Plumeria alba

white frangipani

Three white flowers with yellow centers and five petals growing at the end of a branch of white frangipani, Plumeria alba, at The Botanic Gardens at Kona Kai Resort in Key Largo, Florida

Although they have a beautiful fragrance, the flowers do not produce any nectar to speak of, and pollination occurs after hawk moths repeatedly unsuccessfully search for nectar from the flowers.

Flowers of a white frangipani plant, Plumeria alba, that have a more golden yellow hue throughout the petals than usual

Fragrant essential oils, however, may be extracted and used in many products such as perfumes, cosmetics, soaps, and candles. Over 50 volatile compounds make up the scent of a frangipani, with white and/or yellow cultivars often being the most fragrant. Here's a video showing a small-scale distillation setup in action to give you an idea of how essential oils can be extracted from fragrant plants:

Most of our wintertime visitors unfortunately see only bare branches when they arrive, as this plant loses all its leaves each winter, something one does not expect to find in a tropical climate. White frangipani is fairly drought and salt tolerant, loves a place in the sun, and can do well in a variety of well-drained soils.

Looking up into the canopy of a white frangipani tree, Plumeria alba, where clusters of white flowers are visible on the end of almost every branch