Plumeria – Facts you may not know

You can find plumeria trees growing all over the world, mainly for their delicious fragrance. However, growers are also drawn to the easygoing growth habits of this tree, as well as the many different colors available.

Plumeria trees are classified as deciduous, which simply means that they drop all of their leaves to the ground when the cooler, drier months arrive. While many other tropical plants cannot be easily grown in cold climates, these trees may be due to their deciduous nature which makes them very easy to care for and preserve when it gets too cold. The plant will store its own moisture and then drop its leaves to enter a dormant state as the cold season approaches. Growers don’t have to feed or water them until warm weather comes again and the trees start to wake up again. These plants can be grown as larger trees or shrubs and contain a poisonous liquid within their branches that can cause skin or eye irritation. It is important to wash well if you come into contact with this liquid.

During the hot and humid season, you will see Plumeria, also known as Frangipani, starting to wake up. The ends of the branches will develop long leaves that can be up to 20 inches long. Later in the season the fragrant flowers emerge. Plumeria flowers always have five petals that are immaculately sculpted for stunning beauty. Flowering begins during the hot, humid summer seasons in Florida and the Caribbean, but these plants are also grown in other parts of the world.

The size of Plumeria and how it forms depends on the type being grown. For a tall tree with pink to red flowers, you can grow the P. ruba plumeria, which can reach a height of 25 feet. P. obtuse also grows about 25 feet, but features white flowers with yellow centers. The leaves of this tree tend to be smaller than those of other Plumeria plants. Growing even taller is P. alba, which can reach 40 feet. This tree also has beautiful white flowers with yellow in the center.

Since Plumeria plants can be found in various areas of the world, there are different names for them around the world. It was originally discovered and documented as “Plumeria” by a 17th century botanist exploring the New World, whose name turned out to be Plumiera. The name Frangipani comes from Italy, where a noble family used these flowers as inspiration for a perfume. There are other names for the plant around the world, including “temple tree” in Sri Lanka and Melia in Hawaii.

Plumeria is adored by humans all over the world due to its sweet aroma, but it is actually quite provocative. The flowers give off that tremendous smell to attract the Sphinx moth. These moths seek nectar from flower to flower, attracted by that strong sweet scent that comes out at night. The secret is that Plumeria plants have no nectar to give to the moths! They tease the moths with their scent, but the promise of nectar is never fulfilled. Plants do this to collect pollen from moths as they travel from plant to plant, pollinating the plant.

What most people don’t realize is that these plants are not always grown in tropical locations and have uses beyond their fragrance. Asian folklore credits Plumeria trees with harboring demons and ghosts, while in the Philippines and Indonesia the plants are typically found in cemeteries and are associated with the dead. Finding these beautiful trees in a cemetery is not uncommon in these countries.

The history behind the Plumeria plant is quite rich. If you do a little research, you’ll appreciate that tropical island lei on vacation or that Plumeria slicing a lot more!