The first European to discover Bougainvillea was Philibert Commerçon, a botanist who accompanied French Navy Admiral and explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville during his voyage of circumnavigation of the Earth. While some believe that the first European to observe these plants was Jeanne Baré, Commerçon's lover and assistant, who was an expert in botany. Because she was not allowed on the ship as a woman, she disguised herself as a man to make the journey.
Bougainvillea is known for its brilliant floral displays. It thrives in warm to hot climates and requires at least 6 hours of sunlight a day to produce the vibrant colors we love. They do well if the daytime temperature doesn’t exceed 38 degrees Celsius and the nighttime temperature doesn’t drop below 10 degrees Celsius.