Non-Native Species
Frangipani
Frangipani
(kemboja; plumeria acuminate)
c. early 19th century
Although the frangipani originates from Polynesia, the tree has come to be an integral feature in societies in Southeast Asia, including Singapore. While admired for its fragrance and its beauty, the tree is also popularly grown in graveyards, feeding into superstition that a sudden strong fragrance of a frangipani when detected indicates presence of restless ghosts.