St Kitts and Nevis

General Description / Cultural Significance

Frangipani (Plumeria rubra) is a genus of flowering plants common in warmer climates in the tropics of the New World. The flowers are most commonly sunset red, bright pink, or white, but can also be a light sky blue or violet. Their scent is a sweet and peachy aroma that is most potent at night when moths, their primary pollinators, are active. Beyond its beauty and exhilarating sumptuous aroma, Frangipani has always been culturally important as medicine. Rich in essential oils with antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral substances, the flower is used in decoctions and baths.  

Christianity is St Kitts and Nevis’s dominant religious affiliation. Some say that Catholic missionary priests may have spread frangipanis around the world during their travels which might explain their commonality in islands like St Kitts, the Philippines, and Thailand. Countries like St Kitts and Nevis view frangipani in a variety of ways. Its scent is associated with love and prosperity, its blossom birth and life, and its wilting as a symbol of sorrow and transition into the cold winter months. It is also commonly used to create ornamental leis as a sweet-smelling welcome symbol to visitors and outsiders.

Climate Change / Conservation Status

St Kitts and Nevis has had an ideal climate for frangipani to grow freely and there does not seem to be an immediate threat to the plant or their number. However, like other Caribbean islands, higher temperatures and rising sea levels are of great concern. Protecting freshwater resources from saltwater infiltration is a national problem.

Alternate Names

Plumeria
Red frangipani
Nosegay frangipani
Red paucipan
Red-jasmine
Calachuchi

Sources

Descanso House Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) (Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). “The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.” IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, IUCN, 12 June 2018, www.iucnredlist.org/species/144270910/149056540. 

“Fabulous Frangipani.” Readsbyredriverbanks, WordPress, readsbyredriverbanks.wordpress.com/tag/frangipani-cultural-significance/. Accessed 9 July 2024. 

“Frangipani.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 1 June 2024, www.britannica.com/plant/frangipani. 

Mission of Saint Kitts and Nevis to the United States. Full statement can be found on World Sensorium original website.

Zi-Ming, Sean Wang. “Plant of the Month: Frangipani – JSTOR Daily.” Plant of the Month: Frangipani, JSTOR, 16 Feb. 2023, daily.jstor.org/plant-of-the-month-frangipani/.