Hur klättrar du bougainvillea
How many other plants produce showstopping color while simultaneously offering the gardener so many options, in a variety of forms? We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. And those gorgeous, bright clusters of densely bunched blooms, practically covering the entire specimen — incredible!
The true flowers of these plants are actually tiny, and barely noticeable unless you get up close and personal with one — which you might not want to do because these perennials also sport some pretty attention-getting thorns. Stick with me as we discuss that, caretaking tips, and so much more about the paperflower! I remember thinking bougainvillea looked like something plucked right out of a fairytale the first time I saw one.
This family also includes more than 30 genera and nearly species, plus hundreds of cultivars, including trees, shrubs, vines, flowers, and herbs. Depending on who you ask among the movers and shakers in the botanical world, there are as many as 20 accepted species in the Bougainvillea genus. As natives of eastern South America — specifically Brazil and the surrounding countries — warm, humid growing conditions in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 and 11 are preferred.
Further north, or in unexpected cold snaps, protection or relocation indoors becomes necessary when temperatures dip near freezing. Colloquially called paperflower or paper flower in reference to the texture of what appear to be its blooms, this tropical vine prefers slight drought, full sun, some extra nutrients, occasional pruning, and little else. It thrives on neglect and begins to suffer and stops blooming with too much fussing on the part of the gardener.
In cultivation, three evergreen species and their cultivars are most commonly found: B. It can be challenging to tell the difference between these species because they have very similar traits, and even among the horticultural community, confusion persists. All can be planted outdoors, potted as houseplants, or grown in containers to split time between both indoor and outdoor locations.
Blooms have short stems and terminal placement at the ends of branches surrounded by special leaves called bracts. Bracts are modified leaves, typically exhibiting bright colors, that protect the tiny blooms while also attracting pollinators to hur klättrar du bougainvillea a visit — which they might hur klättrar du bougainvillea do as readily otherwise.
They also double as protection for seed pods that balloon after the blooming period ends.
How to Grow and Care for Bougainvillea for Colorful Blooms
In warm, humid regions like the southern United States, blooming typically occurs in the winter, which adds some much-appreciated color during the blandest of months. Aside from bracts, leaves are green and alternately placed along the long, sprawling canes characteristic of these species. Typically, members of this genus are considered woody, evergreen vines, although they can also be deciduous in regions where winter temperatures are cooler.
Pruning to create other forms, such as shrubs or small trees, is a common landscaping practice in warm, humid regions all over the world. Vines can easily spread to about 20 feet in length, or sometimes more, becoming woodier and heavier over time. Keeping the size and shape in check with pruning should be balanced with allowing new growth to develop, as the colorful bracts will be more plentiful.
Canes are twining and have no tendrils with which to hur klättrar du bougainvillea, so they often use their thorns to grasp nearby structures in an effort to self-support. But, as I mentioned, they can be very heavy and need additional support in most cases. Note that bougainvillea poses a slight danger to pets and people, as all parts are mildly toxic if ingested.
Thorns of up to a half inch in length can also give quite a poke, so avoid contact without sturdy gloves or skin protection — especially during pruning. In the mids, a French botanist named Philibert Commerson traveled aboard a ship owned by his friend, Admiral Louis-Antoine de Bougainville. Here, Commerson came upon two shockingly bright specimens that he later decided to rename in honor of his friend.
After returning to Europe with cuttings of the specimens, cultivation began with mild interest due to the low tolerance bougainvillea has for hur klättrar du bougainvillea temperatures.
Hur skötar jag bäst om min bougainvillea
After several years, however, it gained some popularity in warmer regions, such as Greece and southern Spain. By the late s, popularity exploded as horticulturists took notice, and by the early twentieth century, bougainvillea could be found growing throughout California and further east. The vine is commonly chosen by allergy sufferers due its low pollen production, and by butterfly and hummingbird lovers, as it attracts both in scads.
Because of hybridization, most bougainvillea plants are propagated by taking cuttings rather than planting seeds.
8 Secret Bougainvillea Care Tips | How to Care for Bougainvillea Plant
In fact, some hybrids are sterile, and rooting cuttings is the only viable means of propagation for home gardeners. Commercially, growers often turn to using tissue cultures to reproduce large quantities of varieties that are more difficult to grow from cuttings. Even though some species can be grown from seed to reproduce the same characteristics of the parent, such as those taken from species specimens rather than hybrids, the easiest way to clone parental traits is by rooting cuttings.
This is a similar process to what you might do when propagating other woody specimens like rosescamelliasand hibiscus.
How to Grow and Care for Bougainvillea
Rose Gloves. Taking cuttings is easy, but beware of those thorns! Like other woody vines and shrubs, cuttings should be taken during periods of active growth. In warm climates, this may be throughout most of the year, but in others, late spring or early summer are the best times.