Bill Moragne Sr plumeria is a pink Moragne hybrid with heavy dark pink veins, a yellow eye and a strong grape scent. It is named for William Moragne Sr, the Kauai breeder behind the whole Moragne line.
Sellers agree on the pink color, the grape fragrance and the Daisy Wilcox by Scott Pratt parentage. They disagree on a few finer points, and this page flags each one.
Bill Moragne Sr Plumeria at a Glance
| Trait | Details |
|---|---|
| Color | Pink with heavy dark pink veins, shading to white, with a yellow eye; one listing calls it a rainbow of pink, white and gold |
| Flower size | About 3 inches in one listing; about 4 inches in the description of the other, which also lists 3 inches in its details tab |
| Petal shape | Elliptical, moderately overlapping, with upturned inner edges (one listing) |
| Fragrance | Strong grape; the other listing says it smells like sweet grape Kool-Aid |
| Bloom season | Large flower clusters with abundant flowers; exact months not well documented |
| Growth habit | Medium grower of 12 to 24 inches a year, thick sturdy branches, below average branching (one listing) |
| Leaf | Medium green with tapered tips (one listing) |
| Species or parentage | Plumeria rubra hybrid; Daisy Wilcox (seed parent) x Scott Pratt (pollen parent), given by both listings |
| Breeder or origin | William Moragne Sr, Hawaii (Kauai) |
| Registration | PSA number 156, as listed by one nursery |
Two US nursery listings supply nearly all of the plant data here. Leaf, growth rate, petal shape and the registry number each appear in only one of them. Cold tolerance and scent strength across seasons are not documented.
What Bill Moragne Sr Looks Like
The flower
The main color is pink. Dark pink veins run heavily through the petals, and the color fades toward white as it moves outward. A yellow eye sits in the center.
The reverse of the petals carries red purple stripes, according to one nursery. The other listing sums up the whole flower as a mix of pink, white and gold.
The petals are elliptical and overlap moderately. The inner edges turn upward, which gives the open flower a slightly cupped look. Only one listing describes petal shape, so treat it as a single source description.
Flower size is a split decision. One listing says about 3 inches and calls that slightly smaller than typical. The other says about 4 inches in its text and 3 inches in its details tab, so its own page disagrees with itself.
The flowers form large clusters. One listing says the heads can reach basketball size and look better as the tree matures. How the color shifts with heat or age is not documented.
Leaves and branches
The leaves are medium green with tapered tips, per one listing. The branches are thick and sturdy, but branching is below average. Expect a plant that needs time and pruning, or a graft, to build a full canopy.
Bill Moragne Sr Fragrance
Scent is the cultivar’s hook. One nursery calls it a strong grape fragrance. The other says it smells like sweet grape Kool-Aid and calls that very unique.
Two independent sellers using the same grape comparison is a good sign. Finer notes and how the scent changes through the day are not documented.
How to Tell Bill Moragne Sr Apart From Look Alikes
Pink flowers with yellow eyes are easy to mix up in photos. The table compares this plant with two Moragne siblings, using seller and garden descriptions. A separate plant sold as Jean Moragne Sr, named for the breeder’s wife, is not the same as Jeannie.
| Cultivar | Color and pattern | Petal shape | Fragrance | Key tell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Moragne Sr | Pink, dark pink veins, white shading, yellow eye | Elliptical, upturned inner edges | Strong grape | Grape scent with heavy veining |
| Mary Moragne | Cream pink with an orange center and a pink band on the reverse | Slightly overlapping | Spicy and sweet | Orange center, spicy scent |
| Jeannie Moragne | Opens vivid red, softens to reddish pink at the edges, wide golden bands from the center | Narrow, slightly overlapping, pointed tips | Strong, sweet fruit and rose | Huge 5 inch plus flower in red tones, not pink |
The yellow eye and the grape scent are the best separators. Mary Moragne has an orange center and a spicy scent. Jeannie leans red, runs much larger and smells of fruit and rose.
Mislabels are a real risk with Moragne plants, which are usually sold as unrooted or young plants without a bloom photo. A name on a tag is a weak guarantee, so judge by the first flower on your own plant. Our pink plumeria guide covers other cultivars in this color family.
Growing Bill Moragne Sr
Variety specific information is thin. One nursery calls it a medium grower of about 12 to 24 inches a year, with thick branches. That is not among the fastest.
The same nursery says it is extremely difficult to root and recommends grafting. The other listing does not mention rooting, and that is one seller’s claim. A discount sale listing also warns that its plants may be small or thin, though healthy.
Cold tolerance, sun sensitivity and container suitability are not well documented. Below average branching and thick stems suggest a plant that stays fairly open, but that is an inference from the habit, not a documented trait. For soil, water, feeding and winter protection, follow the main plumeria care guide.
Origin and History
William Middleton Moragne Sr (1905 to 1983) managed Grove Farm on Kauai. He began plumeria hybridization research in 1950. In 1953, at his home in Lihue, he made what Grove Farm calls the first recorded controlled cross pollinations of plumeria.
He put pollen from dark red Scott Pratt onto light pink Daisy Wilcox flowers. The cross gave 283 seedlings, and he kept 35 of the best. He named favorites for women in his family.
Bill Moragne Sr is one of the few Moragne plants named for the breeder himself. One nursery lists it as also known as William Moragne Sr, and the other says it honors the first person to document plumeria hybridization by selective cross pollination. Both give the Daisy Wilcox by Scott Pratt parentage.
That matches the 1953 cross. Grove Farm does not list his seedling names. Which seedling this plant came from, and when it was named, is not well documented.
Registry number 156 comes from one nursery listing only. For the wider catalog, see our plumeria varieties guide. Its dark red pollen parent has its own page, Scott Pratt.
Where to Buy and How to Propagate
Bill Moragne Sr is a specialty cultivar sold by US plumeria nurseries. Florida Colors Nursery has offered grafted plants, rooted plants, cuttings in rooting tubes, callused cuttings and fresh scions for grafting. Brad’s Buds and Blooms has listed it too, and stock at both comes and goes.
Ask for a bloom photo of the actual plant or its parent before you buy. Our guide to where to buy plumeria cuttings covers what to ask a seller. For home propagation, start with how to take plumeria cuttings.
Because one nursery says the cuttings root with great difficulty, grafting plumeria is the safer route if you get scion wood. Seeds from this plant will not grow true. Each seedling is a new plant, which is how Moragne found his hybrids in the first place.
Strengths and Weaknesses
- Strengths: heavily veined pink flowers with a yellow eye, a distinctive grape scent, large flower clusters and a documented link to the original Moragne cross.
- Weaknesses: reported to be hard to root, below average branching, sources disagree on flower size, and stock is limited.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What color is Bill Moragne Sr plumeria?
It is pink with heavy dark pink veins that shade to white, and it has a yellow eye. One nursery adds red purple stripes on the back of the petals.
Does Bill Moragne Sr plumeria smell like grape?
Yes. One nursery calls the scent a strong grape, and the other compares it to sweet grape Kool-Aid.
Is Bill Moragne Sr the same as William Moragne Sr?
One nursery lists William Moragne Sr and Bill Moragne Sr as names for the same cultivar. No second source confirms the alias.
Is Bill Moragne Sr plumeria hard to root?
One nursery says it is extremely difficult to root and recommends grafting. The other listing does not comment, so treat the claim as one seller’s experience.
How big are the flowers?
Listings give about 3 inches, and one description says about 4 inches. Plan on a mid sized to large bloom in big clusters.