k214 Bougainvillea

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Bougainvilleas are beautiful plants indigenous to tropical South America but now found widely in tropical and temperate regions, and even in colder climates in greenhouses. These members of the Nyctaginaceae (Four-O'Clock) family are very vigorous vines, deciduous but long-flowering. Their thin, woody stems are clothed with small, dark-green leaves and sharp thorns. The small, unnoticeable flowers are surrounded by large, papery bracts in a variety of brilliant colours.

Bougainvilleas grow and bloom in cycles. The bloom cycle is usually about 5 to 6 weeks long, and after it all the bracts fall off. The plant then goes into a 6- to 8-week period when no bracts are produced. During this cycle, new leaves and stems grow

Bougainvilleas are immensely popular for their toughness and adaptability, qualities that place them among the world’s most familiar garden plants. They are insect-resistant and do well with minimal care in most soils, as long as they have direct sunlight. The plant can take many forms, from Bonsais, through potted plants of varying sizes, to small flowering trees, to climbing forms to clipped hedges. In a temperate climate, blooming starts early in spring and lasts until the first cold spells. Late in autumn, after blooming has ceased, the foliage turns yellow and drops.

IgE-mediated reactions

Bougainvillea pollen does not appear to be a major component in the atmosphere, as shown by aerobiological monitoring (2), but may nevertheless uncommonly induce symptoms of asthma, rhinitis and conjunctivitis in sensitised individuals

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A plant species producing pollen, which may infrequently induce hayfever, asthma and conjunctivitis in sensitised individuals.

No allergens from this plant have yet been characterised.

Cross-reactivity

An extensive cross-reactivity among the different individual species of the Nyctaginaceae family could be expected but has not been documented to date (1).

Last reviewed:April 2022