Founding florist
Tulipanna
Bondi NSW · est. 1992
A Bondi Road florist since 1992, with seasonal bouquets, arrangements, roses and potted orchids, and a weekly note on what's at market.
Seasonal cut flowerPlumeria rubra
Frangipani: when it's in season in Australia
In season now (November 2026): Yes in every state
Frangipani is within the listed Australian season in November. The national season is November to April. Local growing conditions and supply can change the timing. Check the state guide below and ask your florist about locally grown stems before ordering, especially near the beginning or end of the season.
- Right now
- In season in November
- Season
- November to April
- Vase life
- 2 to 3 days
Add to a florist brief Find seasonal alternatives
Written by Dan d'Auvergne
Season by state
Flowers and pets: check before bringing a bunch home
Season months drafted from flowerpower.com.au, koch.com.au. Availability varies by grower and region. See sources
Frangipani is the scent of an Australian summer. Trees flower through the warm months, roughly November to April, in Sydney, Brisbane and along the east coast, and can flower year-round in the tropical north. Cut blooms are fragile and last only two or three days, so they are mostly used as single flowers for hair, leis, cake decorating and floating in bowls rather than as long-stemmed bunches. Colours run from classic white with a yellow centre through pinks and apricots to deep red.
Where to buy frangipani
In summer
Frangipani is less a florist's flower than a street one. From about November to April the trees flower in backyards, parks and footpaths across Sydney, Brisbane and the rest of the east coast, and all year in the tropical north. The best way to enjoy it is a walk on a warm evening, when the scent hangs over whole blocks. Cut blooms last only two or three days, and heat shortens that. Pick fallen or fresh flowers early in the morning, hold them by the base, and float them in a shallow bowl of cool water somewhere shaded. If they are for a table later in the day, keep them in a cool room, mist them lightly and never leave them in a hot car.
Summer flower guideUsually sold as loose single blooms rather than stems, and mostly through wedding and event florists.
How to choose good frangipani
Frangipanis are rarely sold as stems, so you either pick your own or buy a plant. From the garden, take flowers on the day they open, with firm, waxy petals, and leave the ones that have dropped. Wipe away the milky sap as you go. When buying a plant, go in late spring or summer, when trees are in flower and you can see the colour. Choose a potted tree with thick, firm branches, no soft or blackened tips, and several forks, because flowers form at the branch ends. Named varieties cost more than the common white. Bare cuttings are also sold and root easily in warm weather.
Grown here or imported?
Frangipani is not native to Australia, but it's grown here commercially.
Where it's grown
Frangipani comes from Central America but has made itself at home in warm parts of Australia. It thrives from Sydney north through Brisbane to the tropics, and grows well in Perth and Adelaide gardens. In Melbourne it needs a sheltered, north-facing spot, often in a pot, because frost and temperatures below about 5°C damage the fleshy stems. Commercially it is a nursery crop rather than a cut flower. Specialist farms, including one on the Sunshine Coast with more than 200 varieties in rows, sell cuttings to collectors, potted trees to nurseries and landscapers, and some flowers to florists. Most trees are grown from cuttings, which root readily.
Stems at Australian markets are mostly grown here, so when it is out of season it is hard to find.
Colours, varieties and care
Colours
- white with yellow centre
- pink
- apricot
- yellow
- crimson
- burgundy
Varieties to ask for
- Common White
- Fruit Salad
- Darwin Blood Red
- Bali Whirl
- Singapore White
Vase life
2 to 3 days
Making it last
- Pick or buy blooms in the cool of the morning
- Check for bruising or browning on the petals
- Float them in a shallow bowl of clean water
- Keep them humid and cool, and mist lightly to stop them drying out
- Handle by the base, as the petals bruise easily
Using it at home
Treat frangipanis as floating flowers. A wide, shallow bowl, a low glass dish or even a saucer lets them sit face up on the water, a few at a time. Over summer they share a bowl well with gardenias, and from January tuberose nearby adds more scent. For a vase arrangement, tuck a single bloom low among hydrangea heads or lisianthus. The flowers stay fresh for a day or two, then the petals soften, crease and turn translucent at the edges. They do not dry well, so enjoy them fresh and pick more.
Where to see it growing
Sydney Flower Market
Flemington
Best months: all year
Brisbane Flower Market
Rocklea
Best months: all year
Questions people ask
When is frangipani season in Australia?
Frangipanis flower in the warm months, roughly November to April, in temperate and subtropical areas such as Sydney and Brisbane. In the tropical north they can flower almost all year round.
Why do frangipani flowers go brown?
Usually bruising or heat. The petals mark wherever they are pressed, so handle each flower by its base and don't stack them. Hot, dry air also browns the edges quickly. Float them in cool water in a shaded room, mist them lightly and use them the day you pick them.
Does frangipani smell stronger at night?
Yes, many people notice the scent is strongest in the evening. The flowers are pollinated by night-flying moths, and the perfume is thought to be pitched at them. That is why a warm summer night is the best time to walk past a flowering tree.
Can you put frangipani on a Christmas cake?
Yes, as decoration only. Frangipani has a milky sap that can irritate skin and mouths, so wipe the base of each flower clean, sit it on a small square of baking paper and lift it off before you cut. Use unsprayed flowers from your own or a friend's tree.
How do I keep frangipani fresh for Christmas lunch?
Pick them in the cool of Christmas morning, choosing flowers that opened that day. Handle them by the base, float them in a shallow bowl of cool water, mist them lightly and keep them out of the sun until the table is set. They last two or three days at most, so picking the day before costs you freshness.
