Bougainvillea plant profile
Bougainvillea spectabilis
A perennial shrub for full sun.
Last updated .
When to plant
When to plant Bougainvillea
Set bougainvillea out after the last spring frost into a hot, sunny spot. It is a tropical perennial grown as an annual or container plant in cold zones; bring containers indoors before frost and give it a dry, cooler dormant rest in winter.
The calendar shows this cited seasonal window as an approximate band. It does not convert the season into frost-adjusted dates.
Open Bougainvillea in my garden calendarShows the source-backed planting season, not frost-adjusted dates.
Growing conditions
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 5 to 8
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Spacing
- 180 to 492 in apart
- Hardiness
- Zones 9b to 11bFind my hardiness zone
Common problems
Watch for these
Also watch for: frost tender, thorns, needs a dry dormant period.
Next steps
Continue with Bougainvillea
Evidence trail
Evidence behind this profile
Original extension and institutional publications behind the planting, care, and safety facts on this page.
- Bougainvillea spectabilis (Bougainvillea, Great Bougainvillea, Paper Flower)
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (NC State Extension). Supports general reference. Checked 2026-06-18.