Plumeria?

Here is a link that might be useful: Plumeria

It's definitely a plumeria. Where did you sere it in DC? The arboretum is the only place I've ever seen one around here.

Some of us grow plumerias in the DC Metro area but they can only remain outside during the late spring to early fall. The remainder of the time I keep most of mine dormant in the garage.

Well it was in the National Mall, near the old Smithsonian I believe...it wasn't in the arboretum because we went there too and I remember finding it along a walkway in the mall.

It's funny because it was labeled "gardenia" which is what I thought it was for months until someone told me it was not.

I would love to grow them in my garden in NC

In Australia the common name is frangipani. They come in pinks and reds as well but only the whites with the yellow centres as in the picture have such a magnificent scent.
I am certain I have seen photos of them growing in quite shallow tubs in Hawaii hotel foyers.

They are very easy to grow, break a branch off, trim the broken end into a neat finish, throw it on the ground and leave it until the trimmed end dries and scars over (probably a week), stick it in pot or ground an keep moist. Couldn't be simpler!

hey john.
yes. i agree. simple. over there. but for me here in long cold wintered romania it's another business.
i brought a few cuttings from taiwan, indeed they rooted, and did quite well in pots but the second winter they died cause i moved them to my parents' house and as the room proved to be too cold for them, they died.
it was an unheated room. i guess i was a bit ignorant about their required temps.
also... it was always attacked by aphids (i guess) and i never won the war!
so now... i look at their cute blooms, but i don't want to have another one.
or who knows????
...

International Plumeria Society

I am waiting patiently for my blooms to open, here in Costa Rica. I was tgrilled recently to be able to purchase a Plumeria pudica 'Bridal bouquet' plant which blooms repeatedly throughout the year, instead of just our 'dry season'.
Of course, I have already pruned it, so now have 1 medium sized plant and 3 small ones, all doing great.

There's plenty of reds, pinks, yellows and rainbow plumerias that are extremely fragrant.

Every flower show in the world has a booth selling short fat 'sticks' that grow into Plumerias when you plant them. Flower show season is coming up... I had one that lasted for quite a few years; summer on the deck, winter inside. It was a pretty gawky houseplant, but it did flower a few times. My flowers were yellow, I think.

WW