Tabernaemontana divaricata commonly called pinwheel flower,crepe jasmine and Nero’s crown is an evergreen shrub native to South Asia.
It is grown for its attractive flowers and foliage. The stem exudes a milky latex when broken, hence the name milk flower.
The plant generally grows to a height of 5–6 feet and is extensively branched. The large shiny leaves are deep green and about 15 cm in length and 5 cm wide. The waxy blossoms are found in small clusters on the stem tips. The (single) flowers have a ‘pinwheel’ shape characteristic to the family Apocynaceae.
White, fragrant 5-petaled flowers are shaped like pinwheels, have petal tips twisted to the left in a counterclockwise direction.
The plant blooms in spring but flowers appear sporadically all year. The flowers of the single form are unscented but the double-flowered form has a pleasing fragrance.
Etymology : Tabernaemontanus meaning “tavern in the mountain”. Species divaricata means wide-spreading or divaricate.
Reference
Plants of Singapore