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Climber Wall Shrub

Bougainvillea 'Elsbet'

bougainvillea 'Elsbet'

A tropical woody-stemmed climber, with prolific oval leaves, evergreen if kept in warm conditions. Produces clusters of bright, lilac pink bracts around small, tubular flowers in summer

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Ultimate height

4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

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)

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: Unresolved

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

Get involved

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