After painfully watching some of my native desert plants shrivel under our sweltering southwestern sun, I decided I had had enough! I finally agreed to grow a bougainvillea in my drought-tolerant landscape, and brother, was I surprised and delighted! As it turns out, my bougainvillea loves high heat, and thrives in the sweltering, baking sun!
our blistering southwestern summer. In fact,
the hotter and sunnier, the better
for this hardy, colorful plant!
Photo by Doug Martin
Bougainvillea loves high heat
Many native plants went dormant or died
In the past, I silently denigrated people who included bougainvilleas in their southwestern landscapes. ‘What about all of the beautiful and hardy native plants?’, I challenged them in my mind. ‘Why not include them?’
After all, it seemed like many of my agaves and other drought-tolerant plants went dormant during the summer. Some never made it out of their dormancy, and died!
Bougainvilleas add a Mediterranean ambience
However, after losing countless agaves, cactus plants, and sotols, among other native plants, I noticed that the bougainvilleas in my neighborhood were flourishing. Plus, they really brightened up the landscape with lush, Mediterranean-styles of color throughout the year.
I bought various bougainvillea colors
So, last fall I bought a few bougainvilleas and planted them around my landscape. I bought a few varieties, but avoided the typical red variety that is too common in the suburbs of Phoenix.
thrives during our southwestern summers,
and the lovely colors prove it!
Photo by Doug Martin
Varieties of bougainvillea in my xeriscape
Here are the varieties of bougainvillea that I bought. Even after our record-breaking hot summer in southwestern Arizona, every single one of them is flourishing one year later!
Acclimate, then prune
After planting each variety in the fall, I allowed time for the plants to become acclimated and their root systems to develop. Then, in the spring, I pruned them back pretty severely, and then waited. In a few weeks, I was rewarded with lucious new growth and prolific blooms.
Here are the bougainvillea varieties that I planted in my arid landscape near Phoenix, Arizona:
Imperial Thai Delight Bougainvillea:
This bougainvillea variety features bracts that start with a white coloration. But, with enough sun, the white bracts quickly transition into pink, purple hues that look so beautiful, and so unique!
The Imperial Thai Delight is probably my favorite bougainvillea in my landscape. And, it survived and thrived during its first sweltering southwestern summer near Phoenix, Arizona!
California Gold Bougainvillea, or maybe Gold Rush:
The bracts on this variety turn a rich, warm golden hue. Golden-yellow colors add a warm vibrancy and contrast well with nearby cactus plants.
I ordered this plant online, and the nursery sent it to me in the mail! It was just a small cutting with roots, and I was worried that it might not survive.
Fortunately, it did survive, and it is now a small bush that will continue to grow wider and taller, depending on how I prune it.
Sundown Orange Bougainvillea:
Bracts start off with an orange coloration, and slowly change to rich pink and coral hues. This is really a lovely variety, and stands from the common red varieties.
Firecracker Red Bougainvillea:
Even though I have knocked the red varieties of bougainvillea, I did buy a red variety. However, the Firecracker Red Bougainvillea stays smaller, and is more well-contained—it’s a perfect plant for a container.
But, I did plant it in my landscape, and it is really looking beautiful. The bracts are a deep red, but the leaves are smaller than my other bougainvilleas—it appears to be a more petite variety.
to an arid landscape. Here, I had to add fencing
to protect the tender branches from rabbits.
When the branches get thicker,
I’ll be able to remove the fencing.
Photo by Doug Martin
Provided afternoon shade for the cuttings
I ordered two bougainvillea varieties online, and received the cuttings in the mail! They were small, solid branches, and had a nice root system.
But, to be certain that they survived their first summer in my arid landscape, I gave them temporary afternoon shade. That shelter from the sun was vital to their survival, I believe.
Now that they have a very well-developed root system, and the branches have grown thicker, I am sure they will survive the next summer without additional shade!
More information about growing bougainvilleas
If you’d like to learn more about growing bougainvilleas, read about the pros and cons of including this hardy plant in your landscape! In addition, we have some care guidelines for bougainvilleas that you might find useful.
TAKEAWAYS
Bougainvillea loves high heat
To sum it all up, bougainvillea loves high heat! In fact, the ones that I recently included in my southwestern xeriscape are thriving. It seems that the more sun and the more heat, the better for this colorful plant.
They receive 100% sun throughout our scorchingly hot southwestern summers. My bougainvilleas are also drought-tolerant, although they should receive more water during their first year of growth.
I’m so happy that I have included bougainvilleas in my arid landscape, and I suspect that you will be happy, too!
Bougainvillea loves high heat comments
If you are already growing bougainvillea plants in your landscape, please share your experiences in the comments section below!
Content and photos by Doug Martin and The Zen Xeriscape
