This thorny vine is very drought tolerant and can be allowed to grow up a wall or shaped into a nice landscaped bush. They are beautiful ornamental plants, but they are very frost-sensitive. A frost or freezing temperatures will kill the exposed plant, leaving a thorny dried-up plant till spring, at which time they need to be cut back. Because of their sharp thorns, this is not a pleasant task — one that I hate. In our five winters in Tucson, the bougainvilleas made it through the winter season only once.
The last two mornings we have had lows of 35 degrees without a frost — maybe on the top of cars. Getting freezing temperatures in the winter are more likely in Tucson than our big sister to the north because our elevation is 2,600 ft, vs Phoenix at 1,100 ft. Plus, we are usually drier here causing the upper-level cold air to drop closer to the ground over night.
At any rate, after hearing the weather forecast a few days ago, I decided to take a few photos of one of my favorite plants. In equatorial regions, they tend to flower all year round in. Elsewhere, they are seasonal, with bloom cycles typically four to six weeks. The actual flower of the bougainvillea is small and generally white, surrounded by three or six modified bright colored leaves.
kenne
Bougainvillea Images by kenne
View From a Villa
yonder is a flaming red, vintage corolla
basking in the sun in the yard of this villa,
casting no shadow,
while by the window,
dances a burning bush, blazing bougainvillea!
–Romeo Naces
![[ ... the watchtower ]](https://i0.wp.com/live.staticflickr.com/65535/55625242586_30d9ea7de3_s.jpg?w=1000&ssl=1 "[ ... the watchtower ]")
What gorgeous colours! 🙂 Would love to have those here, but in the Texas Hill Country? I’d hate the work of cutting them back in the spring, too.
For me, it’s worth the trade-off.
I think you may be right there. I need to check more about hat gorgeous plant. What I’ve found so far is that you should take it inside for the winter. That would not be possible for us. But you seem to keep them outside, don’t you?
I always admired these growing all over fences in the warmer climates of California, especially. Their vibrant colors really grab the eyes’ attention.
So true Kenne, one of the most beautiful exotic flowers around but so hard to tend, those thorns and they tend to run wild with their thick stems wanting to consume all that is near them. Still, soooo beautiful.