Bougainvillea glabra Variegata

Bougainvillea glabra 'Variegata' is a beautiful variety with variegated foliage, derived from this climbing plant which is perfect for exotic and Mediterranean gardens. Being one of the most spectacular plants, the sight of a Bougainvillea in full bloom is unforgettable. From spring to the end of summer, the plant is covered with vivid pink-violet inflorescences, consisting of coloured bracts surrounding a discreet white flower. An additional advantage is that the green foliage margined with white is decorative all year round. As a climbing plant, this Bougainvillea can be maintained as a bush through appropriate pruning, or simply trained on a trellis. Outside of the sunniest and most sheltered coastal gardens, it can be grown in a pot and stored in a cool and bright place during winter, keeping it frost-free.

Bougainvillea glabra 'Variegata', better known as Bougainvillea, belongs to the Nyctaginaceae family, just like Mirabilis jalapa. The species is native to the tropical forests of Brazil.  It is the origin of many cultivars and recent hybrids. It is also the most commonly used species for bonsai cultivation. Bougainvillea glabra 'Variegata' is a climbing shrub with relatively slow growth, whose long branches cling to their support through woody and hooked spines. Under favourable conditions, the plant will reach 4 meters (13 feet) in height with a spread of about 2 metres (7 feet), but these dimensions will be more modest if it is grown in a pot and pruned to maintain compactness. It is possible to shape it into a branched plant in a large container. The leaves are entire, ovate and rounded, with a cordate base, glabrous, slightly soft in texture and a bright medium green colour, with a beautiful white variegation in the form of a more or less wide and irregular margin around the petiole, and can also extend into the lamina. This bright foliage is decorative all year round. The flowers bloom from May to September on 2-year-old branches. Grouped in panicles, they are small white tubular flowers, highly appreciated by pollinating insects. In reality, it is the bracts that surround them, which are medium size, 4 to 6 cm (2in) and a vivid pink-violet colour, that are admired. Their delicate and wavy texture is reminiscent of tissue paper (in English, this flower is called the Paper Flower).  Bougainvillea is not very hardy, only tolerating brief frosts of around -3°C (26.6°F).

Bougainvillea glabra 'Variegata' combines the exuberance of the flowering of its counterparts with the appeal of beautiful variegated foliage. Under climates that allow outdoor cultivation, it can be paired with other ornamental plants that are sensitive to cold, such as Cestrum elegans 'Rubrum', another shrub with a very long flowering period, in the form of red clusters composed of small tubular flowers. Tibouchina semidecandra with its incredible violet flowers from July to October will also be a good companion to create a tropical scene.