Plumeria alba
L.
Apocynaceae
Plumeria hypoleuca angustifolia Gasp.
Plumeria revolutifolia Stokes
Common Name:
Close-up of the flowers
Photograph by: dalbera
General Information
Plumeria alba is a somewhat succulent, evergreen shrub or a tree that does not have a true crown of foliage, but forms a somewhat vase-shape with a few stout, soft and brittle erect branches ending in clusters of crowded, spreading leaves; it can grow 3 - 8 metres tall. The bole can be 10cm in diameter[
447- Title
- Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
- Publication
-
- Author
- Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H.
- Publisher
- USDA, Forest Service; Washington.
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
,
787- Title
- Flora of Dominica, Part 2: Dicotyledoneae
- Publication
- Smithsonian Contributions to Botany No. 77
- Author
- Nicolson D.H.; et al
- Website
- http://www.sil.si.edu/smithsoniancontributions/Botany/
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institute Press; Washington
- Year
- 1991
- ISBN
- 90-10415
- Description
- A terse but very useful flora with a somewhat limited botanical description plus range, habitat and some uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of wood. A very ornamental plant, with clusters of showy and intensely fragrant, tubular and spreading, waxy, white flowers[
447- Title
- Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
- Publication
-
- Author
- Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H.
- Publisher
- USDA, Forest Service; Washington.
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
Caribbean - Windward Islands to Puerto Rico.
Habitat
Coastal thickets and limestone forests at low elevations and ascending to lower montne areas[
447- Title
- Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
- Publication
-
- Author
- Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H.
- Publisher
- USDA, Forest Service; Washington.
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
].
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 4.00 m |
| Growth Rate | Slow |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Succeeds in full sun to partial shade[
309- Title
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/
- Publisher
- University of Florida
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.
]. Succeeds in a range of soils so long as they are well-drained[
309- Title
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/
- Publisher
- University of Florida
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.
]. Established plants are very drought tolerant[
309- Title
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/
- Publisher
- University of Florida
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.
].
The branches are rather soft and brittle and can break, but are usually sturdy unless they are mechanically hit or disturbed[
309- Title
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/
- Publisher
- University of Florida
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.
].
A slow-growing plant, though it flowers at an early age[
309- Title
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/
- Publisher
- University of Florida
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.
].
Plants flower and produce fruit all year round in Puerto Rico[
447- Title
- Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
- Publication
-
- Author
- Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H.
- Publisher
- USDA, Forest Service; Washington.
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The root bark is depurative and purgative, causing thirst. It is used in the treatment of blennorrhagia, herpes and syphilis[
348- Title
- Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
- Publication
-
- Author
- DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
- Website
- http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Museum
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].
The root bark is used externally as a lotion on syphilitic ulcers, administered as powder macerated in sugar-water, wine or beer[
348- Title
- Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
- Publication
-
- Author
- DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
- Website
- http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Museum
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].
The latex from the stem is caustic. It is used for treating ulcers, dartre (skin diseases) and scabies[
348- Title
- Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
- Publication
-
- Author
- DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
- Website
- http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Museum
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].
The flowers are bitter and caustic. They are an ingredient in a complex pectoral syrup for treating chest coughs and grippe[
348- Title
- Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
- Publication
-
- Author
- DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
- Website
- http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Museum
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].
The seeds are used in the treatment of dysentery (bloody flux)[
348- Title
- Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
- Publication
-
- Author
- DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
- Website
- http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Museum
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].
Other Uses
A white latex exudes abundantly from areas of damage on the plant[
447- Title
- Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
- Publication
-
- Author
- Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H.
- Publisher
- USDA, Forest Service; Washington.
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
]. It is used medicinally.
The light brown wood is hard, heavy, and tough. It is used in carpentry where the tree grows to sufficient size[
447- Title
- Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
- Publication
-
- Author
- Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H.
- Publisher
- USDA, Forest Service; Washington.
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
].
The wood is used for fuel[
447- Title
- Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
- Publication
-
- Author
- Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H.
- Publisher
- USDA, Forest Service; Washington.
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
].
Propagation
Seed -
Large hardwood cuttings should be allowed to dry several days while leafy tip cuttings should be planted immediately[
309- Title
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/
- Publisher
- University of Florida
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.
].
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
