Pink Frangipani

Petite Pink Frangipani (Plumeria obtusa 'Petite Pink') is a dwarf evergreen frangipani that tops out around 2m tall and 1.5m wide, which puts the perfume at nose height instead of up a ladder. Through the warm months it carries clusters of soft pink, sweetly scented blooms over glossy deep green leaves that hold through winter in warm gardens. For a pot, a courtyard or a tight poolside bed, this is the frangipani sized for the job.

Why you'll love it

• Frangipani perfume at 2m. All the fragrance of the big trees on a plant that never outgrows a small space.
• Evergreen good looks. Unlike the familiar deciduous frangipani, it keeps its rounded glossy leaves through winter in warm climates, so there is no bare stick season by the pool.
• Built for hard places. Heat, humidity, salt air and dry spells once established all wash over it.
• Made for pots. A compact root system and a love of sharp drainage make it one of the most reliable flowering shrubs for containers.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. A 400mm or wider pot on a sunny balcony, terrace or courtyard suits it for years. In cooler districts a pot also lets you shift it to shelter for winter.

Poolside. It enjoys the reflected heat, shrugs off splash and salt, and being evergreen it does not shed a canopy into the water each autumn.

Small gardens and features. Plant it by a path, a gate or a seat, anywhere you pass close enough to catch the perfume on a warm evening.

Growing Petite Pink Frangipani in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, at least six hours a day, brings the best flowering. It is reliable in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens but frost tender, so in cooler areas grow it in a pot against a warm north facing wall and move it under cover for winter.

Soil. Drainage is everything. Sandy soil is fine as it is; on clay, plant into a raised bed or mound. In pots use a coarse, free draining mix, never a moisture holding one.

Water and feed. Water deeply, then let the soil dry between drinks; established plants in the ground are genuinely drought tolerant. Ease off through winter, especially in pots. Feed in spring and midsummer with a fertiliser higher in potassium to push flowers rather than leaves.

Pruning. Rarely needed at this size. If you do cut, do it in spring, and wear gloves: the milky sap irritates skin and eyes.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Petite Pink as an advanced 45L plant, a substantial specimen with a formed branch framework that flowers in its first season. Frangipanis travel well on their sturdy stems, and a few yellowed or dropped leaves after transit are normal while it settles.

Stock is delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Frangipani varieties: choosing the perfect blooms
• More plants that thrive in pots
• Plants for poolside gardens
• Browse the tropical plants range

Common questions

What size pot does it need?

Start at 400mm wide with generous drainage holes and a coarse mix. Unglazed terracotta works well because it dries faster. Repot every three or four years, and never leave it standing in water.

Why is mine not flowering?

Almost always light or feed. Move it to full sun, swap any high nitrogen fertiliser for one higher in potassium, and let the mix dry properly between waterings.

Is it safe around pets?

No. Like all frangipanis it is toxic to pets if chewed, and the milky sap can irritate skin, eyes and mouths. Keep a potted plant out of reach of a puppy that chews.

Can I grow it in Melbourne?

Not in the ground. It tolerates no frost, so in cool temperate cities treat it as a container plant that summers outdoors and winters under a verandah or in a sunroom.