Useful Items

• Rope
• Tarp (See frangipani sap)
• Trunk Rest (See supporting the weight)
• Loading Space (Take the junk out of your ute or car before leaving home)
• Tape Measure (There’s nothing worse than a tree that 95% fits.)

Protect The Crowns!

Frangipani branch tips, or crowns, is where the new growth has and will occur. Damaging or breaking off a crown will likely result in the branch not being able to continue growing naturally and will likely make the branch produce new shoots from the side of the branch. This will look unattractive and also delay flowering. Also, by simply rubbing the crown, the frangipani will easily start to leak sap.

Top Or Base First

Just like pulling or pushing a fork through a small hole, it’s much easier to move a frangipani horizontally into or out of a ute or station wagon base-first. If you’re moving a frangipani horizontally top-first, make sure someone is watching every branch to make sure no branch is caught on something.

Supporting The Weight Of A Horizontal Frangipani Tree

Bagged frangipani trees usually have fragile branches at the top end and a solid trunk at the other. Somewhere between the two ends, there’s usually part of the trunk or solid branches that can support the weight of the tree and reduce the weight supported by the top branches. If the top branches are too wide or growing sideways, it might be impossible to lie the frangipani down.

Frangipani Sap

Frangipani sap is white and very sticky. It flows through the whole frangipani including the petioles (leaf stems). It’s easy to break a leaf off a frangipani (especially the older leaves) and cause sap to drip or flow out. Frangipani sap dries like glue but while it’s sticky, the sap collets dirt. If you plan to put a frangipani in your car, we suggest covering your car interior with a tarp.

Transporting Frangipani Trees Upright

If possible, transporting frangipanis in an upright position is the best option. It will prevent the soil from falling out and the branches will travel more safely.

If a standing frangipani tree is stable and can be tied to a high position (truck walls or cage), it will be able to travel long distances safely.

If there is no wind protection, frangipani leaves will suffer “windburn”. The leaves will wilt, turn brown and eventually fall off. Having said that, the frangipani wood will not suffer at all and if you cut all the leaves off beforehand, you’ll only need to wait until new leaves grow.

If the frangipani is top heavy and doesn’t stand stable and also high ropes are not possible, transporting the frangipani tree in an upright position might not be possible.

Testing Frangipani Stability

One method for determining frangipani portability and stability is to hold the frangipani by the trunk and lift. If you feel the frangipani wanting to come out of the pot or bag, you should stop lifting otherwise the roots will start to break and the remaining root ball will come out of the soil. In other words, if the bag or pot is too heavy, the frangipani needs to be lifted by holding the bag or pot.

Sometimes, there will be a small solid root ball surrounded by fresh soil but sometimes the roots are simply underdeveloped. Either way, these frangipanis need to be handled and transported with more care.