The Common Frangipani Variety
The most common species of frangipani in Australia is the Plumeria rubra (P. rubra). Frangipani rubras are deciduous and can be identified by their leaf shape and texture. Frangipani rubras are categorized into groups according to their main flower colour. It’s not possible to see the various colours when looking at a frangipani flower from a distance. For example, many multicoloured frangipanis have a lot of pink and yellow which makes them appear orange from a distance.
Rubra
We group our frangipani rubras into 5 (used to be 6) main groups according to the flower colour from a distance.
The white frangipani flowers all have yellow centres which make them look cream from a distance. They are sometimes called “cream” but most people including us, just call them the “common white frangipani”. Some variations start with all yellow or mostly yellow flowers which look yellow from a distance. Even though the sun can cause yellow frangipani flowers to fade and look like the white flowers within days, they make up the category of “yellow”.
Frangipani flowers which are mostly pink and have some orange or yellow in the centre look pink from a distance and are often called the “common pink frangipani”. Some varieties have an all-pink flower such the Bubblegum Dream (pale pink), Ruby Gold (reddish pink). The “hot pink cerise” is quite a special variety due to its large flower, strong uniform colour and unique scent. Many other flower varieties have a combination of red, orange, pink, yellow and white which look “orange” from a distance. When you look at them closely (within 1 metre), you can see why they also get called multicolour or tricolour. Frangipani flowers which look red from a distance sometimes have a small amount of orange in the centre. They usually have a smaller flower, and a milder scent.
With the possible exception of some darker flower varieties, frangipani rubra varieties are hardier and require little to no attention once established.
Rubra Sub Species
It seems many decades ago, someone categorized rubra frangipanis into four subcategories, but it seems those categories are no longer used. According to wikipedia “The epithets acuminata, acutifolia, and lutea are seen, but these are invalid.” “They are no longer widely recognized in modern botanical nomenclature.”
Obtusa
The second most commonly found frangipani species in Australia is the Plumeria obtusa (p. obtusa). Obtusas are considered evergreen because they keep some or most of their leaves all year round in tropical and sub-tropical areas. They can be distinguished from other frangipanis by their large, glossy leaves which have a leathery texture. There are two main varieties of obtusa, the more common white obtusa, which is commonly called the Singapore frangipani, and the the Petite Pink which has a small pale pink flower and is a dwarf variety. Both varieties have leathery glossy leaves but the pink variety has smaller leaves. The pink obtusa is a dwarf, grows wider and up to half the height of other frangipanis.
2025 – See our home page to learn how the term “evergreen frangipani” has evolved in the last 15 years.
Pudica
The frangipani pudica (P. pudica) is relatively new to Australia (2015). Its leaf shape is a hammer shape, and its growing habits are quite different from the two species mentioned above. They can produce new branches from the trunk and along its branches and they become even bushier with pruning. The pudica is also known as “Everlasting Love” and the “Hammerhead frangipani”. It is evergreen, fast growing and a great flower producer. It looks great in February and when it is sold in a new pot with an Everlasting Love tag, it makes a great Valentine Present.
Stenophylla
The frangipani stenophylla (p. stenophylla) has thin leaves. Its branches are quite thin too. Besides our stock, I’ve only seen one established tree which was short, healthy and very bushy. Personally, I find our stenophylla branches get weighed down with dense heavy leaves but the branches can also grow back up towards the sky after defoliation. I sometimes also insert a stake to keep the branches upright. I also often prune to shape future growth.
The stenophylla produces small white flowers. It has a mild jasmine like scent. It is also known as “White Magic”. I’d say it’s one of the challenging species to grow but as they say, “the greater the challenge, the greater the reward!”.
Cubensis (added 2023)
We were lucky enough to get some cuba cuttings around 2015 and now we have one lush in-ground cuba frangipani with around 100 tips. I take around 10 cuttings each spring, so we are able to upload them to our online shop quite regularly.
The cuban frangipani is as evergreen as any other frangipani and it’s a dwarf. The draw back is it had quite a small flower which is only very mildly scented. The cuba is also known as “Plumeria sericifolia”.
Caracasana
The carcasana frangipani has thin branches like the stenophylla. We only have a few in our hothouse, they are difficult to grow and grow slowly. We only make them available one at a time, not very often and they are likely to be only small plants.