Bambino Bougainvilleas

In the Garden > Flowering Plants & Shrubs

Bambino Bougainvilleas

Bougainvilleas are among the most colourful and the most spectacular flowering plants. However they can be rampant climbers that can take over the garden, choking trees.

The answer for the average size garden lies in dwarf bougainvilleas. They can be used in the garden in essentially the same way as a flowering azalea or a rose but with the advantage that, unlike roses or azaleas, bougainvilleas thrive in tropical climates. They are also suited to growing in a large pot or hanging basket.

New varieties

There is now a series of small bougainvillea varieties that have been available in Australia since spring (October) 1997. They are called the Bambino Series and have been bred or introduced to Australia by bougainvillea expert Jan Iredell. The new varieties grow to around 1.5m (5') tall and wide. They still have thorns but they are not as sharp or as big as the larger growing varieties.

Over the following three to four years there will be successive releases of new varieties some with unusually coloured flowers including pale and strong yellows, oranges, pinks, shades of lavender, white and some bi-colours. Earlier varieties that are available in this series are:

'Bambino Zuki' - Variegated foliage with a purply-pink flower

'Bambino Bokay' - Flowers open a soft golden orange and mature to a mauvy pink colour giving a bicolour effect.

'Bambino Pedro' - Strong reddish orange flowers which would work well in a Mediterranean-inspired garden.

'Bambino Shaba' - The new flowers are orange fading to mauvy-purple with age giving a bicolour effect.

The new varieties available are

'Bambino Majik' - White colour that blushes pinkish purple, particularly in a sunny position.

'Bambino Miski' - Starts off a sort of orange colour that fades to a purplish pink and in between has a tango shade. It has grey-green foliage and suits a garden full of hot coloured plants.

'Bambino Krishna' - A weeping variety that flowers in an iridescent mauve.

Climate: Bougainvillea will grow in all but the coldest parts of Australia. In frost-prone areas it may be 'burnt' in winter but should regrow in spring. Do not remove frost damaged foliage until all threat of frost has passed.

Uses:

As a specimen shrub in the garden. Potted on a paved area or in a hanging basket.

Care:

Full sun to semi-shade. Well-drained soil. Cut off taller or wayward shoots to prune into a shrub and maintain height and size. Can be clipped to shape. Will flower for most of the year. To get flushes of colour through the year fertilise after flowering. A month later there will be another flush of colour lasting for six to eight weeks. This continues throughout the year, particularly in warmer climates. If grown in pots, water thoroughly then leave until the soil is dry before rewatering.

Availability

The Bambino series of bougainvilleas is distributed by members of the Colourstream Group, and should be available at your local garden centre. To contact the Colourstream Group contact Aaron Ziebell, Phone (07) 3372 4064.

Further information

For more information about bougainvilleas, refer to Jan Iredell's books: The Bougainvillea Growers Handbook (Simon & Schuster, 1991, $12.95 rrp) Growing Bougainvilleas (Simon & Schuster, 1994, $19.95 rrp).