10 Frangipani’s are making a colourful splash this summer. There’s a rainbow of flower colours and lovely lush green foliage. As trees they make great shade, and the smaller varieties can be kept fairly bushy with a bit of careful pruning. One enemy of Frangipani’s is rust! The leaves are prone to a specific rust fungus Coleosporium plumeriae which causes brownish/yellow pustules. It often starts after rain or during humidity and worsens as the summer months extend into autumn. It is worth inspecting your Frangipani regularly in order to start control early. If the yellowish pustules are spotted early it may be possible to effectively control with careful plant hygiene. Remove rust affected leaves and pick up leaves from under the tree. These fungal spore covered leaves are not for the compost bin! Wrap them and put in with the garbage. There are specific fungicides that target Frangipani rust, and a quick browse of labels at the garden centre or hardware store will show the diseases that each is registered to control. There is a highly concentrated organic potassium bicarbonate and also a copper Gardening by Kate Heffernan Honorary Life Member Friends of GCRBG, Botanic Garden Consultant Frangipanis based fungicide which are also useful. Alternatively there are stronger systemic fungicides that are absorbed into the plants system. A healthy tree is less likely to fall prone to disease. Frangipani trees prefer slightly acidic, fertile free draining soil, pH around 6 to 6.5. They flower best in full sun (but will grow in part shade, sometimes with reduced flowering.) Once established they don’t require great amounts of water, the roots should be kept cool with a light application of mulch kept well away from the trunk. Regular applications of seaweed soil conditioner will help strengthen cell walls to aid in disease resistance and organic fertilisers will keep your tree healthy. Prune them to shape, but first stand back and assess the shape required. Use a sharp pruning saw and cut away from a branch join to promote wider branching, or flush with the branch join to prevent branching and promote height. Try to make the cut slightly angled to the ground so water runs off to avoid disease entry points. Frangipani’s are a beautiful symbol of summer and are very long lived. There are specimens still around which were planted well over a century ago. Look after them and they will reward you. 0417 294 778 A Touch of Grass Garden Care GARDEN CLEANUPS / REJUVENATION & MAKEOVERS A SPECIALTY We offer an experienced, professional and reliable service Call Jeremy on ... Est. Gold Coast since 2001 Let us create your new and rejuvenated garden where you can sit back, relax and enjoy your tranquil surroundings ... Specialising Garden Makeovers & Rejuvenation * Garden Care * Plant Selection * Soft Landscaping
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