Moragne plumeria all trace back to one cross made in 1953: four light pink flowers pollinated with pollen from one dark red parent, which produced 283 seedlings. Only 35 of those seedlings were kept, and the best of them were named for women in the breeder’s family. That small group is why the Moragne plumeria collection is both famous and hard to shop for.
This page explains what defines the family, which named members are documented, how to tell them apart, and how to buy them with confidence. For the wider picture of named types, see our plumeria varieties guide.
What Makes a Moragne Plumeria
A Moragne is a plumeria hybrid from the line started by William Middleton Moragne Sr., known as Bill Moragne (1905 to 1983). He managed Grove Farm on Kauai. According to Grove Farm, his 1953 work at home in Lihue was the first recorded controlled plumeria cross that produced new hybrids.
The parents were a dark red Scott Pratt and a light pink Daisy Wilcox. Before that, Hawaii’s introduced yellow, red and white plumerias had only crossed naturally, through insects. His seedlings were the first planned crosses there.
Every Moragne comes from one cross, so the family shares a loose look. Flowers tend to be large, richly colored and fragrant. Beyond that, the plants differ a lot, so a single trait never proves a Moragne.
The Moragne Family at a Glance
| Cultivar | Traits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jeannie Moragne | Vivid red opening to reddish pink, with wide golden bands; narrow, pointed petals; strong sweet scent | Has its own page with full detail |
| Kimi Moragne | Rose or deep pink with a golden orange center; thick, grainy, overlapping petals; about 4 to 4.5 inches | Seller descriptions of color and scent vary |
| Sally Moragne | Pale pink with a small yellow center and light red veining on the outer edges; 4 to 5 inches; sweet scent | Described by one nursery as one of the pod siblings; often out of stock |
Other names are sometimes traded as Moragne selections. Their identities and parentage are not well documented, so treat any longer list with caution.
Jeannie, Kimi and Sally Moragne
Jeannie Moragne
This is the best known of the family, with a red and gold bloom. We cover its look, scent and care in our Jeannie Moragne plumeria guide, so we keep the entry short here.
Kimi Moragne
Kimi Moragne is a large pink bloom with a warm golden center. Its grainy petals gave it the informal trade names Grainy Moragne and Grainy Rorong. It is registered with the Plumeria Society of America as number 163.
Sally Moragne
Sally Moragne is the softest of the three, a pale pink with a small yellow eye. One nursery describes it as a pod sibling from the Daisy Wilcox by Scott Pratt cross and credits Bill Moragne as the breeder. Its registration is not well documented.
How to Identify a Moragne
Color is the first clue, but it is also the least reliable. Heat, flower age and the camera all shift how pink and red look. Compare several features together.
- Petal shape: narrow and pointed leans toward Jeannie, while round and overlapping leans toward Kimi.
- Center color: golden bands, a golden orange center and a small yellow eye separate the three.
- Surface: a grainy texture on thick petals is the signature of Kimi.
- Source: ask the seller where their stock came from and request a photo of the actual plant in bloom.
Mislabeled cuttings are common across the hobby, and the Moragne name is no exception. A rooted plant from a trusted collection beats an unlabeled bargain cutting. Our guide to rare plumeria covers what collectors check before they pay.
Growing Moragne Plumeria
Care advice specific to the Moragne family is thin. These are Plumeria rubra type hybrids, so the basics apply: sun, fast drainage and warmth. Our plumeria care guide covers all of that.
Kimi is described by one seller as medium to tall, with more than 24 inches of growth a year. Cold tolerance is not well documented for each cultivar. Growers in cooler climates commonly use pots that can move indoors.
History of the Moragne Hybrids
Moragne began his research in 1950, when no published guidance on plumeria cross pollination existed. His first problem was latex. The pistil sits at the base of a deep trumpet, and tearing the petals flooded it with milky sap.
He solved that by snipping the petals at the base so the latex could drain. Early attempts that put pollen only on the top of the pistil failed. In 1953 he applied pollen to the top, sides and bottom, and the cross worked.
Of the 283 seedlings, he kept 35 that grew into flowering trees.
Trees from his work can still be seen along Nawiliwili Road, per a 2013 Kauai newspaper article. The names he gave his favorites are only partly recorded online. For the wider story, read about plumeria in Hawaiian culture.
Where to Buy and How to Propagate
Specialist plumeria nurseries and collector groups sell Moragne cultivars as cuttings and rooted plants. Stock is limited and often sells out. Expect to wait for a new season.
A cutting gives a true copy. Follow our steps for taking plumeria cuttings, or try grafting plumeria if you want a flowering branch sooner. Seeds will not match the parent.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Collection
- Strength: large, richly colored blooms with a historic Hawaiian story.
- Strength: three distinct looks, from red and gold to soft pink.
- Weakness: little independent documentation of leaf, cold tolerance and registration.
- Weakness: limited supply and a real risk of mislabeled plants.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Bill Moragne?
William Middleton Moragne Sr. managed Grove Farm on Kauai and lived from 1905 to 1983. He made the first recorded controlled plumeria crosses in Hawaii in 1953.
What are the parents of the Moragne plumerias?
The cross used a dark red Scott Pratt as the male and the light pink Daisy Wilcox as the female. It produced 283 seedlings. Individual cultivar parentage beyond that cross is not well documented.
How many Moragne plumeria cultivars are there?
He kept 35 of the best seedlings. How many received registered names is not well documented. Jeannie, Kimi and Sally are the ones most often seen in the trade.
Are Moragne plumerias fragrant?
Sellers describe Jeannie as strongly sweet and Sally as sweetly scented. Kimi descriptions range from spicy to fruity. For scent comparisons across types, see our fragrant plumeria list.
Why are Moragne plumerias hard to find?
They are collector favorites grown in small numbers. Nurseries often list them as sold out or limited. Rare plumeria are usually worth a wait to avoid a mislabeled plant.