Florida gardening: Dazzling white blooms accent bridal bouquet frangipani
Bridal bouquet frangipani is an evergreen or sometimes a semi-deciduous tree. The older the specimen, the more likely it is to keep its leaves in the dry months. The leaves are large, 12-inches long by 3-inches wide and fiddle or spoon-shaped.
This plumeria has slender branches that are usually held upright. This small tree or large shrub tends to branch close to the ground giving the tree a vase or umbrella shape.
Like many plants in family Apocynaceae, frangipani branches and leaves exude a sticky, milky sap when broken. The milky sap can cause skin irritation. All parts of the plants are considered toxic; however, it is very bitter to the taste, and there are no reports of plumeria poisoning.
Do keep an eye on young children and pets when around any plumeria to prevent accidental ingestion.
More Florida gardening:
Most frangipani flowers are sweetly fragrant, and the scent is a favorite for perfumes. However, the flowers of Plumeria pudica are not scented. They are white with a yellow or light green throat, spiral-shaped with five overlapping petals, and are held at the ends of the branches.
Blooms can appear throughout the year but are most abundant May through November in Central and South Florida. The fruit that follows the flowers is a follicle — a dry fruit that splits on one side only — which grows to 1-foot long, usually in pairs.
Protect bridal bouquet frangipani from frost and freezes and select a location with full sun or light shade. The pretty tree is adapted to many soil types if it is well-drained. Bridal bouquet frangipani grows and flowers best with applications of water and fertilizer when in active growth. It is moderately salt- and drought-tolerant.
Plumeria pudica is best used in close-up locations to show off the magnificent blooms and small narrow shapes. White frangipani grows with multiple trunks and typically 10- to 15-feet high by 8- to 10-feet wide. They are great as a specimen tree, an accent plant or tucked into a shrubbery border.
Frangipani rust can be a severe problem for all plumerias — including bridal bouquet — which is only slightly susceptible to the pest. This fungus shows up in the late summer and fall. The orange pustules pop out on the underside of leaves, and the spores spread the fungus to other parts of the plant and other specimens.
Generally, frangipani rust does not kill the plant; some control can be achieved by removing the leaves as soon as they fall to reduce the incidence of infection next year. Other frangipani pests to watch for include mealybugs and frangipani caterpillars.
Grow bridal bouquet frangipani for lots of dependable blooms and a lovely, small, well-shaped plant.
Carol Cloud Bailey is a landscape counselor and horticulturist. Send questions to carol@yard-doc.com or visit www.yard-doc.com for more information.