Siam Villa Garden: ต้นเฟื่องฟ้า

The species grow 1 to 12 metres (3 to 39 ft) tall, scrambling over other plants with their spiky thorns. They are evergreen where rainfall occurs all year, or deciduous if there is a dry season. The leaves are alternate, simple ovate-acuminate, 4–13 cm long and 2–6 cm broad. The actual flower of the plant is small and generally white, but each cluster of three flowers is surrounded by three or six bracts with the bright colours associated with the plant, including pink, magenta, purple, red, orange, white, or yellow. Bougainvillea glabra is sometimes called "paper flower" because its bracts are thin and papery. The fruit is a narrow five-lobed achene.

Many of today's bougainvillea are the result of interbreeding among only three out of the eighteen South American species recognised by botanists. Currently, there are over 300 varieties of bougainvillea around the world. Because many of the hybrids have been crossed over several generations, it is difficult to identify their respective origins. Natural mutations seem to occur spontaneously throughout the world; wherever large numbers of plants are being produced, bud-sports will occur. This had led to multiple names for the same cultivar (or variety) and has added to the confusion over the names of bougainvillea cultivars.

The growth rate of bougainvillea varies from slow to rapid, depending on the variety. They tend to flower all year round in equatorial regions. Elsewhere, they are seasonal, with bloom cycles typically four to six weeks. Bougainvillea grow best in dry soil, in very bright full sun and with frequent fertilisation; but they require little water once established, and in fact will not flourish if over-watered. They can be easily propagated via tip cuttings.

Medical Uses

Bougainvillea has long been prized for its medicinal benefits. In traditional medicine across regions where bougainvillea grows, the plants are utilized to treat a number of ailments, such as fever, cough, and sore throat. In some regions, bougainvillea is used to treat stomach aches, inflammation and as an antiseptic. It’s also been used to treat diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

Research shows that bougainvillea contains beneficial compounds, including flavonoids and saponins. It also contains pinitol, which offers promise as a treatment for diabetes.

Bougainvillea plants’ medicinal properties may include anti-fertility, antibacterial, anti-cancer, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and hepatoprotective.