Bougainvillea ‘Barbara Karst’ – Desert Horizon Nursery

Bougainvillea ‘Barbara Karst’

Bougainvillea 'Barbara Karst'
Categories:
Shrubs  ·  
Desert Shrubs
Light
Full sun
Water
Water deeply and regularly while establishing, allowing soil to partially dry between waterings. Once established, water infrequently but deeply; containers need more frequent watering during Phoenix summers.
Size
8-15 ft tall × 8-15 ft wide
Habit
Mounded – spreading shrub
Toxicity
Toxic if Ingested; Sap Irritant
Description
A vigorous, thorny bougainvillea grown as a bush, with brilliant magenta-red bracts and lush green foliage; well suited to Phoenix heat with winter frost protection.
Bloom Time
Spring through fall; peak color in spring and after summer monsoons.
Deciduous / Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Special Features
Drought Tolerant, Heat Tolerant, Showy Flowers
Growth Rate
Fast
Growth Habit
Mounded – spreading shrub
Mature Size
8-15 ft tall × 8-15 ft wide
Flower Color
Magenta-red
Foliage Color
Medium green
Landscape Use
Container / Patio, Foundation Planting, Hedge / Screen, Specimen / Accent, Trellis / Arbor / Wall
Garden Style
Hedge / Formal
Soil
Alkaline Tolerant, Sandy / Rocky, Well-Drained
Companion Plants
Autumn sage, Desert marigold, Lantana, Red yucca, Trailing rosemary
Toxic if Ingested; Sap Irritant
Sap and thorns cause skin irritation; mildly toxic if ingested
Care Instructions

Light: Full sun; at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily for best flowering.

Water: Water deeply and regularly while establishing, allowing soil to partially dry between waterings. Once established, water infrequently but deeply; containers need more frequent watering during Phoenix summers.

Soil: Very well-drained soil; sandy or gravelly soil preferred. Tolerates alkaline soil but struggles in waterlogged or poorly drained clay.

Mature size: Typically maintained at 4–6 feet tall and wide as a bush. Unpruned, can reach 15–20 feet or more with support; not a naturally dwarf cultivar.

Bloom: Repeated flowering flushes from spring through fall in Phoenix; flowering may continue into mild winters but stops with cold damage.

Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen in frost-free conditions; may drop leaves or die back during Phoenix winter freezes.

Growth rate: Fast during warm weather.