We have a mature plant that produced an inflorescence, and instead of falling off, it began to produce vegetative growth on top, sprouting new leaves as if it were a branch!

At the Matrimandir gardens we named one plant 'Hexiad' because of its ability to consistently produce six-petalled flowers.

Since vegetative reproduction assures us that a new plant will be identical to the plant from which it was taken, how is it that a cutting of a red cultivar will bloom pink or yellow the next year? Although we have not experienced this phenomena, close friends and long time plumeria growers have seen it happen numerous times, and yes, our friends are of sound mind and body!

Some plants exhibit the most extraordinary growth habits. A perfectly healthy plant will refuse to grow upwards despite the same culture as all other plants surrounding it. We once named a plant 'Cascade' because it only grew downward and swept the ground with its graceful branches. Another we named, 'Pink Splash', because it normally produced pure white flowers but often added a splash of pink to one or more blossoms.

Some of our interesting stories are not solely about plumeria plants. Last year Bill and Marcella Harmon of Worthington, Ohio, wrote to us of the history behind the "Frangipani Room" in the Indiana Memorial Union at Indiana University. According to Marcella:

The alma mater song for New Albany, Indiana High School has these words:

"Here's to her whose name we'll ever

Cherish in our songs.

Dear old high school, dear old high school,

Praise to her belongs.

Glorianna, Frangipanna, here's to her success.

We to her will eer be faithful

Hail N.A.H.S."

For many years, I sang this song with emotion and lusty vigor. While in high school, I would sing it to help our teams fight the hated foe. . . .

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Vaguely, I supposed that 'Glorianna Frangipanna' was Latin meaning something like 'glorious friendship'. Since I still bear the scars of Latin I and II, I never had the slightest inclination to pursue the research any farther. Ay our 50th high school class reunion, someone asked the question, "Why are the words 'Glorianna Frangipanna' in our school song? I have researched the words and nothing I have found makes sense."

I checked and he was right so I vowed to find the answer in time for our 55th reunion.

My first impulse was to hunt up some old guy and ask him. Then I realized that we are the old guys.

Finally, after many investigations, I found a reference librarian who said there is a Frangipani Room in the Student Union at the University of Indiana with a plaque explaining the name.

I wrote the IU Student Union and received the enclosed information. So the whole thing apparently started with a bunch of 'spirited' students hunting for rhyming words for 'Indiana'. Frangipana is certainly better than top banana or grand piano.

Whoever assumed the task of creating the alma mater for New Albany .High School simply changed a few words to 'Hail to old IU' and presto— we have our Glorianna Frangipanna.

The song, according to its author, Joe T. Giles, A.B., '94 had its beginning on October 24, 1892 when some fifty students boarded the Monon to Lafayette for the Purdue football game. During the ride, someone mentioned the need for a new college yell. One with Indiana in it.

But what would rhyme with Indiana? Gloriana suggested one. Then into the mind of Ernest H. Lindley, A.B., '93 who often helped in his father's drugstore, flashed the name of a popular perfume of that day — Frangipana which was derived from Frangipani, a tropical tree or shrub of Mexico, Jamaica, the Guianas and elsewhere. Thus came the alliterative first line of the new yell — "Gloriana, Frangipana, Indiana".

Finally, this note from Marcella: "We are one of the newer members of your Plumeria family and I want to give you a status report. The class bought Plumeria seeds ... last fall as part of our 55th High School Class Reunion. The class member with the best Frangipani wins a prize at our 60th reunion." She writes further: "The Harmons have four lusty sprouts that have happily soaked up the winter sun in our south-facing bay window. Our contest entrant seems like it is off to a good start.

ADDITIONAL NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES

***The Oxford English Dictionary offers the following definitions and interesting derivations for the name Frangipani.

Frangipane - (said to be from Frangipani, the name of the inventor.)

1. A perfume prepared from, or imitating the odour of, the flower of the red jasmine.

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1676 Shadwell Virtuoso III H4A "I have choice of good Gloves, Amber, Orangery, Genoa Romaine, Frangipand" (sic .)

1727-1741 Chambers Cycl., Frangipane, anexquisite kind of perfume.

2. The red jasmine tree (Plumiera rubra), from the -flower of which the perfume is prepared. 1866 Treas. Bot., Frangipane, Plumiera. rubra.

3.In various applications: see quotes.

1844 Hoblyn Med. Diet. Frangipan, an extra of milk, for preparing artificial milk, made by evaporating skimmer -milk to dryness, mixed with almonds and sugar.

1858 Simmonds Diet. Trade, Franchipane, frangipane, a kind of pastry, a cake of cream, almonds, spice, etc.

attrib. 1892 Garrett Encycl Cookery, Frangipane Flawn. .. Frangipane paste.

1895 Jusserand Eng. Ess. 98 Lafleur, whom he often asked to make frangipane tarts.

***Here's a recipe we found cut out of a magazine (auther unknown but our appreciation nonetheless for the word frangipane - and the excellent recipe!)

Apricot Tart

Here is a simple-to-make recipe that really highlights the brief apricot season.

To prepare apricots:

2 dozen apricots

1^1/2 cups sugar

2 cups water

For the frangipane:

4 T.sugar

4 T. butter

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

4 T. almonds, finely ground (use a

food processor, blender or coffee

grinder)

11. vanilla

pinch of salt For the glaze:

3/4 cup apricot preserves

3 T. water For the pastry:

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter, cut into bits

l egg

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Wash and pit apricots. In saucepan, bring sugar and water to boil, lower hear to simmer and add apricot halves. For the very ripe fruit simmer 30 seconds to 1 minute moderately ripe fruit, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove carefully with a slotted spoon and drain upside down on several thicknesses of paper toweling.

To make frangipane filling, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and blend well. Add ground almonds, vanilla and salt and stir until smooth.

For pastry, sift together flour and sugar. Add butter and, using pastry blender knives or fingertips, blend until mixture is in small crumbs. With a fork stir in egg and blend well. Work paste into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes or more. Press chilled dough into a 10-inch tart pan with fingertips, about 1/4-inch thick all around.

Spread frangipane over bottom of crust with a spoon. Arrange apricot halves on top, overlapping them slightly. Bake in 400-degree oven 50-55 minutes, until frangipane is set.

Heat preserves with water in a small saucepan until hot, stirring to prevent burning. Spoon evenly over apricots while tart is still hot.

***From the opposite side of the world, — and a long way from the subject of Apricot tarts, — we learn that in Thailand plumerias are never planted around the home but are common around temples and in cemeteries. The Thai name, (transliterated into Roman letters), is "lun torn", meaning "sadness". Unlike many other tropical areas where frangipani flowers are worn in women's hair or made into fragrant leis, in Thailand it is only recently becoming popular to wear them and then only on New Year's Day!

***As new and exotic plants are introduced to American gardens, the leading horticultural magazines often publish articles on their culture. During the past nine years we have seen a number of articles on plumerias featured in the following publications.

Sunset Magazine - Aug. 1986 "Hawaii's Lei Flower" Sunset staff

Flower &L Garden - Dec. 1988 - "The Fragrant Plumerias" by Richard M. Eggenberger

American Horticulturist - Apr. 1991 "The Moragne Plumerias" by Richard A. Criley and Jim Little

HousePlant Magazine Fall 1993 "A Passion For Plumerias" by William C. Mulligan

HousePlant Magazine Spring 1994 "Plumerias: A Tropical Treat" by Richard and Mary Helen Eggenberger

Sunset Garden Guide Spring-Summer 1994 "Tropical Delights" by Michael MacCaskey

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