Bougainvillea Mrs Butt

Bougainvillea 'Mrs Butt' (Bougainvillea 'Mrs Butt') is what you plant when a fence, pergola or blank wall needs to disappear under crimson. Given something to climb it reaches about 5m tall and 3m across, carrying magenta to crimson bracts right through the warm months. It runs on heat, sun and very little water. The thorns are genuine, so keep it clear of narrow paths.

Why you'll love it

• Months of colour, not weeks. The display comes from papery bracts rather than short lived petals, so it holds far longer than a flowering shrub manages.
• Fast cover on a big structure. A vigorous grower that clothes a 5m pergola or a long boundary fence within a couple of warm seasons.
• It prefers to be left alone. Drought, heat and salt tolerant once established, and it flowers harder kept slightly dry and slightly hungry.
• Good for bees and butterflies. The small cream true flowers tucked inside the bracts draw pollinators through summer.

Where it works best

Fences, pergolas and walls. Plant 2m apart along a fence for full cover. Give it something strong to climb, because a mature plant carries real weight: tension wire or heavy lattice, not garden twine.

Coastal gardens. Salt and heat barely register, so it holds up on an exposed seaside fence line where softer climbers scorch.

Pots and containers. A pot 500mm or wider restricts the roots and, counterintuitively, lifts flowering. It also keeps the plant prunable and portable in cooler gardens.

Growing Bougainvillea 'Mrs Butt' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun all day is not negotiable, because shade gives you leaves and no colour. It suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate, arid and Mediterranean gardens. It is frost tender, so cold inland and southern districts want it potted against a warm north facing wall and moved under cover for winter.

Soil. Sharp drainage matters more than fertility. Sandy and gravelly soils are ideal; on clay, plant on a raised mound with coarse compost through the backfill. Mulch 75mm deep, kept off the stem.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer, then almost stop, because established plants flower best on dry roots. Use a low nitrogen or flowering plant fertiliser in early spring and again at midsummer; a rich lawn feed buys soft green growth instead of bracts.

Pruning. Cut back hard in late winter to force the new wood that carries the colour, then tip prune after each flush. Wear thick gloves and long sleeves.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in tube stock and in 200mm pots sold in packs of six. Both arrive young, with flexible stems rather than a woody framework, so plan on tying them into their support through the first season. Tube stock is the value choice for a long fence line and catches up within about two years.

Some leaf drop in transit is normal and not a fault, since the plant refoliates quickly in warm weather. Expect a real display in the second season. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Bougainvillea care tips for constant flowering
• Compare the wider range of climbing plants.
• Browse other drought tolerant plants for a hot, dry position.
• See what else suits coastal gardens.

Common questions

Why is mine all leaf and no colour?

Almost always too much water, too much nitrogen, or not enough sun. Cut the watering back, switch to a flowering fertiliser and give it at least six hours of direct sun.

How do I keep it in bounds?

Prune hard in late winter, back to a framework of main stems. It shoots strongly from old wood, so it is hard to overdo, and the flush that follows carries the bracts.

Does it have thorns?

Yes, sharp and curved ones. Keep it away from paths, gates and washing lines, and prune in gloves and long sleeves.