Red Frangipani (Plumeria Rubra): Nature’s Vibrant Gem

The Plumeria rubra, commonly known as Red Frangipani, is a small deciduous tree from the Dogbane family that can grow up to 5 meters tall. This robust tree has fleshy branches, hairless with milky sap.

The leaves are thick and paper-like, oblong, and lance-shaped, with a sharp tip and narrow wedge-shaped base. The leaf surface is a deep green color, with the midrib slightly raised and side veins flat. Only the midrib on the back of the leaf has soft hairs.

The leaf stalk is covered with short soft hairs. The flowers bloom in umbrella-shaped clusters from the top, with fleshy peduncles that are covered with short soft hairs that eventually fall off as they age.

The flowering period is from March to September, while fruiting is rare in cultivated plants, usually occurring from July to December.

Native to South America, it is now widely grown in tropical and subtropical areas of Asia.

It is cultivated in the southern part of China and commonly seen in parks and botanical gardens. With its bright red flowers and green leaves, it is an attractive ornamental plant.

Morphological features:

This small deciduous tree can grow up to 5 meters tall. The branches are robust, fleshy, and hairless, containing an abundant amount of milky sap. The leaves are oblong and lance-shaped, with a sharp tip and a narrow wedge at the base.

They measure 14-30 cm long and 6-8 cm wide. The leaf surface is dark green with a sunken midrib and flat side veins. The back of the leaf is light green, with a slightly raised midrib and flat side veins. The leaf stalk, which measures 4-7 cm long, is covered in short soft hairs.

The umbrella-shaped flower clusters grow from the top, measuring 22-32 cm long and 10-15 cm in diameter. The fleshy peduncles are covered in short soft hairs that fall off as they age.

The flower stalks are also covered in short soft hairs or are hairless and measure about 2 cm long.

The deep red flowers have small, broad oval-shaped calyx lobes that are tight and do not open up, pressing against the corolla tube. The corolla tube is cylindrical, measuring 1.5-1.7 cm long and about 3 mm in diameter.

The corolla lobes are narrow, inverted egg-shaped or elliptical, and longer than the corolla tube, measuring 3.5-4.5 cm long and 1.5-1.8 cm wide.

The stamens are attached at the base of the corolla tube, with short filaments and enclosed anthers. The pistils are separate, each containing numerous ovules.

The fruits are born in pairs, widely divergent, and oblong with a sharp tip. They measure about 20 cm long and are light green. The seeds are oblong, flat, about 1.5 cm long, and 7-9 mm wide, with a light brown color.

They have a long oval-shaped membranous wing at the top, with irregular notches at the edges of the wing, which measures 2-2.8 cm long and about 8 mm wide.

The flowering period is from March to September, while fruiting is rare in cultivation and generally occurs from July to December.

Distribution:

Originally from South America, it is now widely grown in tropical and subtropical areas of Asia. It is cultivated in southern China and can often be seen in parks and botanical gardens.

Growing Environment:

Frangipani is a sun-loving tree that thrives in warm, humid, and sunny environments. It can also grow in semi-shaded environments, but in shaded environments, the branches elongate, and the tree flowers less or does not flower at all. The yellow frangipani can develop aerial roots on its branches in a shaded, humid environment.

The ideal soil for growing frangipani is deep, fertile, well-drained, and rich in organic matter, preferably acidic sandy loam. In such soil, the plants grow robustly, flower a lot, and the flowers are brightly colored. In poor soil, the frangipani grows poorly, the flowers are small, and the color is dull.

Frangipani can tolerate drought and dislikes waterlogging, and has good resistance. However, drought is not conducive to plant development, and severe drought can lead to poor growth. Waterlogging can easily cause root rot.

Frangipani is not frost-resistant, and the optimal temperature for growth is 20-26℃. Long periods below 8℃ during winter can easily cause freeze damage. In China, it can safely overwinter outdoors in towns south of the Tropic of Cancer. In the central and northern regions, it is best to pot the plants and overwinter them in a warm room.

Growth and Propagation:

In the southern regions, in January to February, and in the northern regions, in June to August, cut branch sections 20-30 cm long from the base of the branch.

The cut ends ooze white sap, and these cuttings need to be left in a cool and ventilated place for 2-3 days to let a protective layer form over the wound before planting. Cuttings with sap are prone to rot.

Plant the cuttings in clean perlite or sand, or in a shallow sand pot. After changing the water, spray the cuttings, and place them indoors or under an outdoor shade. Spray water every other day to keep the substrate moist.

After 15-20 days, move to a semi-shaded area to expose them to weak light. Maintain a temperature of 18-25℃ and humidity of 65%-75%. The cuttings should start to root after about 3 weeks, and can be potted after 1-2 months.

Plant Culture:

The flower language of frangipani is to nurture hope, resurrection, and rebirth.

The flowering period of frangipani is from May to October. It does not have mysterious legends or an elegant temperament, nor does it have a noble posture.

However, it does have a very simple appearance. Its flower, made up of five petals, symbolizes freshness and hope. It is as simple and ordinary as life itself, hence it can always be so close to people, losing its distance.

Native to Mexico, frangipani is one of the “five trees and six flowers” designated by Buddhist temples for wide cultivation in Xishuangbanna in China and some Southeast Asian countries. Thus, it is also known as the “Temple Tree” or “Pagoda Tree.”