Bougainvillea ‘White Cascade’

Bougainvillea 'White Cascade' (Bougainvillea 'White Cascade') is the climber to reach for when a hot, dry, west facing fence has beaten everything else. Given something to climb it reaches about 5m tall and 3m wide, carrying flushes of clean white bracts from spring through to autumn. It flowers hardest in the conditions most plants resent: full sun, lean soil and very little water.

Why you'll love it

• White that sits with any colour scheme. The bracts open cream and settle to white, so it lifts a dark fence or a shaded corner without fighting the rest of the planting.
• It prefers to be left alone. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and content in poor soil. Rich ground and constant water give you foliage instead of flowers.
• Built for the coast. Salt and wind tolerant, so a beachfront fence line does not scorch the growth.
• You decide the size. Tied onto a pergola it climbs to about 5m. Clipped twice a year in a large pot it holds as a mound around a metre high.
• Fast cover. Once the roots are away it moves quickly, so a bare fence reads green within a season or two.

Where it works best

Fences, walls and pergolas. Plant 2m apart along a fence or wall for full cover, and give the stems wire or a frame to be tied to. Bougainvillea scrambles rather than twines, so it will not grip a smooth surface on its own.

Pots and courtyards. A restricted root run suits it. Plants in large containers usually flower more freely than plants with unlimited soil to run into.

Slopes and retaining walls. Planted along the top of a wall the growth tumbles over the face, which is the quickest way to soften rendered block or besser.

Boundary screening. Trained onto a wire frame it makes a dense, thorny privacy screen that nothing pushes through.

Growing Bougainvillea 'White Cascade' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, and at least six hours of it. This suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi arid gardens. It takes light frost only, so in cold inland districts and frosty southern gardens keep it against a warm north facing wall, or grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover for winter.

Soil. Drainage matters far more than fertility. It will grow in sand, gravel and thin poor ground. On heavy clay, plant high on a raised mound.

Water and feed. Water deeply once a week through the first summer, then taper right off. Established plants need very little. Feed in early spring with a low nitrogen, high potassium fertiliser. A high nitrogen lawn food gives you a green monster and no bracts.

Pruning. Flowers form on new growth, so trim after each flush to bring on the next. Wear gloves and long sleeves. The stems carry sharp thorns and the sap can irritate skin, which also makes this a poor choice beside a play area or a pet run.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in tube size, so plants are young, one or two stems, and well short of the trellis you have in mind. That is the sensible way to buy bougainvillea: the roots are brittle and resent disturbance, and small plants establish faster than large ones. Slide the root ball in whole without teasing the roots out, then stake the leading stem towards its support.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Expect some leaf drop and a quiet month after planting, particularly in cool weather, then strong growth once the soil warms. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare climbing plants for fences and pergolas
• Plants that perform in containers
• Build a warm climate garden
• Preparing a new garden bed before planting

Common questions

Why is my bougainvillea all leaf and no flower?

Almost always too much water, too much nitrogen, or not enough sun. Cut the watering back, switch to a low nitrogen fertiliser, and make sure it gets six hours of direct sun or more.

Does it have thorns?

Yes. The stems carry sharp thorns along their length, which is an asset on a boundary and a nuisance beside a path. Site it where nobody brushes past, and prune with gloves on.

Can I grow it in a pot on a balcony?

Yes, and it flowers well in one. Use a large container of free draining mix, water sparingly, and trim after each flush to hold the shape you want.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only. In hard frosting gardens it burns back and may not recover, so give it a warm sheltered wall or keep it in a pot you can move.