About
Bougainvillea 'Alexandra' is a thorny, woody vine with small, oval leaves that are evergreen in milder climates where temperatures do not drop below 2°C. During the summer months, it produces clusters of vibrant pink-purple bracts that encase delicate, white tubular flowers.
About the genus
Bougainvillea consists of climbing evergreen shrubs that may have thorns. They feature simple, oval-shaped leaves and bear clusters of small tubular flowers, each surrounded by three vibrant, oval bracts.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H2
Plant details
- Plant type
- Climber Wall Shrub
- Habit
- Climbing
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 2.5-4 metres
- Spread
- 2.5-4 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Mediterranean climate plants, Patio and container plants, Sub-tropical
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Under glass grow in peat-free, loam-based potting compost in full light; water freely in summer and keep just moist in winter. Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly. If container grown can be put outside in summer. Water sparingly in winter. May survive short spells down to 0°C if kept fairly dry, but preferred minimum temperature is 7-10°C. See bougainvillea cultivation
- Pruning
- Pruning group 12 in early spring/after flowering
- Propagation
- Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings in summer or softwood cuttings in early spring. Layer in early autumn or spring
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to glasshouse whitefly, mealybugs, aphids and glasshouse red spider mite
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free