Glendale Public Library
Xeriscape Demonstration Garden Information Sheet

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Bougainvillea 'Barbara Karst'
Nyctaginacea Family

Bougainvilleas are natives of South American.  Barbara Karst is a bright red cultivar well known in the low desert.  It is a vigorous grower and does grow well in the heat of Phoenix.  This particular cultivar blooms best in fall and spring where newer varieties actually are better long term bloomers and are identical in every other respect.  La Jolla has been substituted in the valley for years because of the better blooming without the public being aware of this fact.

The bright red bract(the real flowers are inconspicuous) appear with any amount of sun light.  These same red bracts will be bluish-red in the shade.  Cut back in spring after the last frost to remove cold damaged branches.  This can also increase the bushiness of the plant as well as reduce its overall size.