Plumeria commemorates Charles Plumier, a seventeenth-century French
botanist who described several tropical species.
The genus contains 8 species of mainly deciduous shrubs and trees,
originally from Central America, known for their strongly fragrant
flowers.
The trees can reach a height of 30 ft (9 m), though they are
generally much smaller.
Their fleshy branches contain a poisonous, milky sap.
In the tropics the terminally held flowers (generally white) appear
before the leaves and continue to flower for most of the year.
The fruits consist of 2 leathery follicles, though the trees rarely
fruit in cultivation. Most frangipanis in gardens are hybrids.
Flowering colors: Cream, Crimson, Pink, White, Yellow
Other properties: Fragrant, Poisonous
Cultivation: They prefer full sun and moderately fertile,
well-drained soil. Propagate from cuttings that have been allowed to
dry out for a couple of weeks.
|
