There's a big, beautiful plumeria orchard on the leeward coast of Molokai about 2.5 miles west of Kaunakakai. This is Molokai Plumerias. The trees here enjoy abundant sunshine and shelter from heavy trade winds. You would call it "hot and dry" but plumerias love it. They flourish here like nowhere else in the islands.

Plumerias are named after a French botanist, Charles Plumier, who first cataloged the tropical New World flora in the 17th century. The variety of trees cultivated at Molokai Plumerias is more formally known as plumeria rubra acutifolia.

In Hawaii these plumerias are called by several different names- Common Yellow, Celadine, Hawaiian Yellow or even Graveyard Yellow. It is by far the most well-known variety. No wonder it has been the favorite of lei makers since it first came to Hawaii over 100 years ago.

The plumerias are also called frangipani by many people. The story goes that when the explorers first came to the New World and smelled Hawaii?s favorite flower they were immediately reminded of a popular perfume back in Europe called frangipani. This borrowed, common name has stuck over the years and is the only known instance of a flower being named after the fragrance instead of vice versa.

By the way. The plumerias only start out yellow. As they age they fade into white around the outside and eventually into the middle.

You can visit the farm and make a fragrant lei of your own. A great way to spend a few hours connecting with a Native Hawaiian craft.