MY FRIEND John has a collection of frangipanis in his sub-tropical garden.
They vary from the common colours of white and yellow through to rarer shades of pink and red. He loves them because of their beauty and stunning perfume.
John told me if he is driving and sees a frangipani he doesn’t already have, he will stop and ask the property owner if he can have a cutting.
Frangipanis grow well from cuttings, but when broken off from the mother plant they exude a white sap that can irritate the skin and eyes.
Only do so if you can immediately put the piece into a plastic or paper bag.
When you get home, take it out and let it rest in a cool dry place until the end has calloused over. Once dry, pot it into well drained potting mix.
Frangipani is one of the common names for the plant Plumeria, indigenous to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
It grows as a large shrub or small tree. The perfume is at its greatest at night because it is pollinated by a night-flying moth.
As this plant now grows in many areas of the world that don’t have this particular moth, hybridizers cross-pollinate with brushes to produce new varieties and colours.
Ads for travel to places considered to be a “tropical paradise” will often show people with frangipanis around their necks. This is called a lei.
In some Pacific islands, ladies wear a single flower behind one ear – the right if they are “available” or the left if they are “taken”. Who needs wedding rings?
If you live in a tropical or sub-tropical area, think about growing these plants. In temperate zones, a better choice would be the Australian native alternative Hymenosporum flavum – not related but does have flowers that look and smell similar to our subject.
Frangipani flowers also make a wonderful addition to the Christmas dining table.
Have a happy Christmas and New Year.
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