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flowersandthings

What do plumerias smell like?

flowersandthings
18 years ago

I know I know it can be hard to describe florals but a try? For example I think acidanthera is reminiscent of soap and or suntan lotion with a bit of floral ambiguity. Tuberose is of course deep and heady reminiscent of gardenia and or jasmine but slightly cleaner than gardenia but with the characterisitc "heaviness" or powderiness of some of those tropical white florals. Dianthus is spicy (clovey) and floral. Lilies (oriental) are sharp heady and spicy, almost sting your nose (but I love them). Honeysuckle is sweet.... very sweet like a nectar scent with touches of greenness and fruitiness.... So what does plumeria smell like? I've never "smelt" one in person. :)

Comments (18)

  • fabkebab
    18 years ago

    Plumeria - to me- smells like newly cut peaches- perhaps very very sweet peaches as there isnt any bitter element

  • angelsmell
    18 years ago

    I have a few Plumerias but it's hard to describe, when I went to Maui I stayed at a Hotel where the grounds were a Plumeria plantation, when we would come home at night it was very warm and humid and all you could smell was the plumeria blooms...... it was very strong and very heavenly.
    It's hard to describe, have you ever smelled plumeria oil or lotion in a store? We have a a hawaiian store in our mall that carries all the same items they sell on the Hawaiian islands. It has a soft tropical scent that is like any other, it's not obnoxious, here is an article I found on the internet to describe the scent also I included a picture of my plumeris that is in bloom. The Plumeria blossoms would fall from the tree and land on the ground I would go collect them and float them in a bowl to fill the room at the condo we were staying at, it was woderful

    The Plumeria flower fragrances can be described as the fragrance of the sweetest smelling rose. The fragrance is so powerful you can smell it almost from anywhere in the garden on a warm balmy evening. The flower is a tropical soapy soft smell. Smells like Hawaii to me.

    Plumeria
    {{gwi:800937}}

  • jenny_in_se_pa
    18 years ago

    It depends on which plumeria you get. Some have a citrus scent, some have a jasmine scent, some have a coconut scent, some have a chocolate scent, some have a rosey scent, etc. I have found that the common yellows that I've grown had a citrusy scent. You can actually pop by the Plumeria Forum and ask around regarding which ones people have and what scent they get from them to find one that you might like.

    I had one called "Hurricane" that I swear smelled like a Mounds bar!

  • flowersandthings
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    So they can all smell different? Hmmmm :)

  • kasiec
    18 years ago

    Flowersandthings - do come on over to the Plumeria Forum. Check out the neat blooms in the Gallery section of the Plumeria Forum.

    Kasie

  • Arl_Tom
    18 years ago

    This list comes from a posting on the Maui Plumeria Gardens Forum. I can only attest to 'Vera Cruz Rose' which really does smell like a rose.

    Lemon/Citrus/Fruity Scent:

    Lemon Drop - lemon scent
    Thornton Lemon Drop - lemon scent
    Celadine - Citrus Scent
    Aztec Gold - peaches
    Singapore - lemon, bitter lemon
    Keane - lemon
    Apricot Delight - lemon
    Dwarf Deciduous - lemon
    Kimo - lime
    Bill Moragne - grape koolaid
    Pink Pansy - grape koolaid
    Lemon Chiffon - strong lemon, sweeter than Singapore
    Intense Rainbow - peaches
    Pink Kiss - Apricots, Sweet Olive, Osmanthus fragrans

    Gardenia Scent:

    Gardenia Plumeria
    Charlotte Ebert
    Tahitian Sunset

    Floral Scent:

    Aloha
    Dean Conklin - carnation
    Nassau
    OZ plumie-'Seldom Seen'
    San Germain - like honeysuckle
    Just Peachy
    Yolanda's White - Night Blooming Jesamine, Cestrum nocturnum

    Rose Scent:

    Vera Cruz Rose, stronger than Guillot's Sunset
    Guillot's Sunset
    Brittney
    Charlotte Ebert

    Coconut Scent:

    Miami Rose
    Charlotte Ebert
    Scott Pratt - spicy coconut
    Nellie's White - jasmine to coconut

    Spicy Scent:

    India - nutmeg
    Grove Farm - nutmeg
    Negril - cloves
    Kauka Wilder
    Josua
    Cancun Pink - cinnamon
    Scott Pratt - spicy coconut
    Carmen

    Strong Unique Scent:

    White
    Grove Farm
    Mele PA Bowman
    Nassau
    San Germain - like honeysuckle
    Lemon Chiffon - strong lemon
    Bali Whirl

    Here is a link that might be useful: Maui Plumeria Gardens Forum

  • jenny_in_se_pa
    18 years ago

    flowersandthings - yep, different ones smell different AND some of the same variety may not have a scent at all. Sometimes the environmental conditions impact them...

    Arl_Tom - great list!

  • Mandy D
    18 years ago

    I grew up in India with memories of plumeria scents where most of them smell of strong tropical floral perfume. I wanted something a little more fresh and a little less spicy and the one that fit the bill for me was Lemon Courtade. Smells like a tall fresh lemon squash drink on a hot summer's day. Love, love, love it!

  • Neal Connolly
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I am visiting Zanzibar and they have the plumeria trees on the grounds here and they put the flowers in the room. It smells like cotton candy - lemon grass to me. It has to be the best smelling flower I've experienced.

  • garyfla_gw
    8 years ago

    Hi

    Know this is a very old post but was recently looking around for Plumeria that is evergreen and the flower is not white. Went to a special nursery was blown away by the variety !! 30 different growth habits , 25 fragrances , 15 choices among the evergreens .If that isn't enough they can custom graft to the habit color and fragrance you choose lol

    In my years of gardening I've always got cuttings from neighbors so have never bought one . Had no idea there was so much choice !!

    While i love plumeria hate the habits, get gigantic naked all winter while I found evergreen thought they only came in white and mine is only fragrant at night .

    While they were expensive settled for a dwarf in a soft yellow with an apricot aroma . Has not flowered as yet but still has leaves and a beautiful "weeping" habit ,supposedly will stay under 6 feet. Was tempted by the custom grafts but a bit out of my budget!! lol

    I always thought only roses had lots of choices !! gary

  • Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
    8 years ago

    Awesome! Can you tell us the name of the one you chose?

    My Gold Coast Peach is still growing under the T5 lights in my bedroom (it's a small rooted cutting). It has a wonderful unique scent and I recommend you sniffing one if you get the chance. Another I'd like to replace (I have a habit of over watering and killing them during the winter) is Chiang Mai Rainbow which has a grapefruit like scent IMO. :)

    -Robert

  • parker25mv
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Plumeria smells sweet, good, kind of tropical, but not really anything extraordinary, in my opinion. The intensity of the fragrance is between low and moderate. It would probably make a good scent for a shampoo.

  • kandhi
    8 years ago

    Hi Robert, How is your scentsational plumeria doing? I would want to get one soon. Is it a good bloomer and how do you describe it's fragrance?

  • Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
    8 years ago

    Scentsational died long ago though when it was alive I did not find the scent pleasant up close though I've heard it smells better from afar. I went down in the basement yesterday and brought up Aztec Gold and it's got damage along the stems and this time I didn't water it over the winter. Sigh. I'm afraid I'm no good with plumies. :(

  • kandhi
    8 years ago

    sorry to hear about your plumeria's. They are so expensive to buy and if the plant dies it's hard to buy one one again. I want to make sure I buy the right one. For me plumeria's are easy to take care as they do not need any maintenance indoors as they go dormant. The only issue they grow very big and it's hard to haul them in and out for me. Here is pic of one plant from my collection from last summer.

  • Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
    8 years ago

    Gorgeous! I might try to shove some inside my room in the winter and/or try shaking off the soil and store them in pine bark or something.

  • flowers_galore
    7 years ago

    Gary,

    Can you please tell me which Plumeria nursery you went to.. I may want to visit it myself.. Thank you in advance..

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