Bougainvillea 'Alexandra'

RHS Plant Profile

bougainvillea 'Alexandra'

RHS

Synonyms

Bougainvillea glabra 'Alexandra'

Climber Wall Shrub

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A woody-stemmed, thorny climber with small, soft, oval leaves, retained all year if temperatures remain above 2C. Clusters of showy, pink-purple bracts surround the small, white, tubular flowers in summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 2.5-4 metres
Max Height: 2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Alkaline 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: 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

Under glass grow in peat-free, loam-based potting compost in full light; water freely in summer and keep just moist in winter. Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly. If container grown can be put outside in summer. Water sparingly in winter. May survive short spells down to 0°C if kept fairly dry, but preferred minimum temperature is 7-10°C. See bougainvillea cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings in summer or softwood cuttings in early spring. Layer in early autumn or spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Mediterranean climate plants
Patio and container plants
Sub-tropical
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

Pruning group 12 in early spring/after flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse whitefly, mealybugs, aphids and glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases

Generally disease-free