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| Four-O’Clocks Family
(Nyctaginaceae) |
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| Bougainvillea is trained
to grow on the exteriors of all three guest houses.
It also grows on the central balustrade of the South
Terrace and on the south exterior of the Roman Pool. |
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| Vine
or sprawling shrub; evergreen in sub-tropical
climates, semi-deciduous in cooler regions.
Leaves are oval, tapering at tips, and slightly
fuzzy. Sharp thorns grow at the bases of the
leaf stalks. What appears to be the flower
is actuallly 3 large bracts (petal-like leaves)
surrounding insignificanat, cream-colored
flowers. Itis the bracts which privide the
plants’s bright colors. which include
reds, purples, oranges, pinks and white. |
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The genus was
named after the French navigator, Louis de
Bougainville, 1729-1811.
W. R. Hearst personally purshased some plants
for the San Simeon gardens from a nursery
in Santa Barbara in 1920, including 2 magenta
Bougainvillea on the exteriors of A and C
Houses. Correspondence from W. R. Hearst to
Morgan of Feb. 11, 1921 stated “Would
like south side of A to be a mass of beautiful
bougainvilles [sic]
visible from the bay.
Our hardest freezes on the hilltop have killed
the above-ground portions of our bougainvilles,
but they have rejuvenated vigorously as the
weather warms. In average years at Hearst
Castle the plants lose most or all of their
leaves in the winter. |
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"Hearst Castle", "Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument", "La Cuesta Encantada",
and "The Enchanted Hill" are registered trademarks of Hearst Castle®/California State Parks.
©2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 California State Parks, All rights reserved.
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