Propagating Frangipanis

Against the fence on the western side of the yard grows beautiful old Frangipani tree. Judging by its height it was probably planted soon after the house was built making it about 80 years old. I’ve placed a chair underneath and take advantage of the shady spot to dream about my future garden. During one of the big storms soon after we moved in a large branch came crashing down. It was a perfect inverted umbrella shape, just like the young trees you see for sale in nurseries. On a whim I stuck it into the ground near its parent tree and staked it firmly. I had no idea if it would take. Imagine my delight the following Spring, a mere nine months later, when it burst into flower. There’s nothing quite like the fragrant smell of frangipani wafting on a Summer breeze. Since that time I’ve researched frangipani and discovered they really are that easy to grow. Frangipani love neglect, dry soils and full sun and are easy to strike from cuttings. This made trimming the old tree much easier when we put in the new fence. I took the three branches we lopped off and stuck them into a raised garden under the shade of their parent. The branches varied in size – small medium and large. All continue to grow. I also discovered the species is native to Mexico and was introduced to Asia during the 16th Century before arriving in Australia with Polynesian missionaries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They grace many a tropical garden and are a great tree to grow near pools as they have a small root ball and unlike the ubiquitous palm tree their roots won’t go seeking water wreaking havoc with your landscaping. A mature Frangipani grows to about 6 metres but is very slow growing, advancing in height at a rate of about 20 centimetres per year. Today I took the largest cutting and planted it in a large pot near my potting station. Frangipani grow well in large shallow pots and I’m looking forward to watching its elegant shape emerge as well as its flowers and fragrance. I haven’t decided what to do with the other two cuttings yet, perhaps I’ll include a Frangipani grove in my garden plans.