). In this way you can

accurately measure the amount of fertilizer your plant gets each time you feed it. Feeding

the plant every other week will promote healthy branching and most importantly, lots of

new blooms. The secret to lots of blooms is lots of branching. Each tip on your frangipani

will produce a flower stock or 'inflo' which in turn causes that part of the plant to branch 3

or 4 times. Now each of those 3 or 4 braches will eventually flower and create multiple

branches on each of those tips. The goal is to get your plant to flower (for the beautiful

fragrant flowers) as much as possible which in turn creates many more flowering

opportunities as the tree grows. A fertilizer high in phosphorous will greatly aid your plant

in this flowering/branching process. If you are a busy person that does not have time to

mix up your own batches of fertilizer or if you are afraid you will forget to feed it regularly,

you can buy a time released, pellet type fertilizer that will feed your plant on a regular

basis. Again, be sure to get a high middle number fertilizer. For those of you who really

want to rev up the flower-ability of your frangipani to supplement the water/fertilizer

feedings with a foliation fertilizer spray. Plants can make much better use of fertilizer

sprayed directly on the leaves as opposed to being added to the soil. A mix of SNG, a 10-10-

10 fertilizer and Coco Wet can a super booster to your growing periods. Once Spring and

Summer have passed and September roll around it is time to stop the fertilizer feeding and

prepare your plant for dormancy.

Pruning Pruning is easiest in winter, following leaf drop, but heavy pruning sacrifices the spring

bloom. Pruning can be done using a sharp knife. Be sure to cut at an angle so the cut won't

hold any moisture. The plant will bleed latex sap, but it will stop in a day or so. If you dip

the cut briefly in water, it can help it stop flowing. If you think the plant is getting too tall,

prune it so the blooms will be at a better height. This will help to grow more branches at

the point at which you pruned it and this of course will promote even more blooms.

Pests and diseases Frangipani has few disease problems.

The plumeria rust (Coleosporiumplumeria Pat.) is of fairly recent occurrence in Hawaii. It consists of orange blistering or powder on the underside of leaves, and it develops after prolonged wet periods. The leaves may fall if the rust is severe. Both P.rubra and P.obtusa are susceptible, but some of the uncommon species appear to be resistant. While fungicides specific for rust control are effective, they are not normally used, as the disease rarely is severe enough to damage the plant.

A black sooty mold develops on stems and leaves when scale insects, whiteflies, or mealybugs are present. These insects exude sweet, sticky honeydew upon which the fungus flourishes. Although unsightly, the fungus does not harm the tree (although the insects weaken it). Ants nourish the insects and carry them up into the trees. The control for the sooty mold problem lies with control of the insects. Frangipani may be attacked by the long-horned beetle (frangipani stem borer), thrips, a blossom midge, greenhouse and spiraling whiteflies, and mites. Normally, existing predatory insects keep populations of most of these inbounds. The borer is especially destructive, as its damage is done inside the stems where insecticides are ineffective. Immediate removal of affected branches and their destruction is the only present recommendation, because spraying with insecticide would need to be carried out too frequently to prevent egg-laying by the adult beetle. Frangipani is most susceptible to this insect when under stress.

Selecting frangipani Many criteria can be used to select frangipani for a residence or a landscape. Lei flower producers are mostly concerned with productivity.

Use : may be as an accent or specimen plant or for flower production (leis, hair adornments, or simply for their fragrance). P.obtusa(Singapore plumeria) is frequently used in mass plantings. Availability of named plumerias is sometimes limited. Growth character: Some cultivars are upright and compact, while others are lanky and open and others sprawl. Dwarf types are becoming available with good evergreen foliage, but the flower qualities are poor. The Prubra types are deciduous, while P. obtuse and other white-flowered Plumeria species are evergreen. Ease of rooting is also a consideration in selection. Flower qualities include color, size, petal fullness and overlap, fragrance, keeping quality, and tendency to fade.

Flower productivity: On some cultivars, up to 60 percent of the branch tips will set a flower cluster, while others set flowers only on 10 percent of their branches. Some cultivars have only a spring peak of bloom, while others will produce a second or even a third set of blooms in a long growing season. In general, compact plants with short branches bloom more heavily, while lanky plants produce more sparingly. A single inflorescence may bear flowers for five months, although the last flowers are small and infrequent.

Uses There are many uses to which this tree is put. The milky sap is used as a counter irritant for rheumatism and in conjunction with sandalwood oil and camphor, is a cure for itch.

In different parts of the world, the bark has different medicinal uses; it relieves fevers, heals sores, in plaster form reduces tumours and is a powerful purgative - dangerous if given in overlarge doses. The heated leaves relieve swellings and the flower buds, together with betel leaves, make a good febrifuge. The tree is too small to have much timber value but the yellow-brown wood is easily worked and a polish brings up the faint, dull red markings. In several Pacific islands, Frangipanis are used for making leis.It has widespread use in tropical landscapes around the world and is frequently associated with temples and graveyards.

Frangipani is an easy plant to grow and take care of. As it has a plethora of fragrances and

there is such a dizzying array of color combinations they can get to be addicting! I hope to

find your house, garage and garden full of these beautiful tropical plants soon.