Hawaiian Plumeria

The plumeria (Plumeria rubra), with its waxy, intensely fragrant blossoms in white, pink, yellow, and red, is inextricably linked with Hawaiian culture, though it was originally brought to the islands from Central America. It has been so thoroughly adopted into Hawaiian life — used in lei, in home gardens, in temple offerings, and in hair adornment — that it feels indigenous to paradise. The lei made from plumeria blossoms is the quintessential symbol of Hawaiian welcome and love, the most fragrant embodiment of aloha.

In Hawaiian tradition, the plumeria is associated with positive energy, spiritual purity, and the open-hearted generosity that aloha represents. The flower's five petals are said by some traditions to represent the five qualities of aloha: akahai (kindness), lōkahi (unity), 'olu'olu (agreeableness), ha'aha'a (humility), and ahonui (patience). Wearing plumeria — even as a dried flower, a carved pendant, or an enamel charm — is an invitation to embody these qualities and to attract their energies from others.

The flower's perfume is among the world's most recognisable and beloved, and its scent alone is known to lower cortisol levels and induce feelings of wellbeing and relaxation. A plumeria charm worn or kept near the body serves as a constant gentle invitation to approach life with the open, generous, positive spirit of true aloha.