Nothing evokes that tropical feeling quite like the
frangipani known locally as Jepun and easy to find in you Bali trip. Frangipani is related to Nerium Oleander and both possess an irritant, rather similar to that of Euphorbia. Contact with the sap may irritate eyes and skin.
Frangipani are relatively small trees growing to about 5 to 6 metres in height, but what they lack in height they make up for in width, often becoming as wide as they are tall. The trees have a well behaved root system, which makes them great for the home gardening purposes and for growing in pots. They are also deciduous allowing maximum winter sun while providing shade in summer.
With its gnarled branches, long leaves and distinctive flowers, the frangipani is easily one of the most common and identifiable trees. The bark is greyish-green and scaly in appearance. The scaling is formed when leaves drop in winter leaving small semi-circular marks on the bark. The branches have a swollen appearance and the leaves, dark green on the top and a lighter shade of green underneath, cluster at the tips of branches. A cut made on any part of the tree will exude a milky, sticky sap that is poisonous to both humans and animals.
Their sweet scent and sheer beauty make them
universally loved and their blooms look sensational both on the tree and as a
cut flower for decoration. Pick up some freshly fallen flowers today and float
them in a bath. Relax in your own private, tropical spa.
Most familiar in their white and yellow form, the flowers
also come in a variation of tropical and sunset colours. Frangipanis are tough
plants that can survive neglect, heat and drought and yet they still fill the
garden with a wonderful perfume. In Bali fresh flowers are often scattered at
resorts, or in bowls at spas. Hindu men and women wear flowers in their hair or
tucked behind the ear.
The frangipani is among the easiest of tropical trees to
propagate from seed. It is commonly found in temples where Balinese Hindus use
the flowers in their daily religious offerings. This much loved flower is
regularly being picked, dried and sold at great demand to overseas markets.