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the most fragrant plumeria of them all

15 years ago

To all your plumeria experts: Which plumeria produces the most fragrant flower???

I have 3 plumerias, two of them purchased from a local So Cal nursery and the other one is a cutting purchased in Hawaii. Much to my disappointment, one of the plumerias from the local nursery had its first bloom today but it had little to no scent at all ::inserts sad face::

IMO, Plumerias are only 2nd to the legendary Michelia Alba. I love them for its beautiful and fragrant flowers. So what I need to know is: is there anything I can do to make the scent more pronounced? Or are there a certain types that are more fragrant than the others? If so what are their names?

Thank you in advance for any advice/comment.

Featured Answer

felipo

15 years ago

I have several plumeria and the most fragrant of them all and most prolific bloomer is Singapore White.

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Comments (8)

kasiec
15 years ago
Hello Amberlin - I absolutely agree with you about M. Alba's scent morning, noon and night. It is truely a class by itself.

As for plumeria, may I suggest Kauka Wilder (Hawaiin Tropic sun tan lotion), Aztec Gold(ripe peaches) or the classic Celedine(spicy/citrus). Others will chime in with more suggestion and photos.

Kasie
slave2thefur
15 years ago
Hi Amberlin - I wondered the same thing after visiting Jungle Jack's greenhouse. A flower with a POWERFUL scent was almost undetectable in the backyard. Originally I thought it was the heat... then it hit 96 ... and others chimed in that it was really the lack of humidity / heat to carry the fragrance. Fog is too cool, and here in on the coast we simply don't get balmy (the weather that is). Could that be what you're experiencing?

Other flowers that waft, such as Brugs and M. Alba, don't seem to have that requirement. Wish M. Alba was drought tolerant - I'd plant one in a heartbeat. ...diana
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Heya, Thought I would update - I got a hold of a Kevin's Red. I found someone online who still has a few cuttings left if anyone is interested. The cuttings are 12-14 inches and come with 2 tips J&J Plumeria Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/J-J-Plumerias/1089079244439166 His e-mail is listed under the "ABOUT" section in facebook - it's public so NO need for a facebook account. (direct link to that: https://www.facebook.com/pages/J-J-Plumerias/1089079244439166?sk=info&ref=page_internal#!/pages/J-J-Plumerias/1089079244439166?sk=info&tab=page_info ) It looks legit and his tree is from 1990 - so relatively new stuff!!
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chellflower
15 years ago
Some plumeria smell stronger in the evening...but this may also have something to do with the higher humidity.
amberlin
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you all for the comments! I am off to finding some of the ones mentioned in this thread. I hope it's not a humidity thing because I live in So Cal but not near the coast. It's more like desert weather condition where I live.

slave2thefur - I'd suggest you try M Alba anyway. Mine survived the ridiculous heat wave we were experiencing couple months ago. I moved it towards the back of the house where it gets morning sun and afternoon shades. Gave it some plant food and this 4ft tall baby has been producing close to 50 flowers so far... it's sooo amazing!
houstonpat
15 years ago
IMHO Dean Conklin is one of the strongest, kinda like carnations. Pinwheel White is also pretty good with the classic plumeria scent.
lopaka_mikale
15 years ago
Alan, at Exotic Plumeria, describes the fragrance of his creation, Confetti, as "extreme". I could not come up with a better description myself. One of my neighbors says he wants "one of those frangipanis, with the unbelievable smell". Of course we have that perfect mix of heat and humidity down here in South Florida, that so many feel may contribute to the fragrance. Unfortunately, the price for a cutting is a little extreme as well! Worth it though.

{{gwi:580766}}

While not as strong, I love the nectarine smell of my Polynesian Red.

{{gwi:580784}}

Bob
kbauman
15 years ago
Hi
I have a corner, when a light breeze, Pacific pearl, celadine and India, make a frangrance that you stop and just enjoy. Pacific pearl is a very strong fragrance.
Karen B

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