Hymenosporum flavum - Queensland Frangipani

Queensland Frangipani is a rainforest tree which is native to Queensland and New South Wales in Australia and New Guinea. Native Frangipani is widely cultivated and usually grows to around 8 m in height, although it can grow to over 20 m tall in the rainforest. It produces clusters of fragrant flowers in the spring which are about 5 cm in diameter. They are cream in colour, ageing to yellow and are followed by long pear-shaped seed capsules. The flowers attract bees and honey-eating birds and butterflies. It has dark green, glossy, elliptic-oblong leaves which are usually around 10 cm long and 4 cm wide. At its best, the branches are heavily foliaged and form widely spaced tiers which makes the tree extremely attractive. Despite its common name, it is not related to the frangipani, not even in the same family.