The Exotic Frangipani Tree

I grew up in Canada, where spring-time heralded the arrival of pretty flowers such as tulips, lily of the valley, peonies and daffodils, and where the summer months featured aromatic roses, and brightly coloured black-eyed Susans, daisies and sunflowers. My favourites in the spring were the tulips because they appeared first in the garden, giving life to an otherwise drab flower bed. During the summer months I loved roses of any kind, the petals were always beautiful and smelled heavenly. However, I was a rather pragmatic child, and grew rhubarb in my small garden patch – flowers were pretty but I loved rhubarb pie!

When I arrived in the Caribbean I was amazed by the tropical blossoms on display. I had probably read about them in books and seen them in movies, but to discover such beauty in real life was a treat! The sweet smell of Jasmine wafting through an open window lulled me to sleep on my first night, welcoming me to the island of Bequia in a unique and aromatic way. Over the years I have grown used to the tropical flora, but always stop to admire the blindingly yellow poui trees as well as the brightly coloured flambouyants and bougainvillea. The brilliance of these wonders of nature isn’t something one can take for granted, they are simply too stunningly beautiful to ignore!

My favourite is without a doubt the frangipani, a tree I first encountered in the Frangipani Hotel’s spectacular garden.  This garden boasted many gorgeous plants and trees, tropical flora that was totally new to my Canadian eyes, and the delicate frangipani blossoms were like the icing on a decorated cake! The garden had several frangipani trees, each with different and exquisitely coloured flowers, and I found the aroma of the blossoms on a par with that of the rose – heavenly!

The scientific name of the frangipani is Plumeria. The tree is a succulent plant that is salt-tolerant, which means it grows well close to the sea. It needs a hot, dry climate plus a lot of sun to thrive, and therefore flowers during the dry season. The tree is not pretty during the winter months; like trees in Canada, it loses its leaves and appears dead, resembling twisted sticks stuck in the ground. In the spring, the trees come alive by growing exotic blossoms, then large, bright green leaves. The flowers usually come in shades of pink, yellow and white and are incredibly fragrant, especially at night. The petals are quite delicate and, because the tree is a succulent, they release a sticky white sap when picked.

The essential oil of the frangipani flower is used in the creation of perfumes, lotions and even candles, although I have never come across a perfume that has truly captured the frangipani’s aroma. The pretty blossoms are also turned into necklaces such as the leis Hawaii is famous for, and can be used in wedding bouquets as long as the bride walks fast enough! The petals wilt fairly quickly once picked, but they DO look beautiful in a bouquet. 

Another amazing feature of the Franipani tree are the Hawkmoth caterpillars that can be seen eating its leaves. On Bequia, these creatures are known simply as frangipani caterpillars, huge and beautifully coloured insects that I never tire of watching. I was dismayed to discover that something so pretty in one form could be transformed into something dull and drab, but such is the case with the frangipani caterpillars; when they emerge from their cocoons it isn’t as colourful butterflies, but rather very large and exceedingly ugly grey moths.

Mac, knowing my love of roses, planted some bushes at the side of our house at Belmont. The roses were nice for a while, but the bushes didn’t do well and eventually died. He also planted what looked like two dead sticks in the front of the house, sticks that miraculously grew into lovely frangipani trees. One has dark pink blossoms, the other yellow and white, and each spring they faithfully produce their beautiful, exotic blooms. Mac never had the opportunity to see his frangipani trees mature, but every season they work their magic as a reminder that life DOES go on……