Bougainvillea [Scarlett O'Hara]

RHS Plant Profile
bougainvillea 'San Diego Red'

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bougainvillea 'San Diego Red' RHS

Synonyms

Bougainvillea 'Hawaiian Scarlet', Bougainvillea [Scarlett O'Hara]

Climber Wall Shrub Conservatory Greenhouse

a cultivar with pinkish-red bracts. It can tolerate lower temperatures than many other Bougainvillea cultivars

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

8-12 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
2.5-4 metres
Max Height
8-12 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–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
Synonym

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. layering can be done in early autumn or spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Patio and container plants
  • Sub-tropical
  • Wall side borders

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