Bougainvillea glabra

Bougainvillea glabra in the Mediterranean Garden

As the winter gets colder and the snow gets deeper the Mediterranean Garden becomes more of a welcome escape.  There are not a large number of plants in flower right now, but the Bougainvillea glabra is faithfully providing a cheerful display of

magenta flowers. 

Bougainvillea draped over the aqueduct.

Bougainvillea belongs to the family Nyctaginaceae with the Four O’Clock flower probably being the other family member most familiar to us. This plant was first discovered in Brazil in 1768 by a French botanist, Philibert Commercon, who travelled on a round-the-world expedition with a French Navy explorer named Louis Antoine de Bougainville. Although native to South America, Bougainvillea is now commonly found throughout the world, thriving in zones 9 to 11. In the early 19^th century Kew Gardens propagated the plant and distributed it throughout the British colonies. It is an evergreen and flowers continuously in equatorial regions, but can be seasonal in more temperate regions and deciduous in regions experiencing dry spells.

Three small flowers
surrounded by
 pink leaves called bracts.

A cut-away of a flower
revealing the sex organs.

The actual flower of Bougainvillea is a small white trumpet shaped structure found in clusters of three, containing both male and female parts. Surrounding these are three colourful, papery leaves known as bracts. These leaves do not photosynthesize, but serve to protect the tiny flowers and to attract hummingbirds and insects to pollinate the plant. The bracts are found in bright colours of pink, magenta, purple, red, orange, white or yellow depending on the species. 

Bougainvillea with orange bracts

Bougainvillea is woody and can be used as a container plant, or allowed to grow in length to serve as a hedge or a climber.  In the Med house there is a variegated variety that has been trained to grow around the circular opening, looking into the upper floor area.  

Variegated Bougainvillea trained around the
circular opening.

Look up to see the thick branches

The trunk can be quite thick as the branches grow to lengths of up to 12 metres.  

Thorns at base of each leaf

Thorns are found at the base of each leaf, helping the vine to climb and producing heavier thorns along the branches as they mature.  The thorns are coated with a mildly poisonous substance that can cause redness and itching upon contact.

Notice the thorns along the
branches. 

So, go have a look and forget the winter while you soak in the sights of a Mediterranean Garden.