Bougainvillea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bougainvillea |
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Bougainvillea
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Bougainvillea is a group of beautiful flowering plants. These plants are often grown in gardens in warm places around the world. Bougainvilleas first came from South America. They are climbing plants that are popular for decoration in tropical countries and in the southern United States. Bougainvillea is even the national flower of Grenada! In colder areas, people often grow these plants in greenhouses to keep them warm. The bougainvillea plant is named after a French explorer, Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, who first saw it.
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What Makes Bougainvillea Special?
Bougainvillea is a tropical vine, which means it's a plant that grows by climbing or trailing. What makes it so famous are its large, colorful parts that look like petals. These colorful parts are actually special leaves called bracts. The real flowers of the bougainvillea are quite small and plain, usually white or yellowish, and are found in the middle of these bright bracts.
Colors and Size
The bracts can be many different bright colors, like magenta (a bright pink-purple), purple, yellow, or crimson (a deep red). Each bract can be about one inch (2.5 cm) or more long. Some types of bougainvillea have climbing stems that can grow very long, sometimes reaching up to 100 feet (30 meters)! Because their bracts are thin and feel like paper, bougainvilleas are sometimes called "paper flowers."
Where Do Bougainvilleas Grow?
Bougainvilleas love warm weather and lots of sunshine. This is why they grow so well in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. You can see them brightening up gardens, walls, and fences in places like Florida and California in the United States, as well as many countries in South America, Asia, and Africa. They are very tough plants once they are established and can handle dry periods.
Images for kids
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Bougainvillea in Behbahan. You can see many small white flowers among the larger, colorful bracts.
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A close-up photo of Bougainvillea spectabilis in Hawaii, showing its small thorns.
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Bougainvillea glabra growing in Kerala, India.
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A branch of pink bougainvillea.
See also
In Spanish: Veranera para niños
