Dependent on tropical and subtropical climates, the Frangipani flower is a beautiful and exotic flower which belongs to the Plumeria family, and classifies as being part of the Rubra genus. This genus is not very numerous, comprising of no more than 8 species, most of them occurring in subtropical and tropical regions. Amongst the preferred places of the Frangipani flower, we can mention: the southern American continent, the Pacific Islands or the Caribbean region and so on, places considered perfect homes for these so called exotic flowers.
The botanical name of the Frangipani flower, the one that specialists use is Plumeria, a name given in the memory of the famous plant researcher Charles Plumier. Other names commonly used are Temple Tree, Egg flower or Champa flower, all names depending on the region where they are found. Brazilians call it Dama da Noite, the Hindi call it Champa, whereas the Portuguese call it Planta- dos –Dentes, which in English means Tooth- plant. When it comes to the various names employed to describe the Frangipani flower the list could be exhaustive. OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
The colors of these flowering plants are mostly based on shades of pink and purple, but Frangipani flowers on white or even yellow are also present in the tropical climates. They are famous for their variety, as some are small plants with rosy flowerings, while others can reach the height of a small tree. With no nectar produced, the Frangipani is pollinated by moths. The scent emanated by this exquisite Plumeria has inspired many perfume designers and it seems that nowadays the substances released by this flower are used as main ingredients in lotions, facial creams and perfumes.
The scent of this flower, along with its beautiful and delicate appearance have made of the Frangiapani flower one of the most sought flowers by florists and customers all together. The main duty that people have towards beauty is to appreciate it, and we would be fair in saying that it would be a crime when a flower such is the Plumeria could actually escape our eye and attention. Like any nature’s masterpiece, the beauty of the Plumeria flower has its side effects as well; the flower can produce a poisonous milky-like liquid.
The symbolism of the Plumeria is very rich, as different folklores use different meaning approaches for this flower. While Buddhist and Hindu cultures associate the flower with temples and spirituality, there are some folkloric stories of different cultures that associate this flower with demons and ghost, implying that it offers shelter to those souls of that haven’t yet found their rest.
The folkloric references of this flower are followed by literary allusions as well, the Plumeria flower being amongst the most popular literary occurrences in modern literature.
Frangipani Pictures Gallery
