The first Bougainvilleas were discovered in Rio de Janeiro in 1768 and named by a French botanist, Dr. Philibert Commercon after his close friend the French sailor and explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville.  Commercon was a passenger on this ship that Bougainville commanded and between 1766-1769, they sailed around the world.

Bougainvillea spectabilis or the common name - paper flower - has a range of different colors  - from pink, to red, to orange, to white and yellow. The coloured flowers on Bougainvilleas are really very showy bracts that encircle the small white flowers that emerge from the centre of the bract.  The leaves are shaped like hearts and are rich green in colour.  The canes are covered with thorns and at the base of these thorns that is where the flowers grow.  I cannot over emphasize how painful these thorns can be - the thorns are tipped with a black, waxy substance that is easily left in the flesh and can cause nasty sores if not looked after.  That is why it is important to site these where they are not in close contact with people and to make sure they are pruned regularly if they are. 

Bougainvillea is very flexible and can be pruned as a tree, a vine, a shrub or even a bonsai.   Pruning part of the older canes will encourage new growth and plenty of flowers.  If you want a hedge that nothing will get through, then this is your plant.  Not only will it provide extra security, but planting different colours in your hedge will give you a rainbow of colour to enjoy while they are in bloom.  This plant seems to have no pest problems as well except maybe aphids.

These plants flower best under stress so that is why you see more in bloom during the dry season.  If you can keep the plant slightly on the dry side, and allow the plant to become root bound it will be covered with flowers most of the year.  They are a heavy feeder so fertilize when you do water with 6-8-10.  The root system of the bougainvillea is very fragile and if overwatered may cause the roots to rot. 

Factoids:
They are among the showiest and strongest  growing climbers in the world!
Bougainvilleas are almost totally insect free!
They make a great ‘Living Fence”
They tolerate extreme heat.

A signature Tropical Plant indeed!

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