Charlotte Ebert plumeria holds Plumeria Society of America registration number 127. The blooms are a soft pastel pink, four inches across, with wide petals that overlap heavily.
That overlap builds a full, lush flower head. Few pink cultivars pack this much petal into one bloom. The fragrance backs it up with something more unusual than a typical pink scent.
It also circulates under two other names. That matters if you are trying to confirm a listing. Knowing those names before you buy saves confusion later.
What Charlotte Ebert Plumeria Looks Like
Each bloom runs about four inches across in a soft, pastel pink. The petals are wide and overlap heavily. That gives the flower head a full, rounded look rather than a loose, open one.
The tree grows tall and somewhat lanky. It can add more than two feet of new growth in a good year. That habit puts the weight of large flower clusters out on longer branches than compact cultivars carry.
Growers describe it as a reliable bloomer once established. Flower size and fullness are what collectors specifically seek this cultivar out for. A young plant may take a season or two to show its full potential.
Fragrance That Sets It Apart
Charlotte Ebert carries a distinctive coconut and jasmine scent with a subtle hint of almond. Together those notes read as gardenia like. That is a step away from the sharp, classic frangipani perfume many pink cultivars carry.
That combination is part of why it holds a following among fragrance focused collectors. It smells noticeably different standing next to a row of common pink seedlings.
Origins and Naming
Charlotte Ebert is also sold under two other names, Giant Plastic Pink and JL Giant Pink. The second name shows up mostly in older listings.
Trade records describe it as named in honor of a Hawaiian benefactor of native ancestry. That person supported the preservation of Hawaiian culture. Beyond that naming detail, the deeper breeding history is thin.
The exact origin year and the breeder are not established in records available today. A listing under any of its three names likely points to the same plant rather than a different one. Confirming which name a seller is using helps avoid buying a duplicate by accident.
Nursery catalogs typically file Charlotte Ebert within a broader Hawaii sourced grouping alongside other named cultivars from the islands. That placement reflects how it is sold and traded rather than a confirmed hybridizing record. Plenty of mid twentieth century Hawaiian cultivars share this same gap between popularity and paperwork.
Strengths and Weaknesses Growers Report
The strength is obvious once you see one in bloom. A four inch pink flower with this much petal overlap is genuinely uncommon. The coconut jasmine scent adds to that rarity within the wider pink plumeria category.
The weakness shows up in the wood, not the flower. Growers report that the lanky growth habit can produce weak stems. That shows up most where a heavy cluster of large blooms weighs down a young branch.
Staking is a common fix rather than a rare exception. Buyers expecting a naturally compact, self supporting tree should plan for that extra step from the start.
Growing Charlotte Ebert
Charlotte Ebert needs the same fundamentals as any plumeria rubra cultivar. Full sun and fast draining soil come first. My seasonal plumeria maintenance rundown covers those basics in general terms.
The growth habit runs tall and lanky. Staking younger plants before a heavy bloom season helps prevent bent or snapped stems. Selective pruning also encourages sturdier branching.
My guide on pruning toward a fuller shape covers that process step by step. A stronger branch structure supports large flower clusters better as the plant matures.
Feeding on a steady schedule through the growing season also helps. A plant that is putting energy into weak, stretchy growth benefits from the same nutrient support that pushes stronger, thicker stems on any plumeria rubra cultivar.
Charlotte Ebert Compared to Other Named Pink Cultivars
Charlotte Ebert sits among a group of named Hawaiian pink cultivars prized for flower size rather than color intensity. Kimo took a different path. It combines orange and pink rather than staying in the pink family alone.
Both share the same Hawaiian naming tradition of honoring a specific person. What separates Charlotte Ebert is the sheer flower size and that coconut jasmine fragrance.
It is not the color combination that makes it stand out. For the wider range of pink toned cultivars, my overview of pink flowered plumeria covers dozens of other named types.
Buying Charlotte Ebert
Charlotte Ebert plumeria is generally sold as a rooted plant, a grafted plant, or an unrooted cutting. Specialty plumeria nurseries are the usual source. It is often listed within a broader Hawaii sourced collection.
Seed grown plumeria will not reproduce this exact flower size or fragrance. Each seedling carries new genetics. A cutting or graft taken from a confirmed Charlotte Ebert plant is the only reliable way to get the true look and scent.
Pricing generally scales with plant size and rooting stage rather than flower rarity, since this is not one of the harder to find cultivars. A small cutting typically costs less than an established rooted plant ready to bloom sooner.
My broader directory of named plumeria types is a useful next stop. It helps if you are still comparing options before you buy.
The Plumerist toolkit
The gear we would buy if we were starting over.
As an Amazon Associate, Plumerist earns from qualifying purchases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Charlotte Ebert plumeria a registered cultivar?
Yes. Charlotte Ebert is registered with the Plumeria Society of America under number 127. That registration documents its flower color, size, and fragrance.
What other names is Charlotte Ebert sold under?
It also circulates as Giant Plastic Pink and JL Giant Pink. These names generally point to the same registered cultivar.
Why does my Charlotte Ebert plumeria need staking?
Its lanky growth habit produces long branches. Those branches can struggle to support a heavy cluster of large blooms. Staking young plants during a strong bloom season is a common, expected fix.
Who was Charlotte Ebert named after?
Trade records describe it as named in honor of a Hawaiian benefactor of native ancestry who supported Hawaiian culture. Further biographical detail is not documented in records available today.
How does Charlotte Ebert compare to other pink plumeria?
It stands out mainly for its large four inch flowers and coconut jasmine fragrance rather than an unusual color. Most other pink cultivars are smaller flowered or carry a more classic frangipani scent.