Greater Antilles, northern Central America and southern– eastern Mexico to Belize, Florida Keys and the Caribbean
Shapes
Cylindrical seed pods about 3-5 inches long
Health benefits
Treat diabetes mellitus and uses as remedy against oedemas
Native to Greater Antilles, northern Central America and southern– eastern Mexico to Belize, Florida Keys and the Caribbean, Singapore Plumeria is one of the common names of Plumeria obtuse that is large shrub or small tree member of Apocynaceae (Dogbane) family. Other common name of Singapore Plumeria is Frangipani, Pagoda Tree, Red Jasmine, Red Jasmine of Jamaica, Red Paucipan, Singapore Frangipani, Singapore Graveyard Flower, Singapore White Plumeria, Temple Tree and White Kalachuche. The plant is widely cultivated for its ornamental and fragrant flowers around the world where suitably warm climate exists. Genus ‘Plumeria’ is named after a French botanist, Charles Plumier, who explored New World tropics. The species epithet ‘obtusa’ is Latin for blunt, referring to the blunt end of its leaves. The common name, frangipani, is from the name of an Italian nobleman. He produced a perfume with similar fragrance to plumeria flowers.
Plant Description
Singapore Plumeria is a large shrub or small tree that grows about 5-10m high. The plant is best grown in rich, dry to medium moisture, well-drained loams. Branchlets are pale green, thick and fleshy. Leaves are alternate, mostly clustered at branch tips, petiolate, obovate to oblong-obovate, to 25 cm long, dark green and shiny adaxially, tertiary venation strongly prominent abaxially and apex rounded. Flowers are large, fragrant, waxy and showy with large deciduous bracts. Calyx 5-lobed, lobes equal or sub equal. Corolla salver form or funnel shaped, white, 4 cm across, throat yellow, lobes 5, spreading, slightly recurved. Stamens inserted at or near base of corolla tube. Fruits are cylindrical seed pods about 3-5 inches long which are rarely formed in cultivation. Stem, branches and leaves consists of milky sap. Plumeria are valued as landscape plants and ornamentals and for their flowers.
