Big and rowdy, loud but lovely, this sprawling woody vine is a star wherever it is grown. Named for Louis Antoine de Bougainville who sailed around the world in 1767. I think it is pure luck that Amerigo Vespuci sailed first or we could now be living in United States of Bougainvillica! So even though continents and countries were not named for him, he has been immortalized in the genus name for some very spectacular plants. Use bougainvillea to decorate fences and arbors with explosions of color. I think every Mediterranean style structure should have at least one bougainvillea guarding the entry or framing a window. A great vine for large containers to decorate hot patios and plazas. It can be trained as a shrub or clipped into shapes. Can be trained to grow on trellises and arbors. Gardeners in colder zones will enjoy growing bouganvillea in containers that live outdoors in summers and are brought into cool interiors in winter (let plant rest, reduce water and food). They also make an excellent house plant in a sunny window. Keep evenly moist, not wet or dry. Bougainvillea is famous for its brilliantly colored floral displays and quick growth rate. It is also inexpensive, commonly available and easy to care for. Available in a dazzling spectrum of colors ranging from purple to magenta to scarlet to brick red to crimson. Also look for white, pink, orange, and salmon. The flowers will drop in shipping; however, they will quickly rebloom.
