Plantidote of the Day 2010-10-20
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Common name: Bougainvillea
Nyctaginaceae
A Zone 10 staple, bougainvillea (boo-gun-VEE-ya) grows just about anywhere in this area, from oceanfront estates to apartment patios to freeway landscapes. Bougainvilleas are known for profuse blooms and gorgeous colors; the salmon-colored variety shown here is from the subtle side of the palette. Electric reds, purples and gold on the other end are practically neon in their intensity. To see a mature bougainvillea (6 to 10 or more feet tall and just as wide) in full bloom cascading over a wall is truly breathtaking. But, like poinsettias, the beauty is in the plant's bracts, not its flowers, which are the little spiky things growing in the centers.
Once established, bougainvillea requires almost no attention. It seems to thrive on sunlight and a little water. But don't even think about touching the roots! As sturdy as these plants are above ground, the root system is exactly the opposite. Moving a bougainvillea is very delicate work, so it's best to plant it in a place where it can be left undisturbed or keep it in a large pot.
Two downsides worth mentioning: One, the bracts, which bloom practically year round here, die very quickly when they're removed, so the branches can't be used as cut flowers, and they don't dry well, either. Two, in many varieties, the stems are equipped with some pretty fierce thorns. Fierce as in 1-2" long and sharp as needles. Consider yourself warned!
Readers, please send me (twig4now@gmail.com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a “Name That Plant” mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.
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Comments
Beautiful!!!
If only they grew up here!
lovely
I can't resist them myself. You're right about the thorns, since I can only grow them in pots, they "survive" until they need to be transplanted.
So beautiful
James Walker variety against a blue sky is incomparable.
I've actually seen a couple up here but can't imagine they last the winter.
There may be hope, bougainvillea-wise at least,
for you northerners. A couple garden books say that if they are sheltered during the coldest weather (either indoors or near a wall that could keep them warm) they can be grown in cold climates.
They can even survive winter damage once they're established, according to the authoritays. Although I think that's pretty optimistic. Or it may mean that in areas like this, where it frosts once every 20 years, they can cope.
If it makes you feel any better, they are very messy, shedding bracts constantly. Those can be pretty for a day or so, while they retain their color, kind of like paper butterflies. Then they turn brown and the party's over. Good for compost, though.
I had an indoor bougainvillea once
The poor thing struggled to survive in the Rocky Mountains. Adding trauma to chronic stress was the time my son emptied a water glass into the plant. The trouble was I was sick so it wasn't water at all but a home remedy which contained a few very potent drops of JR Watkins Apothecary Liniment (My grandmother's special recipe. Don't try this at home. It isn't intended for internal use).
We flushed the soil immediately (or tried to) but within two days it had lost every single leaf and bract. I gave it over three months to recover with no sign of improvement. I wasn't completely sure it wasn't dead but I wanted to give it a chance. One evening as I was going to bed I glanced over and thought that I couldn't keep those bare vines anymore and I guess I better get rid of it. The very next morning it had two tiny brand new leaves. The two of us took up where we left off previously and together we struggled mightily for its survival for the next few years.
I think they might be sentient.
Wow, sj, I'm impressed!!
You actually got one to grow indoors? Special Plantidote hat tip to you -- that's a real achievement!!
Thanks
It was tough. My house has a huge skylight in the bedroom so it got lots of natural light and I had to position the plant very carefully so that it didn't get direct sunlight or it would start to burn, but if it wasn't close enough to the sun's rays it wouldn't bloom. That meant regularly changing the position very slightly as the seasons changed. Which also meant rearranging the vines. And trying to figure out the watering was as almost as painful.
I can't recall now what brought about its final demise. But I had it for a few years. I think she knew how hard I was trying to keep her alive and she did her best but in the end? As you know, it's not really an indoor plant.
You're right, sj, probably not a happy plant in a house,
but wow -- you did your best! Amazing that she lasted for years.
(So glad to see I'm not the only one who anthropomorphizes plants!)