Native frangipani

Date posted: 07 December 2016

The first thing to strike me when I recently arrived in Adelaide was Hymenosporum flavum - commonly known as the native frangipani - in full bloom with its beautiful fragrance in the air.

I was surprised - how amazing to see this plant grow so magnificently in cultivation throughout Adelaide, given I know it as a rainforest tree from Queensland, New South Wales and Papua New Guinea!

After a quick search through the Australian Native Plants Society website I discovered this species is much hardier than I first thought.

It can grow in dry climates if there is supplementary water available. It grows in most reasonably well-drained soils, but prefers those with a high organic content.

While they're just at the tail-end of flowering now, you can spot these beautiful plants in several spots around the Garden, including the Australian Native Garden, Australian Forest, and near the southern and eastern perimeters of the Bicentennial Conservatory.

Dr Lucy Sutherland
Director, Botanic Gardens of South Australia and State Herbarium