June 22, 2011
Our beloved bougainvillea, what would a caribbean garden be without one or two of these beauties.
Bougainvillea (pronounced /ˌbuːɡɨnˈvɪliə/)[2] is a genus of Flowering Plants native to South America . Different authors accept between four and 18 species in the genus. The plant was classified by Europeans in Brazil in 1768, by Philibert Commerçon, a French botanist accompanying French Navy Admiral and explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville during his voyage of circumnavigation.
In the landscape, it makes an excellent hot season plant, and its drought tolerance makes bougainvillea ideal for warm climates year-round. Bougainvillea has a high salt tolerance, which makes it a natural choice for color on coastal regions. As a woody clambering vine, bougainvillea will stand alone and can be pruned into a standard, but it is perfect along fence lines, on walls, in containers and hanging baskets, and as a hedge or an accent plant. Its long arching branches are thorny, and bear heart-shaped leaves and masses of papery bracts in white, pink, orange, purple, and burgundy. Many cultivars, including double flowered and variegated ones are now readily available. These plants are relatively pest free.