King Kalakaua Plumeria
Plumeria rubra hybrid — Sweet-spicy fragrance
Beginner-friendlyMay – November
King Kalakaua is one of the classic Hawaiian yellows, named for David Kalakaua, Hawaii’s last reigning king. The blooms are a deep, saturated golden-yellow that warms to orange toward the center, and the fragrance is fuller and more spicy-sweet than the light florals — a scent people tend to remember. It is an easy, vigorous grower that roots readily and blooms freely once established, which makes it a good first yellow for newer growers. Give it full sun and the color deepens; the more direct light it gets, the richer the gold. It holds up well in warm zone 9–11 gardens and is a reliable, generous bloomer through the summer.
Fragrance
🌺 Sweet-spicy
Growth
Vigorous, upright grower
Colors
golden-yelloworange
King Kalakaua Care Tips
- Full sun deepens the golden-yellow color — give it 6+ hours.
- Roots easily, which makes it a forgiving variety for beginners.
- A vigorous upright grower; light tip-pruning encourages branching.
- Feed with high-phosphorus fertilizer through the growing season for the most blooms.
- Thrives outdoors in USDA zones 9–11; overwinter dormant in colder zones.
Growing this variety? The plumeria care guide covers sun, water, and winter storage, and the rooting walkthrough shows how to start a cutting without rot.
