Bougainvillea ‘Barbara Karst’

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.