Weather refers to the clouds, wind, precipitation and air temperature.
Climate refers to the weather experienced throughout the year of a particular area.
Microclimate refers to the climate of a small area. In gardening this means a one or two metre wide space. Microclimates can have temperatures and humidity different to that of its surrounding areas. They can have their own micro-ecosystem affecting soil and organisms and create, for better or worse, unique growing conditions for frangipanis.
Planting a Frangipani
When planting a single plant or tree, it’s important to think about the possible positions and the microclimates of each position. The position will greatly affect how well the plant will grow and can even be the difference in surviving or not.
Assessing Microclimates
Sunlight. Observe how much sunlight and how much shade the position gets.
Wind. Observe how much air moves and whether the air comes from a warm or cool place.
Soil Quality. Dig a hole and see if the soil type is, for example, mostly sand, clay or composted material.
Soil Drainage. Fill the hole with water and observe how long it takes to disappear.
Surroundings. Take note of surrounding objects which can hold and reflect heat onto the position.
Observing Microclimates
Observing a position for a few minutes might be enough to remember how much sunlight it gets each day and how that varies from mid-winter to mid-summer. However, to completely and fully understand the microclimate of a particular area, it should be observed numerous times in one day and several days each month for a full year. Even then, that will not capture the variation between a dry summer and wet summer, for example.
Preferred Climates and Microclimate for Frangipanis
Heat. If an area heats up and maintains heat, a frangipani will thrive.
Sunlight. Six to eight hours of direct sun is ideal however an established frangipani tree can handle full sun. Also, hardier varieties of frangipanis can thrive with only a few hours of sun each day.
Well Drained Soil. Soil which is constantly wet will cause frangipani roots to rot which could spread up into the trunk and be fatal.
Which varieties are the hardiest frangipanis.
It’s interesting to think how a frangipani in a good position in a cold climate can grow as well as frangipani in the tropcis.
This is very interesting information. It helped me. You can literally grow tropical plants down south.
Thanks. I appreciate the info.
Thank you so much! This page was very interesting.