1 – Singapore – The Singapore frangipani is arguably the most popular frangipani of them all. They have darker, glossy leaves and large white flowers with yellow centers that are scented. They are more tropical than other frangipanis, which means they are delicate; the colder the winters, the less suitable they are. Generally speaking, in Australia, the further inland, the further south, and the more rural the area, the colder the winters.
When people say “evergreen frangipani,” they are usually thinking of the “Singapore frangipani.” We refer to it as the “Singapore Frangipani.” While the term “evergreen” is technically accurate, many people imagine “evergreen” as keeping healthy leaves all winter, which is not the case. Additionally, there are other “evergreen frangipanis.” That said, in a tropical climate or a warm, sheltered position, they do keep their leaves healthier and for longer going into the winter.
Unfortunately, we have not replenished our stock as much as we have sold in recent years, so we are struggling to find sufficient good Singapore frangipanis for our online shops, especially the small sizes. At the moment, we have three beautiful, but only three, large trees left.
2 – Pink Pudica – Unlike the more common white pudica, the pink pudica has fragrant flowers. The pale pink flowers with dark pink trimming and clustered blooms are well-suited for a bride, hence the name “Pink Bridal Bouquet Frangipani.” While the branches are a little brittle and overwatering can cause root rot, they are relatively hardier to the cold and faster-growing than other frangipanis. They are also more evergreen, bushier and more easily pruned than other frangipanis. Being a semi-dwarf variety, they are perfect for pots, screening, or hedges.
They seem to get overlooked by their “white” sibling and don’t appear in magazines and garden TV shows as much as they deserve, but I predict their popularity will increase the most. They are the Nvidia of frangipanis. Since we have a number of parent stock in the ground and they grow well, we have a good supply. Keep an eye out for some nice larger plants on our tree website, and watch our online plant stock quantity go up, indicating we have a good supply to choose from.
3 – White Pudica – Also known as the “hammerhead frangipani” and “Everlasting Love frangipani”, the white pudica is a popular plant which has lush foliage and profuse flowering for most of the year.
4, 5 and 6 – The Hot Pink, the Razzmic Honey, and the Bubblegum Dream are our favourite flower colours. While there are some similar flowers, dare I say “imitators,” the Hot Pink, known as “cerise” in the USA, is a unique variety that can be recognized by its petal shape, colour, and wood texture. The Razzmic Honey has a flower with a unique combination colours which include shades of red, orange, and pink. There are a few flowers with an almost uniform light pink colour, and Bubblegum is one of them. They can only be distinguished by their slightly different petal shapes.
7 – White / Cream – The frangipani with the white flower and yellow center is widely regarded as “the traditional frangipani.” For people who live in, or grew up in, cold areas, the “white frangipani” is a symbol of the tropics and holidays, or more aptly, “tropical holidays.” It’s hardy and has a scented flower. When viewed from a distance, the yellow and white merge, giving the flower a “cream” appearance.
8 – Orange – I’ve never been a big fan of frangipani flowers that are mostly orange because they are usually a dull apricot. On the other hand, when you look closely at frangipani flowers, many of them have a variety of vibrant colours due to their mix of white, orange, pink, yellow, and possibly some red. From a distance, the pink, orange, and yellow merge and appear as a uniform orange. Most of our “multicolour” or “tricolour” frangipanis are “fruit salad.” There seem to be a number of similar fruit salad variations and an unlimited number of similar multicolored frangipani flowers, which make them difficult to categorize. But if a hardy, scented, multicoloured, orange frangipani sounds good to you, you just need to decide between a small plant or an advanced tree.
vibrant colours thanks to the …. vibrant orangethey rarand the orange flower (mostly pink and yellow and known as fruit salad or tricolour)
9 – Pink – Slightly behind the cream and the multicoloured varieties come the pink frangipanis. There are many variations of pink frangipani flowers. Some have dark pink hues and almost fit into the red category, like the Ruby Gold. Others are almost uniformly pink, while some have less pink and almost fit into the tricolour category, like the Candy Rainbow, California Sunset, and Sharna’s Rose.
10 – Petite Pink – The Petite Pink Frangipani is a rare and unique variety that stands out with its smaller leaves and frequent branching, giving it a bonsai-like appearance. Its cute perfumed pink flowers are a delightful addition to any garden.
As I wrote about the Petite Pink, I remembered some other semi-dwarf frangipanis like Petite White, Cuba (Plumeria Cubensis, aka Sericifolia), George Brown, and Cherry Clusters, which all have appealing features but didn’t make my list this time, most probably because we are sold out or have very low quantities. If we give them more time, increase our numbers, and encourage them, maybe they’ll make the top 10 next time. Who knows?