It’s not the flowers that make this plant so colorful, it’s actually the magenta bracts. The actual flowers of the plant are just three tiny and white tubular blooms surrounded by three or six bracts.
These paper-like bracts (modified or specialized leaf) can come in different shades including white, red, yellow, pink, orange, purple and salmon.
The Bougainvillea is a genus of thorny, flowering plants native to South America. It was named after French Navy admiral and explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville, who discovered the vine in Brazil in 1768 together with French Botanist Philibert Commercon, during their voyage to the Pacific Ocean.
The vine species grow anywhere from 1-12 m (3-39 ft) tall. They grow rapidly and burst forth with colorful flowers year round.
Bougainvillea thrives in places that are hot and relatively dry. Bougainvilleas are popular ornamental plants, including in many countries in Asia, Australia, and South Africa.
We had bougainvillea flower on our backyard back in Papua New Guinea but never really took a good look at it. I never noticed it had this beautiful little flowers on them.
ReplyDeleteThis is a new insight! I've always thought of bougainvillea just like many flowers. I didn't realize that the tiny blooms within are the flowers, too. I love flowers and I like taking photos of them.
ReplyDeletei didn't know they come in so many different colours! i always thought they're just magenta!
ReplyDeleteMany people take God's beautiful creations for granted. You are absolutely right, it's the bracts that are attractive. But we tend to focus more on the bracts than looking into the small blooms - just like how we often focus on outer beauty more than the inner beauty of others. Thanks for sharing the lovely photos of the Bougainvillea.
ReplyDeleteI knew about the colored bracts of bougainvillea, but i never knew that the small blossoms come in threes! Amazing how leaves have been modified by nature to serve to attract bees to make up for the small plain flowers.
ReplyDeleteThere's something very mystical about these flowers. Especially the last one!! So gorgeous! :)
ReplyDeleteI have always been amazed with those little flowers. They are so simple if you look at them from afar, but if you look closely you will see that there is more beauty inside.
ReplyDeleteWe have this flowers in our old house, my grandparents house. And yes, it is very lovely to look at especially the small flowers in the middle. Love to play with it, by adding it to my "bahay-bahayan",as one of my dish. Hehehehe.
ReplyDeleteLike the color of the last picture, a bougainvillea with wonderful petals. Nice to know this different kinds of bougainvillea.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the flower I love. Btw, never see a mixed color one. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOh! You know what, I never quite realise that these are flowers within flowers. Indeed, a bougainvillea's an amazing plant.
ReplyDeleteBougainvillea is just so beautiful. It's really unique to have a flower within a flower.
ReplyDeleteBougainvillea are common in Malaysia and Singapore. But I've never really stop to notice the flower within flower... sigh... this show how much I'm caught up with life that I don't see.
ReplyDeleteBougainvillea looks so beautiful and such a gorgeous colour. I have read lot of stories about it as a kid and was so fascinated by it.
ReplyDeleteThis is the most vcommon floweer for us Filipinos. We used to have this flower when I was young.
ReplyDeleteI remember I always bring Bougainvillea flowers and offer it Mama Mary during Flores-de-Mayo mass.
ReplyDeleteThese Flowers are my favorite!I used to call them "paper flowers".
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen a rainbow colored Bougainvillea ever! Is that real? LOL! I am not so much into flowers because I am allergic to pollens but my husband does, even if he has the same allergy. My grandma would definitely want to grow some!
ReplyDeleteI love that plant, Mama has that in here house. Unfortunately, wala nyan dito Kuya.
ReplyDeleteBreathtakingly beautiful! I particularly love the multicoloured.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen the rainbow color of the bougainvillea, I'd love to see it with my own two eyes though, but you are right those bracts that covers those tiny flowers makes it so unique.
ReplyDeleteI love bougainvilleas but I haven't seen one like the last picture. It's shade is cool and they look good in gardens and houses. And the colored flowers are edible too.
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