Bougainvillea

Amazonian rain forest of South America. Its name is derived from that of Louis Antoine de Bougainville, a French military officer.

A wildly popular planting in Southern California and other areas with warm climates, the flower colors include pink, magenta, purple, red, orange, white and yellow. The actual flower of the plant is small and generally white. It is surrounded by bracts that sport the bright colors associated with the plant.