Plumeria

Common Planted Trees

Hawaii

121 cities

Plumeria (most commonly Plumeria rubra or Plumeria obtusa) is a small tropical tree known for its waxy, intensely fragrant flowers used in Hawaiian leis. You can identify it by its thick, succulent-like branches, clusters of large leaves only at the branch tips, and milky sap that oozes when cut. In Hawaii it functions as both an ornamental and a culturally significant landscape tree, often reaching the size of a large shrub rather than a full tree.

Lifespan

50 to 100 years or more in suitable conditions. There are specimens in Hawaii well over a century old.

Mature Size

Typically 15 to 25 feet tall with a similar spread, though many cultivated plants in residential landscapes stay in the 10 to 15 foot range depending on how aggressively they are pruned.

Care & Maintenance

Plumeria needs full sun, at least 6 hours a day, and well-draining soil. It is surprisingly drought-tolerant once established and will rot if overwatered or planted in heavy clay. Fertilize with a high-phosphorus mix like 10-30-10 during the growing season to encourage blooms, not a high-nitrogen lawn fertilizer.

Common Issues & Threats

Plumeria rust (Coleosporium plumeriae): This fungal disease shows up as orange-yellow powdery pustules on the undersides of leaves. It spreads fast in humid conditions and can cause significant defoliation. Remove infected leaves and improve air circulation around the canopy.
Black tip fungus (Phytophthora species): The branch tips turn black and die back, often several inches down the stem. This is almost always caused by overwatering or poor drainage, not a soil-borne disease you can spray away. Fix the watering first.
Frangipani hawkmoth caterpillar (Pseudosphinx tetrio): These large, brightly colored caterpillars can strip a plumeria of every leaf in just a few days. If you see pellet-shaped droppings under the tree, look up. Handpick them or use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) before the infestation gets ahead of you.

Pruning Guide

Prune plumeria during winter dormancy when the branches are bare and you can clearly see the structure. Here is what most people get wrong: every cut you make will produce two to three new branch tips, so think carefully before you cut or you will end up with a very dense, tangled canopy in a few seasons. Let cut ends dry out for at least a day before any rain hits them, because fresh cuts are an entry point for the stem rot fungi.

Did You Know?

Plumeria flowers produce no nectar at all. They are essentially deceiving sphinx moths into pollinating them with scent alone, which is a fairly unusual strategy in the plant world. Also worth knowing: the milky sap is a skin irritant and mildly toxic if ingested, so wear gloves when pruning and keep pets away from fresh cuttings.

Where Plumeria Is Found

Plumeria is common in 121 of the US communities we cover, across 1 climate regions.

Hardiness Zones 1

East Honolulu, HI Zone 12b Hilo, HI Zone 11a Pearl City, HI Zone 12a Kailua CDP (Honolulu County), HI Zone 12b Waipahu, HI Zone 12b Kaneohe, HI Zone 12b Mililani Town, HI Zone 12a Kahului, HI Zone 12b Ewa Gentry, HI Zone 12b Kapolei, HI Zone 12b Kihei, HI Zone 12b Mililani Mauka, HI Zone 12a

... and 109 more cities

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