Yellow Frangipani Postcard

Few tropical flowers are as delicate and pure looking as the Plumeria, also commonly known as frangipani. Plumeria can also be called Champa flower. This flower is the national flower of Laos. The plant is found all over Asia and is connected to many cultures as well. In the language of flowers, Frangipani carries the symbolic meaning of welcome, support, and wealth in many cultures. In its native range, flowers were used to symbolize the fertility of deities. If you’ve never seen the flower, you’ve likely smelled its fragrance as a component of popular perfumes. Frangipani is also used as an ingredient in sacred incense formulas throughout Southeast Asia, as well as being used as an offering directly in temples throughout Bali and India. From being a symbol of love in Swahili poetry to representing the meaning of welcome and Aloha in Hawaiian, Frangipani means something different everywhere you go. Buddhist temples throughout Southeast Asia feature dense plantings of the Frangipani tree or shrub. It can be associated with graveyards or used as an entrance area to encourage the right religious mindset before entering the temple. Some Buddhist cultures also use the Frangipani as a bridal flower, but only in cream or white colors.