Bougainvillea is a popular flowering plant, known for its vivid, paper-like blooms that bring color to landscapes. Originating from South America, these versatile plants thrive in warm climates globally. Their diversity in form and coloration allows them to fit various garden designs. This article explores bougainvillea types, categorized by their growth habits and bract colors.
Understanding Bougainvillea Characteristics
The colorful parts of bougainvillea are not true flowers but modified leaves called bracts. These showy bracts surround the plant’s small, inconspicuous white or yellow flowers. Bougainvillea plants exhibit various growth habits, including vigorous vining, compact shrub forms, and dwarf varieties. Their leaves vary in size and can sometimes be variegated. Most types also feature thorns along their stems, serving as a natural defense.
Popular Bougainvillea Types by Growth Habit
Vining or climbing types
Vining or climbing types grow vigorously, often reaching significant lengths. They are well-suited for training over trellises, arbors, fences, or walls. ‘Barbara Karst’ is a popular, robust vining type with bright magenta-red bracts, growing up to 30 feet tall with support. ‘San Diego Red’ is another widely grown vining bougainvillea, featuring deep magenta-red bracts and quickly covering large areas, also reaching up to 30 feet.
Bushy or shrub types
Bushy or shrub types maintain an upright, mounding form, suitable for hedges, standalone shrubs, or garden beds. They offer a more contained growth habit than vining types. ‘Purple Queen’ is a bushy example, known for its rich, deep purple bracts and compact, upright spreading form, working well in planter boxes or as groundcover.
Dwarf or compact types
Dwarf or compact types are ideal for smaller spaces, containers, hanging baskets, or groundcovers, typically remaining under six feet. These varieties offer vibrant color in a manageable size. ‘La Jolla’ is a compact variety often used in containers, while ‘Pixie’ is a dwarf type that can be maintained under three feet, sometimes trained as bonsai.
Tree or standard forms
Bougainvillea can also be cultivated into tree or standard forms, where a single stem is trained to support a canopy of colorful bracts. This involves pruning a vining type to resemble a small tree, creating a formal focal point. These forms showcase the plant’s versatility.
Popular Bougainvillea Types by Bract Color
Red and orange varieties
Red and orange varieties offer fiery accents. ‘Scarlett O’Hara’ has brilliant scarlet-red bracts. ‘Torch Glow’ features vivid orange-red bracts, while ‘Orange Ice’ presents deep orange hues, often complemented by variegated foliage.
Pink and purple varieties
Pink and purple varieties range from soft pastels to deep shades. ‘Raspberry Ice’ displays profusions of raspberry-pink bracts, often with variegated leaves. ‘Purple Queen’ has rich, deep purple bracts, contrasting against its green foliage.
White and yellow varieties
White and yellow varieties offer subtle color options. ‘White Madonna’ has snow-white bracts, often covering the plant in summer. ‘California Gold’ is a reliable yellow bougainvillea.
Multi-color and variegated varieties
Multi-color and variegated varieties feature bracts with multiple colors or foliage with distinct patterns. ‘Orange Ice’ can exhibit variegated foliage alongside its vibrant orange bracts. ‘Raspberry Ice’ is known for its variegated leaves with cream to golden yellow edges, complementing its raspberry-pink bracts.
Choosing the Right Bougainvillea Type
Climate and hardiness
Climate and hardiness are primary considerations. Bougainvillea thrives in warm conditions and is generally perennial in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11. In cooler regions, they are often grown as annuals or in containers moved indoors to protect them from frost, as temperatures below 30°F can cause damage.
Available space
Available space is another important factor. Vining types suit large areas where they can climb and spread. Dwarf varieties are perfect for containers, hanging baskets, or small garden beds. The desired aesthetic also guides selection; a vining type might be chosen for climbing, a bushy type for a hedge, or a dwarf type for a patio container.
Maintenance levels
Maintenance levels vary between types. While bougainvillea requires full sun and well-draining soil, their growth habit influences pruning needs. Dwarf varieties require less extensive pruning to maintain their compact shape than larger, sprawling types, which may need regular trimming to manage size and encourage blooming.