Bougainvillea << `boo` guhn VIHL ee uh >> is the name of a group of South American shrubs and climbing vines. They grow to a height of 10 feet (3 meters) or more. They have small flowers that are enclosed by large, colorful bracts (modified leaves). The bracts may be red, purple, pink, orange, or pale yellow. Bougainvillea were named for the French explorer Louis-Antoine de Bougainville. They are often grown as porch climbers in the South and in California, and for hedges in South America. They must be kept in greenhouses in colder climates. They are raised from cuttings.
