Is bougainvillea a type of azalea? What kind of plant is it?

1. Is it a type of azalea?

Bougainvillea is not a type of azalea. People have this misunderstanding because the nickname of Bougainvillea is Rhododendron, so they think it is azalea. The shape of bougainvillea is somewhat similar to that of azalea. It has sharp thorns on its branches and thorns on the growth nodes, so this is one of the reasons why people mistake it for azalea.

2. What is the plant?

Bougainvillea is a woody, vine-like shrub of the genus Bougainvillea in the family Mirabilis. It has a relatively high ornamental value and is often cultivated as a climbing flower on fences in southern my country. Its branches and leaves are densely covered with soft hairs, the leaves are oval or elliptical, the flowers are small and yellow-green, and the bracts are purple, bright red, milky white, orange-yellow, etc. People will regard them as petals. Because its shape is very similar to leaves, it is also called bougainvillea.

3. Origin and Habits

It is produced in tropical America and is cultivated more in southern my country, mostly for ornamental purposes. The plant likes a warm environment, the climate is preferably humid, and it is even better with sufficient sunshine. It has good growth ability and likes water, but is very afraid of waterlogging. It does not have very high requirements for soil quality, but it can grow better if it is grown in loose and fertile sandy loam. The most suitable maintenance temperature is 20-30℃.