Getting to Know the Frangipani Flower
The Frangipani is a tropical flower that grows from trees or shrubs and display subtle yet gorgeous colors. The flowers bloom between the months of March and October, or during the warmer seasons of the year. They originate from Mexico, South America, the Caribbean, and Pacific Islands. Therefore, they grow best in warmer and more tropical climates.
Frangipani grow on trees and shrubs, but they are still popularly added in bouquets. They are also revered for their scent. The petals are propeller-shaped and meet in the center of the flower, forming a geometrically satisfying appearance. The frangipani’s color adds even more beauty to the already charming flower.
The scientific name for frangipani flowers is Plumeria rubra. There are other variations of this flower, such as the Darwin petite pink frangipani and the fruit salad frangipani.
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Plumeria
Species: rubra
To learn even more about the interesting and tropical frangipani, keep reading to discover:
* Popular species of frangipani
* Interesting facts about the frangipani flower
* How to plant frangipani flowers
* How to care for frangipani flowers
Popular Species of Frangipani
Plumeria rubra is the scientific name for frangipani. Within this categorization, there are different variations that have unique colors and sizes. The most common type is known as the Common white frangipani. However, there are plumeria rubra with brighter colors and different sized petals.
* Common white frangipani: This is the most common type of frangipani. They are also the most scented out of all the others. The center of the flower is a bold yellow color that fades into a delicate white on the ends of the petals.
* Darwin petite pink frangipani: This variation is very similar to the common white frangipani. It is highly scented, and the colors are even very similar. The only main difference is that these petite pink versions have a pink hue to their very close-to-white colored petals.
* Fruit salad frangipani: Instead of having only two colors, like most other frangipanis, these are tricolored, rightfully giving them the name of Fruit salad frangipanis. Displayed on their petals is a gorgeous mix of bright colors that include pink, yellow, and orange. They are truly a showstopper.
* Darwin red blood frangipani: Unlike the previous variations on this list, this type of frangipani contains only one color- deep red. It is a mix of red and dark pink, creating a gorgeous color that will surely stand out in your garden.
Interesting Facts about the Frangipani Flower
* The frangipani flower is often associated with Hawaii; however, it was not introduced there until 1860 by a German botanist.
* The flower was named after an Italian nobleman named Marquis Frangipani who lived in the 16th century. He created a perfume that enhanced the smell of gloves. After the official identification of frangipani flowers, the scent of the flowers was associated with the scent of Frangipani’s perfume.
* The flower has been used in many different cultures. For example, Polynesian women wore the flower in their hair to show their relationship status.
* Frangipanis have been used for medical and healing purposes. The Aztecs used them for medicine and some people from the Caribbean islands would use the flower to heal bruises.
* The sap that comes from the flower is poisonous. * In some regions, where the climate is much more tropical, frangipani trees can grow to be about 30 or 40 feet.
* The flower was discovered and recorded by western culture in the middle of the 19th century. The flower was found in southern Mexico by a Spanish priest.
How to Plant Frangipani Flowers
Frangipani flowers grow from trees or shrubs. So, in order to have beautiful frangipanis in your garden, you must plant either a frangipani tree or a frangipani shrub. They can grow up to eight meters tall, which equals to about 26 feet. If you do not want a plant this big in your garden, there are multiple variations that grow to be much smaller. These can easily fit and grow in a pot.
* It is important that the plant gets a lot of sunlight. It requires full sunlight but will survive in partial shade. So, you should choose a plating site that gets lots of sun.
* Make sure that the soil drains well. If it is too dense and is not well drained, then water may get trapped within the soil and cause root damage.
* After successfully planting them in the ground, you can cover the soil with a small amount of fertilizer to retain moisture. You can also add organic materials, such as leaves and compost, that can improve the plant’s overall health.
How to Care for Frangipani Flowers
* When the days are hotter, you should water the frangipani plant about once or twice per week. When the plant becomes well established, it becomes drought tolerant.
* You can prune the plant at any time of the year, and you should do so when it starts to grow wildly. Pruning will maintain the plant’s shape and keep it to the size that you want.
* The plant must be protected from the frost and from the colder winter climates. Afterall, they originate from tropical regions of the world, so they will not do well in colder temperatures.
* The flowers can be easily propagated from the plant. For beautiful flowers, it is important to wait until late spring and early summer when the cutting base is dried out.
* Once the flowers are cut, they should be stored upright in a shady place for about one to four weeks. After they have dried, you can put the flowers in a pot with sand, watering occasionally until they form roots.
* If you are growing frangipanis in a pot, you should re-pot as they grow larger.
* Once the new plants become established, they will be much stronger, and you can enjoy the flowers for a long time!
