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Plumeria obtusa

Accession Count: 0
Common Name: Singapore plumeria
Family Name: Apocynaceae
Botanical Name: Plumeria obtusa
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Characteristics: This small, rounded tree typically grows to 10 -15 feet but can grow to 25 feet tall. The thin smooth branches are light tan and the new growth is a deep vibrant green that have narrow oblong leaves that are about eight inches long. It has white fragrant flowers that have five petals that are one to 2 inches long. The flowers bloom in clusters in spring to fall, they are about one to two inches long and have yellow throats (1). After the initial bloom the plant produces cylindrical seed pods. These seed pods can grow to be  five inches long and are jointed at the top from where the initial point of growth off from the main plant (1).
Compound: Plu obt
Geographic Origin: East Asia
Ecozone Origin: Indomalaya
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
The genus was named by Charles Plumier (1646-1704) a botanist, traveler and a French monk of the Franciscan order. The Plumeria obtusa is endemic to the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles, but has been distributed to the tropical areas of the world (1). This beautiful plant has been distributed to Hawaii, Florida, California and Arizona (2, 3).
Cultivation Notes:
to take care of this plant it requires full sunlight modestly drained soils but is drought tolerant. Should water regularly but do not over water. Cuttings is the only way to propagate this plant. The flowers are sterile or the plant will not come true from seed (3). Meaning the plant that grows from the seed of it's parent, will not grow or will not resemble its parent.
Ethnobotany: In the Caribbean Islands the people have traditions and medicines derived from this plant. Traditional a woman can declare her material status by placing the flower on the right side for single and left side for married. For aid the bark is used as a diuretic and the latex to stimulate purging (4). In Hawaii the flowers are used in leis and to make perfumes (3).
Height: 20 - 50 feet
Width: 20 - 50 feet
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Color: Yellow
Function: Accent
Spread: Non-spreading
Allergen: Non-allergenic
Invasive: Benign
Toxicity: Toxic
Hardy: Semi-hardy
Water Use: Low water Use
Citations:
  1. missouribotanicalgarden.org. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
  2. plants.usda.gov. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  3. davesgarden.com. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  4. levypreserve.org. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
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Plumeria obtusa