Bougainvillea spectabilis is a perennial woody vine that can grow up to 12 m tall. It is a popular ornamental plant used for its shade and attractive flowers.
You can easily identify it by its large and far-reaching vines with thorny stems, and colorful bracts, which can be red, orange, pink, or purple.
Bougainvillea spectabilis Classification
- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Spermatophyta
- Subphylum: Angiospermae
- Class: Dicotyledonae
- Order: Caryophyllales
- Family: Nyctaginaceae
- Genus: Bougainvillea
- Species: Bougainvillea spectabilis
- Common Names: Bougainvillea, Great Bougainvillea, and Purple Bougainvillea
Nativity and Distribution
Bougainvillea is native to Brazil. It has been introduced into other tropical and temperate regions, including:
- Asia
- Africa
- West Indies
- Tropical America
Physical Characteristics
- Leaves: Green, ovate or elliptical, with acute, obtuse, or acuminate apex
- Fruits: Small, 5-ribbed, elongated achene
- Stems: Pubescent, with long, narrow spines
- Flowers: Axillary clusters of three flowers, surrounded by colorful bracts
- Roots: Fibrous root system
Bougainvillea is a woody vine or shrub that can grow up to 12 m tall. It reproduces by seeds and can be propagated vegetatively by stem fragments and cuttings.
It can be easily identified by its large and far-reaching vines, thorny stems, and colorful bracts which can be red, orange, pink, or purple.
The leaves are alternate, 4-13 cm long and 2-5 cm wide, ovate or elliptical, with an acute, obtuse, or acuminate apex and sinuate margins. Based on a region’s rainfall levels, the leaves can be evergreen or deciduous.
Stems are pubescent, 1-2 cm wide, with long, narrow spines that appear on the leaf axils. The thorns (which can be up to 5 cm long in larger plants) help it to attach and climb other vegetation.
Bougainvillea spectabilis flowers are located in axillary clusters of three, with bracts, that can be red, orange, pink, or purple beneath. In Brazil and other countries across the tropics, it flowers periodically throughout the year. For colder places, it flowers at the end of winter and in spring.
The fruit is a small, narrow, dry, 5-ribbed, elongated achene.
Reproduction, Dispersal, and Life Cycle
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- Seeds: It produces three seeds per flower
- Climate: Tropical and warm temperate climates
- Dispersal: Wind and water
Bougainvillea spectabilis behaves as a perennial plant, thriving in tropical, subtropical, and warm climates. It reproduces by seeds, with each flower producing three seeds.
The seeds are light and easily dispersed by wind and water. However, the plant has a poor germination rate and the viable seeds tend to sprout after 30 days.
Therefore, the plant is mainly propagated through root and stem cuttings, flowering after 1-3 years.
It grows best in open areas with full sunlight and prefers well-drained soil. Bougainvillea also exhibits high salt tolerance, can withstand drought, and hot, dry conditions.
Uses
- Bougainvillea is a highly commercialized ornamental plant, popular for its attractive bracts.
- It is planted along hedges, in parks, and gardens for its shade and around houses or fences to discourage intruders.
- Bougainvillea plants are grown in cities to help mitigate environmental pollution.
- The flower bracts are used to make a beverage called agua de buganvilia in the Caribbean and across America.
- The plant has pinitol, a compound with the potential to assist in developing diabetes treatment.
Impact on Farms and Environment
While bougainvillea may be a popular ornamental, it is a woody vine plant, and it aggressively climbs over shrubs and trees, suffocating them. It also suppresses the growth of the lower vegetation, reducing and altering native biodiversity.
The thorns can cause physical injury or dermatitis with symptoms such as a rash, swelling, and pain.
Control
- Mechanical control: Cutting the shoots and pulling out the roots
- Chemical control: Apply a herbicide like glyphosate
To control Bougainvillea spectabilis, cut the climbing shoots and pull out the root system. Ensure that you wear thornproof gloves and protective eyewear when attending to the plant. If you prefer to maintain the ornamental, prune the shoots and tie them to a fence or pergola for support.
Where bougainvillea growth is unwanted, cut the upper stems and leaves and apply a herbicide like glyphosate on the lower stems for effective control.
Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.