This pretty flower has been a ubiquitous presence since most of our childhood days and we’re quite certain that most of us have seen this dainty looking bloom furtively sprawling over parapets and compound walls. Useful as a screen and effective for blocking out prying eyes, the profusion of colours work to please as they effectively distract nosy neighbours. Found in a riot of colours such as orange, white, pink, yellow and purple, these almost papery to the touch flower bunches grow on a woody shrub that has thorns that can bruise if you aren’t careful enough.

If you haven’t yet guessed it, it is the Bougainvillea we’re talking about!

Cant get enough of these beauties

We like trees and flowers, blooms, and fruits and all things associated with lush, abundant nature, for you see, our Habitat is full of it. Taking special care to ensure that the native foliage of our Habitat remains undisturbed, we at Ananda Habitat at Oragadam have made sincere efforts so as to bring into the light aromatic and ornamental plants and trees that are of use to you and me. However, not only prized for their utility, the plant life at our Habitat is beautiful and intended to appease the inhabitants here.

What’s more, by bringing forth these lovely green beauties we hope that you will come realise the virtues of living amidst nature and experiencing for yourself the joy of being one with the earth. If you do decide to see with your own eyes the efforts we have put into creating this Habitat, do come along with your family and friends and take a look at our project Ananda Habitat at Oragadam– you won’t be disappointed for sure!

Oh it’s a lovely boogun-vileeuh!

The bougainvillea vine is evergreen and is known to assiduously creep up abundantly on trellises and fences, possibly explaining the reason why one can see them flourishing in most residential complexes and plotting projects. A suitable privacy encouraging shrub, the bougainvillea’s flowers and heart-shaped leaves make a pretty sight for all to see aside from effectively shielding the inhabitant living within.

Also called as paper flower, the bougainvillea’s flowers are not the papery thin colourful petals that we see commonly assume but rather the flowers always-in- threes ‘bract’ (a husky like portion or leaf like part just below and protecting an inflorescence). The actual tiny, cannular, white flowers are inside, again, always-in- threes, in clustery bunches that blossom through the year.

Quite a hardy creeper to have around, the bougainvillea doesn’t have too many do’s and don’ts regarding the soil and will do well in a well fertilised, carefully watered earth. The shrub is known to grow quite well even from a single cutting and the vine grows nicely in the start though later (after a few years or so) it requires a bit of care and trimming as the trunk begins to twist. Many times, the vine is known to have overgrown and overbear on the fence/ trellis support it has been growing on, perhaps explaining why gardeners like to keep an eye on this shrub every once in a while.

Of possible hazards and medicinal uses

Though pretty to look at, the bougainvillea does have some nasty thorns that can be as much a deterrent as they can be a hazard if one is not careful. Cause for dermatitis (allergic rashes on the skin), the thorns are known to go right through clothes and prick the skin; hence the vines should be carefully planted especially if kids are going to be around it much.

What’s more, it is even thought that the liquid from the broken branch/ twig can be slightly noxious and one must always take care to see that it is not taken orally or consumed, as there are possibilities of it causing sickness.

Medicinally, though not entirely proven, the flowers have been brewed in teas as a means of alleviating mild respiratory disorders. In fact, the leaves of certain types of the bougainvillea shrub have been known to help with diabetes, pressure and even with HDL-LDL balancing. There are some contrary reports that state otherwise though, so extreme caution should be exercised before consumption.