Frangipani (Plemeria rubra)
Did you know that Frangipani or Plemeria rubra and Plemeraalba, of the genus Plumeria, though a native of Mexico, is grown throughout the tropical and subtropical world, and has eight species in India commonly known as "Red Frangipani" and also as "White Frangipani"?
Plumeria is native to Mexico and other regions of Central America and is known by its nine species of which Plumeria rubra, Plumeria alba, Plumeria obtusa, and Plumeria pudica are grown throughout the world now.
The common name “frangipani” comes from an Italian noble family, a sixteenth-century marquess, which invented a plumeria-scented perfume. The genus name honors Charles Plumier, who was a French monk of the Franciscan order, and a botanist.
In India, Plumeria flowers are identified in its known 8 species, and have beautiful colours and fragrance, symbolising natural beauty. Popularly, it is called Frangipani; and as Pagoda tree; Temple tree, Golenchi in India; kathgolop in Bengali; West Indian Jasmine; dead man’s fingers in Australia; flower of the cross; Sampige in Kannada; Champe in Konkani; Deva ganneru in Telugu; khagi-leihao in Manipuri: Chaf in Marathi; Nela Sampangi in Tamil; Hemapushpa, champeya, champaka in Sanskrit; and of course as Frangipani, Plumeria in English. It is the world’s most beloved garden plant, grown as a large shrub. It is a plant of hot, dry to moderate rainfall areas, at elevations up to 600 metres.
Plumeria rubra's fragrant flowers are normally red pink or purple, centre rich with yellow. The flower has 5 spreading petals with leaves in the shape of lance or oval, and about 20cm to 30cm long. All the varieties of Frangipani are prolific bloomers and flowers bloom like bouquets at the tips of branches. Frangipani Tree can grow to around 10 metres high and 7 metres wide; there are both evergreen and deciduous varieties
Cultivated varieties of Frangipani have been developed in the horticulture trade and now more than 1,000 flower colours are available in the international market. They also come in bi-colours and tricolours with striped petals. The fragrances of Plumeria flowers are diverse - ranging from coconut to jasmine, including citrus, rose, honeysuckle, raspberry, spice, apricot, peach etc. Each and every Frangipani variety has unique fragrance. Thus, the flowers are used for making scents and perfumes.
Plumeria flowers, leaves, bark and latex are all extracted and used medicinally as antioxidant, antiulcer, antitumor, antimicrobial, abortifacient, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anthelmintic, antipyretic, antifertility, and hypolipidemic, as it is reported to possess some important biological activities. Scinetific studies indicate the chemical compostion of the plant, particularly flowers, to posess several bioactive compounds, which includes plumieride, plumeric acid, β-sitosterol, lupeol, plumieride, amyrin, fulvoplumierin, plumieride and coumarate glucoside etc.
Plumerias are excellent garden plants as they can gorw with a little maintenance, and are easy to propagate. The plants appear magnificent with large clusters of sweet-scented flowers almost throughout the year.
- Narasipur Char
