The name "frangipani" comes from a 16th-centurymarquis of the nobleFrangipani family in Italy, who created a synthetic plumeria-likeperfume.[6][7] Common names for plants in the genus vary widely according to region, variety, and whim, butfrangipani or variations on that theme are the most common.[5]
Plumeria branches aresucculent.[8] The trunk and branches of thePlumeria species have a milkylatex sap that, like many other Apocynaceae, containspoisonous compounds that irritate the eyes and skin.[9][10]
Plumeria trees are small or low shrubs. The leaves grow at tips of their branches. Various species andcultivar have variousleaf shape andarrangements.[10][3] The leaves ofP. alba are narrow and corrugated, whereas leaves ofP. pudica have an elongated shape and glossy, dark-green color.P. pudica is one of the everblooming types with nondeciduous,evergreen leaves. Another, semi-deciduous species that retains leaves and flowers in winter isP. obtusa; commonly known as "Singapore plumeria".[11]
Plumeria trees flower from early summer to fall. Their blossoms grow in clusters on ends of the stems, they are made of tubular corolla with a length of 2–4 inches (5.1–10.2 cm) that split sharply into five rounded and waxy petals that overlap each other. These flowers come in many colours including pink, red, white and yellow, orange, or pastel. They have separate anthers.[10][3]
The flowers are highly fragrant, especially at night. Their scent is perceived to have floral elements ofjasmine,citrus,gardenia, fruity aromatic notes ofcoconut,peach,vanilla, as well aslactonic, woody accords. However, they yield nonectar. Their scent trickssphinx moths into pollinating them by transferring pollen from flower to flower in their fruitless search for nectar.[12]
Insects or human pollination can help create new varieties of plumeria. Plumeria trees from cross-pollinated seeds may show characteristics of the mother tree or their flowers might just have a distinct appearance.[13]
Its fruit separates into two follicles with winged seeds.[3]
The genusPlumeria includes about 18 accepted species, with over 100 regarded as synonyms. As of January 2024[update],Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:[2]
Plumeria can be propagated by seed or vegetativelypropagated by cutting stem tips in spring, allowing them to dry at their bases, then planting in well-drained soil. These are particularly susceptible to rot in moist soil. Applyingrooting hormone to the clean fresh-cut end will enable callusing.
Plumeria cuttings can also be propagated bygrafting to an already rooted system.[16] The Plumeria Society of America lists 368 registered cultivars ofPlumeria as of 2009.[17]
InMesoamerica, plumerias have carried complex symbolic significance for over two millennia, with striking examples from theMaya andAztec periods into the present. Among the Maya, plumerias have been associated withdeities representing life and fertility, and the flowers also became strongly connected with female sexuality.Nahuatl-speaking people during the height of theAztec Empire used plumerias to signify elite status, and planted plumeria trees in the gardens ofnobles.[18]
In thePhilippines, where plumerias were introduced early in the 1560s from Mexico, plumerias are associated with graveyards, since the strong smell of the flowers were used to mask the "smell of death". This association spread into neighboring regions inTernate and intoMalaysia andIndonesia. In these two countries, plumerias are still often associated withghosts andcemeteries.[19][20] Yangsze Choo in her novelThe Night Tiger for example described it as is "the graveyard flower of the Malays". Plumerias often are planted on burial grounds in all three nations. They are also common ornamental plants in houses, parks, parking lots, and other open-air establishments in the Philippines.Balinese Hindus use the flowers in their temple offerings. The plumeria's fragrance is also associated with theKuntilanak, an evil vampiric spirit of a dead mother in Malaysian-Indonesian folklores.
In several Pacific islands, where plumerias were introduced in the late 19th century,[19] such asTahiti,Fiji,Samoa,Hawaii,New Zealand,Tonga, and theCook Islands,Plumeria species are used for makingleis.[21] In Hawaii, the flower is called melia. In modern Polynesian culture, the flower can be worn by women to indicate their relationship status—over the right ear if seeking a relationship, and over the left if taken.[22]
Plumeria alba is the national flower ofLaos, where it is known under the local name"champa" or "dok champa". It is also used as the logo ofLao Airlines, the national airline of Laos.[citation needed]
In eastern India and Bangladesh, plumeria is traditionally considered as a variety of thechampak flower, thegolok chapa, meaning thechampaka that resides in the heavenly home ofSri Krishna, aHindu god at the highest realm of heaven. In Sri Lanka it is known as "Araliya" or "Temple Flower". The flower, considered sacred, is also known by the namesgulancha andkath golap.
InBengali culture, most white flowers, and in particular, plumeria (Bengali,chômpa orchãpa), are associated with funerals and death.[citation needed]
Indianincenses scented withPlumeria rubra have "champa" in their names. For example,nag champa is an incense containing a fragrance combining plumeria and sandalwood. While plumeria is an ingredient in Indianchampa incense, the extent of its use varies between family recipes. Mostchampa incenses also incorporate other tree resins, such as Halmaddi (Ailanthus triphysa) andbenzoin resin, as well as other floral ingredients, including champaca (Magnolia champaca), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), and vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) to produce a more intense, plumeria-like aroma.[23]
In theWestern Ghats ofKarnataka, the bride and groom exchange garlands of cream-coloured plumeria during weddings. Red-colored flowers are not used in weddings in this region. Plumeria plants are found in most of the temples in these regions.
InSri Lankantradition, plumeria is associated with worship. One of the heavenly damsels in the frescoes of the fifth-century rock fortressSigiriya holds a five-petalled flower in her right hand that is indistinguishable from plumeria.[24]
The Plumeria (commonly known as Pomelia) inspired the composition Pomelie - Miniature for Two Guitars by Franco-Austrian composer Carlo Francesco Defranceschi, dedicated to Duo Imbesi Zangarà ( Carmelo Imbesi and Carmen Zangarà ). The recording of the piece was released in 2021 by the record label Classical Music 3.0, and the sheet music was published the same year by Rugginenti Classica.[1]
^ab"Genus:Champa L."Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 14 March 2003. Archived fromthe original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved8 September 2010.
^abcd"Plumeria Tourn. ex L."Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved4 January 2024.
^abZumbroich, Thomas J. (2013). "'Plumerias the Color of Roseate Spoonbills' -Continuity and transition in the symbolism ofPlumeria L. in Mesoamerica".Ethnobotany Research & Applications.11:341–363.
.JPG)
_merah.JPG)
.jpg)
