Bougainvillea
Did you know that Bougainvillea may have been first described, in 1789, by a woman disguised as a man so that she could accompany her lover, a fellow botanist, on a round-the-world sailing expedition? Or that the shrub is native to South America, not Africa as commonly thought?
BOUGAINVILLEA
Bougainvillea is now grown around the globe, often seen in photos of the Mediterranean towns and cities, resorts of the Red Sea, Asian and South American destinations, and especially the Greek Islands – you can’t find a photo of Santorini without a brilliant Bougainvillea lurking in the background. And no wonder – the plant provides brilliant and plentiful year-round flowers in many colours of the rainbow, is easy to grow, is drought and frost tolerant, easily handles salty soil, can be shaped into colorful tunnels and overhangs and guided to follow fence lines, climb over entryways or even scale entire buildings. It is very common around Costa Rica too, seen all over Ojochal and surrounding Costa Ballena towns and villages. Bougainvillea was spread around the world by the French and British – in the 19th century the famous Kew Gardens, where Bougainvillea was grown, distributed the plant to British colonies around the globe. The French were equally proficient in spreading the plant to their own current and former colonies.
HISTORY AND FIRST DESCRIPTION
Let’s return to the plant’s first description by the Europeans, which is a very interesting story! There are two competing theories about the first person to describe the plant. The plant bears the name of French Navy’s Admiral Louis Antoine de Bougainville who, in 1776, left on a voyage to circumnavigate the earth. Accompanying him was Philibert Commerçon, a respected botanist and his valet who dressed, looked and acted like a man but was later revealed to be a woman and his future wife, Jeanne Baret. Jeanne was an expert botanist and since women were not allowed on ships during those times, putting on a disguise was the only way she could travel the seas to explore the world for new species of plants. Now, which of the two lovebirds were the first to see and describe Bougainvillea near the present-day city of Rio de Janeiro? There are conflicting reports but there is a case to be made for both Philibert and Jeanne holding the honor. Oh, and by the way – Jeanne came out as a woman when the ship docked in Tahiti and went on to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe on the same journey. Notably, after Philibert’s passing, she bought a pub and was cited, on several occasions, for serving beer on a Sunday. She is a very interesting character and, undoubtedly, there will be a Netflix miniseries about her.
ABOUT THE PLANT
Bougainvillea is also known as a ‘paper flower’ because of the thinness of the (usually) three or six brilliantly colored leaves that surround the tiny flowers and their stems. These leaves area called ‘bracts’ – they differ from other leaves of the plant and are modified to help with the flowering, pollination and seeding – and they are not the ‘flowers’ of Bougainvillea, this is a common misconception. In the center of the bracts are the actual flowers and, later, fruit of the Bougainvillea – in the photo below you can see the small white flowers in various stages of maturity.
Another interesting fact about the MAGENTA varieties of Bougainvillea, such as one pictured below – the color ‘Magenta’ is a scam. It does not exist. You will not find it on the spectrum rainbow. It is a color that combines Red (the leftmost color on the spectrum, with the lowest wavelength, a lower wavelength gives the invisible infrared) and Violet (the rightmost color on the spectrum with the highest wavelength, a higher wavelength gives the invisible ultraviolet). The brain decided to create an in-between these two opposite colors and we have magenta. Magenta is often seen in nature as it is a color which gives maximum contrast against green, so it is used to attract pollinators to the flowers of many plants.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Bougainvillea is widely used as a medicinal plant. It has very potent antifertility properties and has been used to that effect by native South American tribes and, in more recent times – by tribal societies in countries such as India, Botswana and Nigeria where the use of Bougainvillea as an antifertility agent has been subject to scientific study. The plant reduces sperm county by 87% and also disrupts the female cycle, thus its effect is common to both men and women, attesting to the potency. In Mexico Bougainvillea tea has been traditionally used to treat coughs and respiratory issues. Scientific studies described antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antifungal, antidiabetic, antifertility, antiulcer, and antiviral properties of the plant. If you choose to use Bougainvillea for medical purposes be sure to do your own research and consult your doctor first as I am NOT giving out medical advice!
TAKE CARE!
Care must be taken when working around Bougainvillea as the plant is covered in very sharp thorns – the same thorns which help it climb over other plants and scale buildings. Additionally due to its toxicity, the sap of Bougainvillea can cause severe skin rashes – similar to those resulting from Poison Oak or Poison Ivy.
THESE PLANTS ARE *EVERYWHERE*
Next time you see a brilliant Bougainvillea shrub, remember the rich and interesting history of her discovery, and her medical properties – and appreciate the beauty and vibe she adds to gardens, cafes, old town centers, and tropical and subtropical areas all around the world.
Our local gardens are an explosion of color, shape and creativity. With so many trees, shrubs, flowers and orchids to work with, you could turn your front yard or backyard into a work of botanical art! Imagine waking up to this beauty – and then browse the properties available in the lush Costa Ballena area right now! And when ready, your trusted partners at RE/MAX WE SELL PARADISE will gladly take your call – making a new home here is MUCH quicker and easier than you could ever imagine!
