PlantFiles: Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea 'Barbara Karst'

I didn't actually grow this plant myself. But it was planted in the gardens of the houses that I lived for 3 years, along with a couple other cultivars that I don't know the name of. In addition, Miami's landscape is consistently and increasingly presenting Bougainvillea in all the colors known so far.
My opinion: a wonderful and quick way to add color and resuscitate a "boring" lawn. It has a very speedy growth rate, so if you want to keep it tamed, you have to use your pruning scissors. It flowers on new growth, and it resists even hard pruning, and flowers massively afterwards. Actually, the flowers are inconspicuous, it is the bracts that allure us.
Another good thing: it thrives on neglect. It lives with whatever mother nature gives. We did nothing but the occasional pruning, so the postman could use the sidewalk...
It is a very robust "climbing shrub", and it uses its thorns/spines to climb its support. One can either provide it a very sturdy support or can keep it as a bush/mound, beautiful nonetheless.

When growing this plant, I would suggest putting the plant downstairs in indirect light at cool temperatures. When I was growing my plant I would put it downstairs in my basement under good light and watering it carefully, it started to break bud and new leaves grew out of the buds. So that is why I highly recommend this plant to any one interested in bougainvilles. The place I got my plant from is a Kmart store.

This plant seems to grow very well in my area. I've seen these plants grow to masive heights. I'm curious on the growth rate of this plant. Can anyone tell me?

I have two of these in my garden, they are in huge hanging baskets and in full sun all day. They are so beautiful! I've only had them for 2 months and I am wondering if they can be propagated. Has anyone tried "rooting" bougainvellia and had success? I would love to have more of these beauties in and around my garden. Thank You

This plant has grown up to my roof top and HAS NOT BLOOMED YET. It has been in this same place for 2 years, and has not bloomed. It gets sun from noon till dark.Someone please tell me why it doesn't bloom?
Thanks,

This is a beautiful plant. Grows well in the full sun we have here in Austin, TX. But does anyone know how to get rid of the aphids that it suddenly has? I have been going thru all the bracts and leaves and pinching off the vermin which is a bit time-consuming. I did find a ladybug on it yesterday and was hoping she was eating all the aphids. Thanks.

The colorful blooms on this plant are not flowers, they are bracts of bright color and have a miniscule white flower in each bract.

The tiny white flowers are not much bigger than a pinhead.

To encouage "bloomimg" (appearance of the bracts), the soil should be on the dry side. Watering will encourage leaf growth; dryness will promote the colorful display of bracts.

Under ideal conditions (in its own opinion), this beautiful plant can be covered in the brascts/blooms with no leaves.

Here in S. Calif. this plant flourishes. It can cover a house in a few years if not pruned. Blooms in many colors: white, yellow, orange, pink, red and purple. Needs little water. Likes warm weather all the time. Beware of the spines - long and sharp. WalterT.

They do better on the west side (dryer) of the island than on our side, though I have seen some reach heights towering and cascading in full bloom like a purple mantle over a huge mango tree just down the road from us.

Another neighbor has let three different varieties in white, lilac and purple, grow up one of her trees, When in bloom, it is a sight to see!

We keep one, sort of bonzai in a concrete pot by our rock steps. Its in bloom at the moment.

at first I was watering too much on the drip system and they lost all their flowers and leaves, I turned off the drip on these plants and allow it to get water from surrounding plants, and they've come back beautifully. They will bloom more with more sunlight, but do fine in partial shade also. They do well in zone 10

i always had these, wtih great success, in coastal southern california. however, in orlando, florida, i have a potted one on my patio that has never achieved the same brilliance. i know one problem may be that it is not in full sun all day long. does anyone have a suggestion about jump-starting a potted bouganvillea that is in partial shade? and--how often should i water it in the heat and humidity of a florida summer (i was always under the impression that they did well in california because it's so dry.) thank you :)

Bougainvillea loves heat and humidity..and a sandy,loam soil. Make sure drainage is excellent..keep in full sun all day long for best bloom. Vine perfers temperature from 60-90.humidity from 50 to 95%.

Once established, this Bougainvillea does very well in my neighborhood in San Francisco, CA. I've seen it well over 20 feet tall in some backyards with (apparently) very little care. Unfortunately, for me, this means sweeping up Bougainvillea flowers practically every day all summer. Plus, I find the colors kind of garish in large doses.

The picture above (by Kelli) is awesome. I didn't realize this plant could get so massive.

I LOVE this plant & have collected it in every color I've come across. I have some growing on a trellis, some in very large hanging baskets, deck planters hung on the deck railings & fence & also in planters on my upper deck growing on the lattice surrounding the deck. It does BEAUTIFULLY whether full sun or part shade. It dies back in a hard freeze (area 9B) but is resilient & bounces right back.

'Barbara Karst' is a most popular cultivar. It's easy to grow and propagate, and a specimen of this plant can easily reach a height of 25 feet. It's truly spectacular in bloom.