The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-22
The Culture of the Bougainvillea

lCdl anu SuD-lTOplcal plants tnaI can
be grown to perfection in both Flor
ida and California is the Bougain-
villea. 1t stands lower degrees of
temperature than do many of the
gorgeously lowered plants of the
tropics, and for this reason should
be more universally planted, for
without a doubt, in Warmth of col
oring, in adaptability to training and
accepting soil conditions, this shrub
presents more points of merit than
does any other one plant we can turn
to in achieving our desire for both
color and form.
Our natural desire to see color in
great masses tempts us to want the
Amherstia, the Saracas and the va
rious Browneas introduced into Flor
ida, but as these are very much more
tropical in their tastes it will be only
in the warmest and most protected
parts of the State that we shall be
able to bring these to perfection. if
we ever do succeed in doing this. so
when another plant offers us so many
attractive qualities as do these new
introductions, it seems as if it would
be wiser for the average plant lover
to pin his faith to the Boungain-
villea rather than to run after
strange gods that ay not find CON
genial conditions in our State. and
which we may waste years of time
and much money on.
These new Bougainvillea have
been introduced by Mr. Reasoner, of
the Royal Palm Nurseries. at Oneco.
Florida, and although | should pre-
fer having Mr.. Reasoner himself tell
you about these plants, he has been
urged to often enough, but always
begs off because he is too busy, and
when | recently dropped some of my
own onerous duties and went over to
visit his nurseries could better
understand why he might not be
able tc find time for writing for the
public, although if he would do so
it would indeed mean much for the
development of ornamental horticul-
ture in Florida, for his experience
with hundreds of varieties of tropi-
cal plans extends over thirty years
of effort to make them adapt them
selves to the conditions of climate
and soil in our particular part of the
United States, which is, after all,
only a far-off echo of the real trop-
les. Months ago | talked with Mr..
Reasoner about these new importa-
lions of his, and he told me that in
the spring, when the Bougainvilleas
were in bloom, | must take day off
and see them, so when had word
from him that / must come right
away if l wanted to see a wonderful
sight, l dropped everything and
fastened to see it. The story of that
visit is too big a thing for this par
ticular article, for which reason
shall confine myself to description of
the piece de resistance, so to speak,
that was the object of my visit that
day. l visited many glass houses
and saw thousands of plants before
l reached the one containing my
hearts desire. Many of these
charmers begged for closer attention
but even with the few minutes each
was given it was nearly two hours
before | reached the object of my
quest. This was one &C the few
times in my life when my Language
failed me, and even now | find my.
self at loss for words to tell you
what ] felt when my eyes fell or
those Bougainvilleas. My heart be
gan quickening it's beats, and | drew
within me, and then something very
like tears dimmed my vision Of
those glorious dreams of such blooms
as paradise might possess. but GER
tainly not this earth They tumbleC
in a drapery of delicate color from
the roof to the ground, with only
a few masses of leaves visible, here
and there. The first one was a deli,
cate rose-color like the pinks in &
pastel sky. Each individual flower
was larger than any Bougainvillea
bloom ] had ever seen. and of course
you know that when ! saw the bloom
| mean the bracts of the flower
which really make up the attractive
part of it, for the real flower is q
very small and insignificant growth
in the center where the stamens and
pistils are usually found.
Just beyond this rose-colored beau
ty was the variety "latesitia." which
means brick-color or dull red. When
this variety is grown under cover
it does not possess the deep coloring
the flower attains out-of doors, un.
der full sunlight, so this specimen
instead of having the dull red of-tht
outdoor plant that we see occasion,
ally over in Southern California, thi.
had wonderful salmon tints that
deepened and faded like the color.
of a pink and gold sunset These