They love to climb, mass and sometimes you can help them pretend they are trees. In fact, look closely and you’ll see their petals resemble distinctly veined leaves. Paper thin and delicate, nonetheless. Delicious colors that look wonderful against a stucco wall, or draping arbor columns on a patio. Putting or keeping them in the pots you bought is a good idea. They like getting root-bound.
A little caution should be exercised when planting them; they prefer the south side of the house and will need to be covered on cold nights, so be sure to plant enough to show, but not so many you’ll develop a chore you dread, come January and February’s colder evenings. Our expert gardening friends say these beauties tend to thrive with neglect. Just be sure they get lots of sun and they’ll reward you with vibrant colors during the winter months, when other flowers are sleeping, and they have the stage to themselves. There are lots of bougainvillea clubs and online forums around and if you’re new to this plant, you can find some ready help to get you started.
