Living in South Florida, I have the opportunity to see bougainvillea of every color, shape, and form imaginable.  In the ritzier neighborhoods, I see bougainvillea climbing up 30 foot entry gates of multimillion dollar homes.  In the more industrial areas of town, I’ve seen them used to cover a chain link fence around the back perimeter of an auto-wrecking shop.  While both beautiful in their own right, I have a feeling one is used for show while the other for deterring trespassers.

Bougainvillea Graces an Entryway

A lot of people complain about the thorns, but you wouldn’t believe how many people actually use bougainvillea to keep people out – or in!  I actually had a call from a designer whose client had trouble keeping her teenage daughter from sneaking out of the house through her bedroom window.  The solution was to plant bougainvillea right outside her window.  On the flip side, I have a neighbor with a one-story home who wants to plant bougainvillea beneath every window to deter burglars.

Then there’s the story of a manager of an auto dealership who called me to order the tallest bougainvillea trellis available.  He wanted the bright color to attract customers into his dealership and also keep out vandals who where climbing up the side of his multi-level parking lot and vandalizing his cars.

I love it when bougainvillea can perform double-duty.  In addition, bougainvillea attracts butterflies, aids to prevent soil erosion, and doesn’t require much water.  It’s a great multi-tasker!

Double-Duty: Bougainvillea Beautifies AND Keeps Trespassers Out