Imperial Thai Delight Bougainvillea

A Knockout of a Bougainvillea with Unique Multi-Colored Blossoms

Imperial Thai Delight Bougainvillea is so artistically colored that it looks like a pastel watercolor painting. Each flower is uniquely colored with splashes of pink and plum hues against a background of white for a color combination that you have to see to believe! Other types of bougainvilleas are all the rage for their brilliant solid-color blooms, but this multi-colored cultivar surpasses them all. And because Imperial Thai Delight Bougainvillea continuously produces flowers all along the stems '– not just at the tips of the stems '– you'll enjoy a massive explosion of color all season long!

Showy Flowers with Various Hues of White and Pink!
The signature look of bougainvillea plants '– the reason for their popularity '– is the spectacular display of their flowers. But what we typically call the "flower" is actually a showy petal-like bract that surrounds the "true" flower. When you peer into a bougainvillea blossom, you'll see the true flower '– it's actually a tiny, white bloom! Bougainvillea plants rely on its flashy bracts for attracting pollinators to the barely noticeable flowers they surround. But we're not picky about what you call the bracts, and we'll call them flowers to keep things simple!

This Bougainvillea will Attract Plenty of Butterflies and Hummingbirds!
Lots of beautiful butterflies and hummingbirds will flock to your yard and garden when you grow Imperial Thai Delight Bougainvillea. In fact, Dr. Paul Thomas (University of Georgia horticulturist) lists bougainvillea on his list of the best plants for a butterfly garden! He notes that during hot weather, when other annuals and perennials struggle to bloom, you'll want to include plants in your butterfly garden that continue to bloom through the heat of summer. Bougainvillea plants are native to South America where they're adapted to growing in tropical conditions, which include intensely hot weather. So plant Imperial Thai Delight Bougainvillea in your sunny hummingbird and butterfly garden to feed these delightful creatures when other flowers fail them!

Semi-Dwarf Size is Perfect for Smaller Landscapes
Many types of bougainvillea vines have stems that can grow 40 feet tall! And that's okay if you have room for such a vigorous plant. But if your garden space isn't quite large enough to accommodate this size, Imperial Thai Delight Bougainvillea is a delightful alternative. You get all the flower power of its larger relatives in a more compact size. Botanically, Imperial Thai Delight is classified as a "semi-dwarf." It's not too tiny as a dwarf plant, and it's not too large as a standard-sized bougainvillea may be for your garden, but it's just right! You can expect a mature size to fall somewhere in the range of 10 to 20 feet if grown in the landscape, but if you grow your plant in a container, it's even more manageable.

Grows Perfectly in a Container
Imperial Thai Delight Bougainvillea is a stellar performer in pots. Choose patio planters, pedestal urns, or hanging baskets '– any type of container that's in a sunny spot. You can press a pot trellis into your container as a climbing support, or you can let Imperial Thai Delight's long stems trail down the sides of its container. Before the stems are long enough to trail, they make a pot look exceptionally full and lush because of their horizontal branching habit.
Container potting mix tip: It's worth the investment to choose a premium container potting mix with a loose texture and organic-based ingredients.

Overwintering Potted Plants
Imperial Thai Delight Bougainvillea grows as a perennial only across a very narrow hardiness range '– USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 9 through 11. But don't despair if you live outside this area because you can grow Imperial Thai Delight year-round! You'll have to grow it as a potted plant, and move it indoors during cold-weather months. But the minimal care it needs indoors is certainly worth the breathtaking show it provides during its active growing season. When you remove Imperial Thai Delight from its full-sun location into a low-light environment indoors, it may react by dropping its leaves during this transition ?… this is okay. Continue to water it at a reduced rate '– don't overdo the watering '– to keep its roots alive and don't fertilize it, regardless of whether it looks dead because of its lost leaves. Set your potted plant back outside when temperatures warm in spring when there's no more threat of frost and get ready to enjoy another year of its riot of color!
A winter bonus: If you have a sunroom, solarium, or heated greenhouse, your Imperial Thai Delight Bougainvillea may continue to thrive indoors during winter without losing its leaves. And it may even bloom sporadically!

Let it Climb or Cascade
Do you want a flowering plant that climbs upward, or would you prefer a plant that cascades downward? Take your pick, because Imperial Thai Delight Bougainvillea can do either! It rapidly grows upward on structures, such as trellises, arbors, and pergolas, to create a magnificent flowering frame. And if you have a fenced yard, the fence forms a perfect support for Imperial Thai Delight's long stems. When they're in full bloom, your plants will create a dramatic living fence! Planted at the top of a retaining wall, Imperial Thai Delight's cascading stems add a strikingly soft contrast against the hard texture of a brick or stone wall.

Salt Tolerance
Coastal salt spray creates a challenge for many plants. But Imperial Thai Delight Bougainvillea is a durable plant for coastal gardens because it is salt-tolerant! This makes it a go-to choice for Florida and California gardens. And it's why you'll see this tropical beauty planted in masses at upscale resorts near seaside locations.

Lots of Sun for Lots of Flowers
We recommend at least 6 hours of sun each day to keep Imperial Thai Delight Bougainvillea healthy and to maximize its flowering potential. It'll tolerate some shade, but it won't produce as many flowers. If your landscape is mostly shady, find a spot on your sunny patio or balcony and grow your plant as a container specimen. It's also lovely in poolside pots!

A Tropical Plant That Requires Little Waterings.
Imperial Thai Delight Bougainvillea is a tropical plant that's also drought-tolerant! Newly transplanted landscape plants and container plants need more water than established landscape plants. A rule of thumb for knowing when to water potted plants is to let the soil in containers dry slightly before giving plants a deep and thorough soaking. Your plant will bloom better when the soil is slightly on the dry side. When the soil stays wet and the roots stay waterlogged for an extended period, your plant will begin to decline.

Fertilizer Promotes Abundant Flowers
Every two weeks during your plant's growing season, fertilize with a water-soluble fertilizer. You can also use a slow-release fertilizer that you scatter around your plant in spring when Imperial Thai Delight begins actively growing. A slow-release product will gradually release nutrients into the soil over the entire growing season, which is a good option for busy gardeners who may forget to use a water-soluble product every two weeks!

A Preference for Acidic Soil
As long as the soil drains well, Imperial Thai Delight is not too fussy about the type of soil it's growing on. But it does adversely react if the pH of the soil is too alkaline. An optimal soil pH for this plant is between 5.5 and 6.5, which is on the acidic side. If the soil is too alkaline, the leaves may turn yellow. If you don't know the pH of your soil, make a quick trip to your local Cooperative Extension Service ?… and take a 2-cup soil sample with you. Extension staff will analyze the soil for you to determine not only the soil pH but also any nutrient needs.