Singapore White Frangipani

Singapore White Frangipani (Plumeria obtusa) is the frangipani that keeps its leaves. Where the common frangipani drops everything and stands bare for months, this one holds glossy dark green foliage all year in the tropics and most of it further south, and flowers pure white with a yellow throat across a long warm season. It reaches about 5m tall and 4m wide.

Why you'll love it

• Evergreen, or close to it. In tropical gardens it stays fully clothed year round. In the subtropics it is semi deciduous and thins briefly rather than stripping bare.
• Perfume that carries. The scent is strongest in the evening and travels across a courtyard, so plant it beside a deck or a bedroom window.
• Built for poolside and coastal blocks. Salt tolerant, heat tolerant and comfortable in humidity, so reflected heat and salt laden wind do not mark it.
• Drought tolerant once established. The thick stems store water, so it gets through a dry summer on very little help.

Where it works best

Poolside and coastal gardens. The canopy is open enough to keep the water sunlit, and the plant shrugs off splash, salt and reflected heat. It does drop flowers, so expect to skim during a flush.

As a feature, or in a pot. Plant it where the branch structure shows against a wall or the sky. It is slow and shallow rooted enough to live for years in a large container.

Growing Singapore White Frangipani in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, six hours or more. In shade it stretches, flowers poorly and holds fewer leaves. This is a tropical and subtropical plant and it is frost tender, so in cooler gardens it will not last a winter in open ground. Use a large pot in the warmest sheltered spot and move it under cover before the frosts.

Soil. Free draining above all else. Sandy or gravelly ground is ideal, and on clay you must plant on a raised mound. Cold wet roots cause stem rot, which is what kills most frangipanis in this country.

Water and feed. Water deeply through the warm months, then cut right back over winter. A fertiliser high in potassium and low in nitrogen in early spring and again at midsummer gives you flowers; heavy nitrogen gives you soft leafy growth instead.

Pruning and sap. Prune only in the warm months, to shape or remove damaged wood. The milky sap is a skin and eye irritant, so wear gloves and eye protection, and keep cut ends away from children and pets.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in six sizes: a 200mm pack of six, then single 300mm, 400mm, 45L, 100L and 200L plants. The smaller sizes are young, with one or two branches, and take a few seasons to build a head. The 45L, 100L and 200L plants have a formed branch structure and flower much sooner.

Plants travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Some leaf drop in transit is normal. Expect a settling period of a few weeks, then new growth once the weather warms. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing between frangipani varieties
• Browse more poolside planting
• Compare tropical plants for warm gardens
• Plants that thrive in containers

Common questions

Does it really keep its leaves through winter?

In tropical gardens, yes. In the subtropics it is semi deciduous and thins out briefly in the coolest weeks, still a long way from the bare branches of a common frangipani.

Can I grow it in a cool southern garden?

Not in open ground. It is frost tender and needs tropical or subtropical conditions. Outside those zones, use a large pot in a sheltered corner, move it under cover for winter and keep it nearly dry.

Is the sap a problem?

The milky sap irritates skin and eyes, so wear gloves when pruning and wash off any contact straight away. It is not a plant for a spot where animals or children chew foliage.