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Bougainvillea
Also called Bouganvillia, Paperflowers, Bougainvilleas
Bougainvillea is a genus of thorny vines, shrubs and small trees grown for their showy papery bracts, which surround small white flowers. Grow it in full sun with well-drained soil, and let it dry out between waterings.
Bougainvillea ( BOO-gən-VIL-ee-ə, US also BOH-) is a genus of thorny ornamental vines, bushes, and trees belonging to the family Nyctaginaceae. They are native to the tropical forests of South America (specifically Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Argentina). There are between 4 and 22 species in the genus. The inflorescence consists of large colorful sepal-like bracts which surround three simple waxy flowers, gaining popularity for the plant as an ornamental. The plant is named after explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville (1729–1811), after it was documented on one of his expeditions.
Bougainvillea are popular ornamental plants in most areas with warm climates, including Florida, South Carolina, South India, California, and across the Mediterranean Basin.
Although it is frost-sensitive and hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 9b and 10, bougainvillea can be used as a houseplant or hanging basket in cooler climates. In the landscape, it makes an excellent hot season plant, and its drought tolerance makes it ideal for warm climates year-round. Its high salt tolerance makes it a natural choice for color in coastal regions. It can be pruned into a standard, but is also grown along fence lines, on walls, in containers and hanging baskets, and as a hedge or an accent plant. Its long arching thorny branches bear heart-shaped leaves and masses of papery bracts in white, pink, orange, purple, and burgundy. Many cultivars, including double-flowered and variegated, are available.
The sap of bougainvillea can cause serious skin rashes, similar to Toxicodendron species.
[Contains information from Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Heritage Trees from data.gov.sg (National Parks Board), made available under the terms of the Singapore Open Data Licence version 1.0]
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Bougainvillea by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
