Paper Flower

The attractive Paper Flower, Bougainvillea glabra, is one of the most common species of Bougainvillea used for bonsai and almost looks like two flowers in one.

You have the paper-like purply-mauvy-lilacy outer area and small white flowers, often three of them, in the inner area.

It was discovered by Louis de Bougainville in Brazil in 1790 and he brought it to Europe where it became a popular ornamental plant.

It is a thorny evergreen climbing plant which tends to ride roughshod over other plants and is frequently used for hedges or ornamental arches. It can bloom all year round.

Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Nyctaginaceae
Genus: Bougainvillea
Species: B. glabra