Bougainvillea glabra, commonly referred to as paper flower plant or bougainvillea, is a tropical flowering plant from South America.
This resilient shrub can be grown in USDA zones 9 through 11 outdoors and adds a wonderful touch to any garden.
Paper flower plants are most known for their colorful flowers, which range in color from white to pink and purple.
In This Guide – We will cover the care and cultivation of Bougainvillea glabra so that you can enjoy stunning blooms right in your own garden.
Plant overview
Bougainvillea glabra is a woody perennial shrub that can reach a height of up to 15 feet, given optimum circumstances.
It features dark green leaves and spiny stems.
It bears small, white, clustered flowers completely surrounded by 3 vibrant colored bracts (modified leaves) that can exhibit any panoply of colors ranging from pink to purple.
It is the bracts that give the Bougainvillea its vivid colors, and they bloom from spring through fall, continuously.
In cooler climates, Bougainvillea glabra can be grown as an annual or houseplant.
What it looks like
Bougainvillea glabra, is a woody, evergreen vine native to Brazil that can grow to a length of 30 feet (9 meters).
It has glossy dark-green leaves and clusters of small white flowers surrounded by colorful bracts. The bracts are usually pink, but can also be white, purple or red. Bracts are modified leaves.
From a distance they look a lot like petals but they are actually leaflike structures that protect the flowers.
The bracts of bougainvillea glabra are especially showy, with blooms occurring virtually continuously from spring through fall. In cooler climates, the plant might also be grown as an annual or houseplant.
Although bougainvillea glabra is thought of as a vine, it behaves more like a shrub. Bougainvillea glabra has a fast growth rate and can cover an area pretty quickly if not controlled.
Best Growing Zones for Paper Flower Plant
Paper flowers thrive in USDA hardiness zones 9-11. In these zones the plant will be evergreen and will be able to reach its full height potential.
If you live in a colder climate you can still grow paper flowers. You will either need to bring it indoors or treat it like an annual.
When working with paper flowers in pots, you will need a pot that is at least 18 inches wide and has drainage holes. Paper flowers have a shallow root system and therefore don’t need a deep pot.
Different types of Paper Flower Plant
There are a few different types of paper flower plants.
- Barbara Karst flowers grow in clusters and usually flower early in the season. Consequently, Barbara Karst flowers are often used in containers or overwintered indoors.
- Jamaica White: The Jamaica White is a small evergreen shrub that blooms early in the season. The flowers are pure white and have a delicate, sweet scent. The blooms are borne in clusters at the tips of the branches and last for several weeks.
- The Jamaica White is native to the Caribbean Islands and grows best in full sun. It is drought-tolerant and does not require much care once established.
- Juanita Hatten: This beautiful flower features pink flowers with green foliage splashed in gold. This flower is large and prolific, with very easy care. Juanita Hatten is native to Mexico, loves the warm environment, and is perfect for the warm climate garden.
- Juanita Hatten prefers full sun and well-drained soil. The best part of this flower is its drought tolerance, making this flower a low-maintenance option for busy gardeners. Depending on the conditions, this flower will bloom in the spring, and this will be a continuous bloom extending into the fall to give you months of color and beauty.
- Surprise: The Surprise paper flower is a uniquely bi-color pink and white flower that is known for its abundant flowers. The Surprise paper flower will add a pop of color to your garden. This flower is very easy care with little maintenance.
Is Paper Flower Plant Poisonous?
To bring any new plant material into your home or outdoor space, it is always best to err on the side of caution.
Young babies, toddlers, and pets may consume or interact with any given plant material you may bring home, but fortunately, the paper flower plant is non-toxic and considered safe.
Although non-toxic, puncture holes from the thorns are a possibility. If children grasp the stems or pets walk on the plant, there is the risk of the thorns abrading the skin. If the wound is not cleaned or treated, an infection is possible.
Planting and Dirt
Having familiarized yourself with the paper flower plant, let’s explore how to grow them.
First, you will want to consider what the ideal place to plant them will be. If you live in any of the USDA zones 9-11, you can plant them directly outside.
Next, think about how you want your paper flower plant to look like:
Do you want it to climb up an arch or a pergola?
Or, would you rather keep it smaller and have it look more like a shrub?
If you give your paper flower plant something to climb on, it can grow upwards of 40 feet tall!
Wherever you decide to place it, you will want to ensure that it receives full sun for at least 5 hours a day and that the soil has a good drainage system.
If you know that your soil does not have a good drainage system, you can add perlite or sand and mix it into the top 6-12 inches of your garden.
The paper flower plant also prefers slightly acidic soil with a pH of 6-6.5.
If you do not have the capability or resources to test your soil for its pH level, no worries! This is more of a preference for the flowers themselves, and they will continue to grow even if the soil is not as acidic.
Care
You now have your paper flower plant in your garden, but how do you care for it?
Do they need any special attention?
Water
The most detrimental thing you can do for your paper flower plant is overwatering it.
When watering the plants, let the soil dry completely between waterings, and then give them a thorough watering.
If you are using the correct soil, a good watering will moisten it, but continue draining so the roots are not sitting in a puddle of water.
Sunlight
Like we previously talked about, these plants require at least 5 hours of sunlight to thrive.
If they are receiving less than that, you will start to see the leaves yellow and overall less healthy plant.
If you are growing your paper flower plant indoors, and can’t provide that 5 hours of sunlight, you can supplement with a nice grow light.
Fertilizer
Fertilization is an essential component of keeping your paper flowers healthy and strong.
During the summer to late fall periods of growth, it is helpful to apply a 10-10-10 fertilizer every other month.
This application will supplement the plant’s nutrient needs.
If you have an abundance of organic matter in your soil, you may reduce applications of fertilizers for your paper flower plant, or eliminate it completely if your plant is growing well.
Pruning
Pruning is important for two reasons:
The first is to direct the plant in expending its energy to produce flowers instead of growing larger leaves. The second is to control the size of the plant so it does not become too large for the space where it is located.
TO DO THIS – You will want to wait until after the plant, flowers, have stopped blooming before pruning plants back towards the end of the summer or early fall. And then you will prune back about one-third of the height of the plant overall. This will maintain the size of the plants and promote additional blooming and flowers.
Can You Harvest Seeds
You are able to collect seeds from paper flower plants, and from those seeds, you can use a few steps to grow new plants.
Not every paper flower plant will set seed as there are very few that will.
The varieties of plant that will seed are:
- Chitra
- Formosa
- Glabra
- Refulgence
To harvest seeds, the flowers will need to start drying out.
When the flowers have wilted and turned brown, you will be able to see the seeds in the bracts and on the leaves that resemble petals.
When you have harvested the seeds, you should place them in a container with a paper towel for a couple of days until they sprout.
During this period, the paper towel should be kept damp, and it can also be beneficial to add magnesium sulfate to hasten germination.
Once the seeds are germinated, you will be able to move them to a seed tray.
The seed tray should have a soil comprised of 50% vermicompost, 30% soil and 20% sand.
In about three months, or when the plants are 12 inches in height, you can then move them to a larger pot, or you can plant them in your garden.
Harvesting seed and planting it will take much longer than purchasing plants from a garden center, but it will be worth it once you can tell your friends that you grew the beautiful flowers from seed.
Solving Common Problems with Paper Flower Plants
When your plants are dying, or you’ve discovered bugs and pests – it may seem like there’s nothing you can do.
These tips will help you save your paper flower plants.
Plant Damage
- Curling Leaves: If the leaves of your paper flower plant start to curl, it may be time to verify the soil. If your soil is too clayey, it is going to hold onto too much water and cause damage to the roots. If the soil is the issue, transplant your paper flower plant into a different location, or into a pot, or amend the soil by adding organic matter, sand, vermiculite, perlite, or peat moss.
- Dropping Leaves: There are a lot of reasons why your paper flower plant may be losing leaves. The plant may be too cold, it may not have enough light, or it may be indicative of overwatering. If you try transplanting it into a pot and bringing it inside, that may be the solution, or moving your plant away from a vent if it’s already inside.
- If you are sure that you are not overwatering your paper flower, then you may not have enough light. Try moving the paper flower plant a little closer to the window or sliding glass door.
- Yellowing Leaves: The leaves of the paper flower plant will turn yellow for multiple reasons. It typically could be because of weather change, because it is thirsty or it is not enough sunlight, or it could also be because it is not getting enough nutrients. The easiest thing to check first is the weather and soil dampness.
- If you know the weather is cooler than normal, or if you have paper flower too close to a cooling vent and there is and air conditioner running or near a fan, then move your plant somewhere warmer. If the soil is bone dry, then water it good. If none of those are issues, then it is either time to fertilize your paper flower plant.
Pests
When you place your paper flower plant in your outdoor garden, foraging pests are more likely to feast on your plant than if your plant is in a container in your home. Paper flower plants particularly make a great food source and habitat for insects such as:
- aphids
- beetles
- slugs
- snails
- spider mites.
When you see holes in the leaves, it is time to act to send them packing.
Removing the pests is a 3-phase approach:
- Remove the pests: you can either do this by hand, or you could also use your hose on an aggressive setting to wash them off.
- Kill any eggs, or remaining pests: Insecticidal soap is a safe way to kill any unspent pest or eggs. The toxicity is low enough to no harm the plant or for any animals and kids to be around.
- Prevent future infestations is the last part of your approach on getting rid of pests–this is a part of your 3-phase approach that should always be. Don’t over-fertilize your plants, keep an eye on the plants, and occasionally spray your plants with diluted dish soap.
Final Thoughts
If you want a gorgeous addition to your yard that won’t require a ton of us, you may want to consider some paper flowers.
As long as they get enough sun, have good drainage soil, and just a bit of fertilizer, they will thrive on archways or grow into shrubs.
And of course, they can be grown inside which means it doesn’t matter where you live, you can still have these flowering plants.