Plumeria or Frangipani

Description:

The plumeria tree had a trunk width of about 7 inches, and flower width of 3 inches. It was found in my backyard, growing beside some aloe. There were many flowers, growing in bunches on the tree, yellow in the center of the petals, white in the middle, and pink on the edges of the petals. The leaves had an elliptic shape, and a smooth texture.

Habitat:

Kaimukī Avenue, Hawaiʻi

Notes:

The plumeria is an alien species to the island of Hawaiʻi, meaning that it was introduced, and is not native. The plumeria is native to Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, and Brazil. Uses for the plumeria include making flower lei, and planting the trees for landscaping. Also, women in the modern Polynesian culture use the plumeria flower to indicate their ‘relationship status’. If the flower is tucked over the left ear, the woman is taken, and the right ear means she is not.