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Hymenosporum flavum
Also called Queensland Frangipani, Australian Frangipani, Sweetshade
Native frangipani is a semi-deciduous tree, the only species in its genus, grown for its very fragrant white-to-golden flowers and glossy leaves. It is not related to true frangipani (Plumeria) and is best grown in full sun on well-drained, organic-rich soil.
Hymenosporum is a plant genus in the family Pittosporaceae. It contains only one species, Hymenosporum flavum, commonly known as native frangipani, which is native to the rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests of New Guinea and in Queensland and New South Wales in Australia. Despite its common name, it is not closely related to the frangipani, but is related to the widespread genus Pittosporum.
Native frangipani is widely cultivated and usually grows to around 8 metres in height although it can grow to over 20 metres tall in the rainforest. It can be grown in shaded positions, but flowers best in full sun.
In Australia, the tree is commonly planted in suburban streets, in shopping boulevards and in walkways between tall buildings. It prefers a well-drained soil with a high organic content, but is highly adaptable. Very young seedlings are easily killed by frosts but if kept in a sheltered position until about 1–1.5 metres high, will thrive in cooler areas, as long as they have access to water during hot dry spells.
The native range of Hymenosporum flavum is from New Guinea south through coastal Queensland to northeastern New South Wales. It grows in rainforest or wet sclerophyll forest on various soils.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Hymenosporum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
