california native flora

Bougainvillea Buttiana ‘Barbara Karst’

Click Image To Enlarge

This is the one of our three Bougies that we planted in the ground, the other two are in large pots. Some folks consider this a vine, others a shrub. Either way we are hoping they’ll grow quickly and become colorful screens in the areas we have placed them.

Bougainvilleas are native to Brazil and the various species display a variety of bright colors. The Barbara Karst Bougainvillea has deep pink to scarlet colored bracts with tiny white flowers in the center. It has the potential to grow anywhere from 8 to 20 feet high but can be kept under control with pruning. My wife and I saw some real giant specimens outside a hotel in San Diego that went all the way up it’s two stories.

This Bougainvillea needs full sun and occasional watering. Bougies are prone to mineral deficiencies that can cause some problems with growth and foliage. It is useful to feed the plants now and again with a balanced fertilizer but use should be judicious since the plant also has aphid problems that can be made worse with over-fertilization.

Click on the image to zoom in.