What do South Africans think of Bougainvilleas (the tree)....?

I planted one in my garden a while back, I had always found them to be a rather attractive tree and opted for one primarily for its relative ease of maintenance and rapid growth.


Now that the tree is "fully" grown, I find myself wondering if it is in fact a tree or in reality, a weed, it spreads like wild fire and I find myself having to prune at least once a month, not to mention the mess it creates through dead leaves and flowers, so much for low maintenance, reminds me of when we were students and we opted for the average girls who in our minds would be less work than the pretty ones but ended up being premadonnas.


What are your impressions of the Bougainvillea and do you have any planted in your garden?

What do South Africans think of Bougainvilleas (the tree)....?
Yes I have 5 the nice thorns work as a burglar deterrent, but I am speaking under correction I think the purple one has been declared an invader species especially in Natal or going to be. It can become monsterous if you do not keep on trimming it regularly.
Reply:Oh dear, havent seen those in quite a while (maybe I'm ignorant), but I loved them when I was a little girl (and no I did not eat them) and still do. Well since we have people who come by once a month to do our garden, I wouldnt mind having them because I wouldnt have to do the dirty job,lol! Just adore the pretty pinkish purple... :o) actually, I love pretty stuff. Yes they seem a lot of work, but I think to a degree they are worth it. Plus you could always pop some on your wifes tray when you make her breakfast in the morning... (hint, nudge, nudge)





Why dont you get a gardener to come in once a month?





and whats this about pretty and average girls? lol! We average girls arent premadonnas you know. We have more substance than the pretty girls who are aware of their beauty...lol! (nothing personal to all beauties out there)
Reply:They are quite beautiful. We have in our garden, what the guy at the nursery call, a dwarf Bougainvillea. The flowers are a little smaller and it doesn't grow as wildly as the normal one. It requires a trim every 6 months or so, but no major maintenance.
Reply:I had the same problem , i got mine chopped off a few months ago cos my daughter picks the flowers that fall and munches them...they look lekker but are very messy...
Reply:Bull, thank you, I have had the pleasure of killing off about 10 Bougainvilleas or more specifically my Boerboel loves the taste of those purple and pink flowers - I just cant get them to survive - so now I dont feel so bad..... THANKS
Reply:hah, the bougainvillea is not an indigenous plant and should be removed. Nice to look at I admit, but these alien species cause havoc, especially in the fynbos. Like some other non-native species I could mention!!!!! LOL!!! I am joking okay!
Reply:They are beautiful when in full bloom and I must admit that they do make a difference in a garden. Have you seen them at Hartebeespoort Dam and along the road to Sun City from Hartebees? They are stunning. I will not plant one in my garden because of the way they grow. The roots is always going for the drain pipes and you have to unblock them frequently. Nice to look at but rather in your garden than mine Bull. Good luck with them.
Reply:is there a hidden meaning in your question?
Reply:I love them, but would you call it a tree or a climber, I have several in my garden, and I have noticed that the white variety are not as hardy as the pink variety, I have done everything to get mine to grow, but they are taking there time...I do not know what the problem is, but I am disappointed, as I thought they were hardy, mine seem to be extremely sensitive...
Reply:I love bougainvilleas, and yes they do make a mess and need pruning. Where must I get material for my compost, if not from this flourishing climber?





On the other hand, I have, due to the frosty cold winters here in Germany, had to restrict my bougainvillea to growing in a pot, and that already reduces the growth rate. For me it is worth it, because the lovely vivid purple flowers keep long into the winter, in fact, mine only dropped its flowers in January to go into its winter dormancy. And is now starting to "wake up" again, so I will be having a long flowering period to enjoy.





The mistake many seem to make, is to provide too little space for this plant. I regard it as a creeper, but Mine is trained as a shrub, so it could very well be seen as a tree. The stem is strong enough to support it when mature.


A 2 x 4 metre pergola is the absolute minimum for this plant. And it is a hungry plant, as Blue Bull says, plant well away from drains etc.





*Edit* I did not find the bougainvillea on the invader list, but have a look anyway, it is an interesting site:





http://www.gardeningeden.co.za/plants-in...

omar