Plumeria 'Red Bordeaux'

Details

Red Bordeaux Plumeria is a striking shrub or small tree prized for its rich, deep red blooms that stand out beautifully against lush green foliage. Its bold color and sweet fragrance make it a favorite for patios, courtyards, and warm-climate landscapes. With an upright, spreading habit, this plant adds a sculptural, tropical feel to any setting, though occasional pruning is recommended to maintain strong form and branching structure.

This frangipani has a relatively coarse texture, which helps it stand apart from finer-leaved landscape plants, making it an excellent focal point or accent. In many cultures, plumeria carries special meaning—especially in Hawaii, where the flowers are woven into leis as symbols of welcome, friendship, and celebration. In other regions, it represents love, new beginnings, and positivity. Its ability to root and thrive even after being cut also makes it a symbol of resilience and growth.

Red Bordeaux Plumeria brings both beauty and cultural significance to the garden, but gardeners should note that parts of the plant are toxic if ingested, and its sap may cause irritation, so care should be taken when planting around children and pets.

Care

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's blooms. It is generally easy to care for once established. Deer tend to avoid this plant, though it is not completely resistant. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration:

• Insects
• Sap may irritate skin

Red Bordeaux Plumeria is recommended for the following landscape applications:

• Accent
• Patio Tree
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Features

Red Bordeaux Plumeria features stunning clusters of fragrant, deep red to burgundy trumpet-shaped flowers with subtle darker veining and contrasting golden centers at the ends of the branches from late spring through summer. The blooms emerge from distinctive, elongated buds and are highly valued for their rich color and sweet fragrance. It has glossy dark green foliage arranged along thick, sculptural branches throughout the season. The elongated leaves do not develop any significant fall color. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.