Bougainvillea spectabilis

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Plant
ID 53 Bougainvillea spectabilis
Botanic Name Bougainvillea spectabilis
Common Name Bougainvillea
Family Name Nyctaginaceae
Cultivars 'Alba', 'Barbara Karst', 'Blueberry Ice', 'Chili Red', 'Helen Johnson', 'Magnifica', 'Mary Palmer', 'Miss Manila', 'Purple', 'Temple Fire', 'Turkish Delight', 'White Madonna', 'White Stripe', 'Variegata',
Origin South America, 1829, Zone 10-12
Growth Type Climber
Bark Type Scaly
Foliage Type Evergreen Water Use Medium
No. of Species 14
Growth Habit Climbing-twining Growth Rate Fast
Height 2 - 15 m (7 - 50 ft) Spread 5 m (17 ft)
Plant Overview
This vigorous twinning climber has slender woody greyish stems with down turning thorns and requires support. The tube-shaped white flowers are accompanied by rich purple bracts and appear in clusters throughout summer.
Leaf
Type Simple Additional Information
Shape Broad ovate
The glossy green broad-ovate leaves are slightly tomentose with an acuminate apex. There is a variegated form available and all leaves have a short petiole.
Arrangement Alternate
Margin Entire
Colour Dark green
Size 80 - 120 mm ( 3.1 - 4.7 in )
Flower
Perfume Odorless Additional Information
Shape Tubulate
The small white flowers are tubulate to salverform and may be tinged in pink. They are arranged in terminal corymbs that are normally inconspicuous amongst the rich purple bracts. There are numerous cultivars with a range of colourful bracts.
Inflorescence Corymb
Colour Creamy white
Size 15 - 25 mm ( 0.6 - 1.0 in )
Flowering in
(Southern Hemisphere)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Fruit
Type Nut (dim. nutlet) Additional Information
Colour Blueish white
The small nut contains seeds that are not normally used and the plant is commonly reproduced vegetatively.
Edible No
Bird Attractive No
Size 0 - 0 mm ( 0.0 - 0.0 in )
Fruiting in
(Southern Hemisphere)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Environment & Cultivation
Natural Soil Well drained fertile moist sandy to clay loams, tolerates most soil types
Container Pots, tubs, planter boxes, under glass in cool climates
Climate Warm to sub-tropical
Aspect Full sun, open position, frost tender, drought resistant
Pest & Diseases Scale, leaf spot, Under glass red spider mite, white fly and mealybugs
Fertiliser Mulch with organic material in spring, complete fertiliser during growing period
Pruning Tolerates a hard prune after flowering, tip prune to thicken up in summer, moderately deer resistant
Cultural Uses Propagation
Bougainvillea is a vigorous and long lived climber that is grown for summer colour. It is grown over structures (pergolas) for shade or used as a spill-over on embankments. It can be trained as a screen or grown as a container specimen.
Take hardwood cuttings from spring to summer. Take soft tip cuttings during growing period and place in a humid environment.
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