For this PlantWave exploration, we will check out the beautiful sounds of a large Rainbow Frangipani, but not before I tell you about what my husband and I have been up to. This isn’t to smoast or anything but to explain why the following PlantWave recordings and other blog articles are not written from our usual place of residence, Australia.
Slow travelling our way to Europe
Yes, you guessed it, we packed up some of our prized possessions, crammed the rest into a storage unit and got on a flight to Bali, Indonesia. That was ten months ago (at the time of writing this).
Are we still in Bali?
Yes, yes, we are as per our original SLOW travel plan. Cramming in as many countries as possible in a gap year is a young person’s game. And we are not young. We’re not old-old, but old enough to know our limitations.
Contrary to what you might have seen on social media, Bali isn’t all empty shell-strewn beaches and romantic couple’s swings. It is actually home to approximately 4.4. million people.
That’s not a lot I hear you cry.
Maybe not, but when you throw in international tourists (over 3 million to date – November 2023) on an island that you can cover in a 3-4 hour drive (north to south), that idyllic ‘just the two of us’ holiday dream of yours takes on a different hue.
That isn’t a complaint, by the way. I love the hustle and bustle of Bali life, but after a month of living in the heart of Legian, one of Bali’s most congested tourist areas, as we did when we first arrived, we needed to find some peace.
Enter Sanur, the much quieter, family-friendly cousin of Legian and home to a gorgeous Rainbow Frangipani tree.
Finding Peace at the Palace
Although this PlantWave bestie is one of five plant recordings I made during our two-week stay at Peace Palace, it’s the obvious one to lead with, as I don’t think there is another flowering tree that screams TROPICAL quite as loudly as the frangipani.
This particular frangi was next to our room and had a beautiful scent. Unfortunately, I hadn’t started my flower scent diary then, so I can’t describe its scent in detail other than that it was softer than the white & yellow frangipanis and may have had a touch of nectarine.
As I have a bunch of these recordings to process and I am very much in holiday mode, I am only going to present a Plumeria few facts that I have found on the web.
Hope you enjoy the sounds of this gorgeous Indonesian Rainbow frangipani!
My Plant Description:
A beautiful tall tree with grey knobbly bark with sparsely distributed thick egg-shaped leaves and mid-sized velvety multicoloured (red, yellow, orange & cream) fragrant flowers. Each flower measures approximately 6cm in diameter when fully opened and grows in beautiful clusters up to 20cm in diameter. Scent-wise - I think it initial soft, slightly tropical scent that faded to nectarine with a hint of ash.
Native to:
According to Wikipedia, Plumeria rubra is actually native to Central America, Columbia, and Venezuela. However, due to its popularity and ability to tolerate high humidity and dry seasons, it is now found in most subtropical and tropical countries.
Botanical Name:
- Plumeria rubra
Common Name:
- Indonesian Rainbow
- Kembang Jepun (Bali)
- Champa (India)
- Melia (Hawaii)
- Temple Tree
Plant Type:
- Deciduous
- Small shrub or tree
- Belongs to Dogbane Family
Fact 1:
Although there are 100+ varieties of Plumeria, there are only 12 scientifically accepted species.
Fact 2:
Frangipanis are large succulents that produce milky white latex sap.
Fact 3:
Frangipanis won’t burn except in extreme (over 200c) temperatures.
Symbolic Meaning 1:
Love, Kindness & Respect
Symbolic Meaning 2:
Fertility & Birth
Symbolic Meaning 3:
Endurance
PlantWave Recording: Rainbow Frangipane
Location:
Sanur, Bali, Indonesia
Month & Time:
April 2023. 13.34
Weather:
Sunny, approx 30c
Sound Set Used: Celestial Being
Duration: 11 minutes
Celestial Being – “A cosmic set of expressive instruments, including electric piano, bass, chimes, and flute. Musical output can range from planetarium music to ambient free jazz.
Best for: Connecting to wonder – having a mystical experience – getting to know a new plant – creating atmosphere – longer listening sessions – touch interaction.” (PlantWave)
Hit the sound graph on the image to listen to my Rainbow Frangipani PlantWave recording, or click on the image to navigate over to SoundCloud.
Interested in learning more?
Want to hear another PlantWave recording? Then head on over to PlantWave – Shell Ginger
About PlantWave – go check out their awesome blog that covers how their device works and how people are using it to create music. You can find them here on PlantWave.com