Date: Wed, 8 Nov 1995 02:18:04 -0500
From: SETH SKLAREY crissiet[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]IPOF.FLA.NET
Subject: Re: bougainvillea
Bougainvillea, most commonly pronounced hereabouts boo-gan-vil'-lah,
is primarily a desert area plant popular in Mexico, south Texas etc.
as well as south Florida. Blooms best in dry season & loses blooms with
water. Since it is thorny, it gives good protection against intruders, and
can be trained to grow on arbors like a vine.
In Golden Beach, Florida they used to have them on the median strip, and
trimmed them down all the time. It is a very hard, knarly plant when treated
way, and I'll never forget one long 1953 Studebaker that crashed into
one and wound up as long as a Nash Metropolitan. They stopped using
them as median plants and removed them all. Every once in a while a
new landscape architect comes along somewhere in South Florida, and
not knowing any better has them planted in a median strip. After
explaining my true story to them, they usually see the light and have them
removed.
For years I have been searching for a yellow bougainvillea, have only
found two plants, and they both died. If anyone knows where I can find
a yellow (not gold) plant, please let me know.
Thanks,
Seth Sklarey
Coconut Grove,FL