Bougainvillea spectabilis 'Margaret Bacon'

RHS Plant Profile
bougainvillea 'Margaret Bacon'

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Climber Wall Shrub

A tender, woody-stemmed scrambling schrub to 5m high, with thorny stems and downy, light green ovate leaves, evergreen if kept in warm conditions. Produces clusters of showy, bright pink bracts around small, tubular white flowers in summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam

Max Height

4-8 metres

Max Spread

4-8 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
4-8 metres
Max Height
4-8 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H2

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Nyctaginaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Semi evergreen
Habit
Climbing
Genus
Bougainvillea are scandent evergreen shrubs, sometimes thorny, with simple ovate leaves and clusters of small tubular flowers each enclosed by 3 showy, brightly coloured ovate bracts
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow outdoors in frost-free areas, or indoors in a peat-free, loam-based potting compost in full light. May lose leaves if temperatures fall below 8°C (46°F), but this should not affect the following season's growth as long as the plant is protected from frost and freezing temperatures. Water regularly and feed monthly from spring to autumn. See bougainvillea cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in spring, or semi-hardwood cuttings in summer, or by layering in early autumn or spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Climber and wall shrubs
  • Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

Pruning group 12 (after flowering)

Pests

May be susceptible to red spider mites, mealybugs, aphids and whitefly

Diseases

Generally disease-free