May Flowers: Bouvardia Flowers

Bouvardia is a group of flowering shrubs famous for clusters of small, starry, tube-shaped flowers in red, pink, orange and white. These plants belong to the coffee family (Rubiaceae) and are popular in gardens, as houseplants, and especially as long-lasting cut flowers in bouquets.

Scientific Classification & Quick Facts

Common name	Bouvardia
Scientific name	Bouvardia
Kingdom	Plantae
Phylum	Tracheophyta
Class	Magnoliopsida
Order	Gentianales
Family	Rubiaceae
Type	Evergreen shrubs and herbs, about 30 species
Native range	Mexico and warm parts of America
Colours	White, pink, yellow and red
Flowering season	Autumn and winter
Height	0.6 to 1.5 m
Special feature	Named after Charles Bouvard, a French physician

Where Bouvardia Comes From

There are around 50 species of bouvardia. Most grow wild in Mexico and Central America, and a few reach north into the warm, dry parts of the southwestern United States, such as Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. One of the best-known wild species, Bouvardia ternifolia, is often called firecracker bush because of its bright red flowers.

The plant is named after Charles Bouvard (1572-1658), a French doctor who looked after King Louis XIII and was in charge of the royal garden in Paris, the Jardin du Roi. European gardeners started growing bouvardias in greenhouses in the 1800s, and growers in places like the Netherlands later turned them into an important cut-flower crop.

What Bouvardia Looks Like

Most bouvardias are evergreen shrubs or shrubby plants that grow about 0.6 to 1.5 meters (2 to 5 feet) tall. Their leaves are smooth and pointed, often egg-shaped to lance-shaped, and grow in pairs or in rings (whorls) of three or more around the stem.

The flowers are the real stars. Each one is a slim tube that opens into four small, spreading petals, so it looks like a tiny four-pointed star. The flowers grow together in rounded bunches at the ends of the stems. Depending on the species or variety, they can be white, pale pink, hot pink, salmon, orange or scarlet. Some white kinds, such as Bouvardia longiflora, are sweetly scented.

Red, tube-shaped flowers are a favorite of hummingbirds, and wild bouvardias in Mexico and the American Southwest are often visited by them. The birds sip nectar from deep inside the tube and carry pollen from flower to flower.

How to Grow Bouvardia

Photo by: Forest & Kim Starr

Light and Temperature

Bouvardia likes plenty of bright light. Indoors, a sunny window that gets some gentle morning sun is ideal. Outdoors, it does best in sun to light shade, with some protection from harsh afternoon heat. It grows happily at about 18 to 22 °C (64 to 72 °F).

These are warm-climate plants and do not cope with frost. In cold areas, grow bouvardia in a pot so you can bring it indoors before the first chilly nights of fall.

Soil and Watering

Plant bouvardia in rich, loose potting mix or garden soil that drains well. Water often enough to keep the soil evenly moist, but never soggy. A good rule is to water when the top of the soil just starts to feel dry, and let any extra water drain out of the bottom of the pot. Clay pots with drainage holes help stop the roots from sitting in water.

If the plant is allowed to dry out completely, the flowers and buds may wilt and drop, so check it often during hot weather.

Growing New Plants from Cuttings

Bouvardia is usually grown from cuttings rather than seeds. Here is a simple way to try it with an adult’s help:

• In spring, cut a healthy, soft shoot about 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4 inches) long, just below a pair of leaves.
• Remove the lower leaves so only a few remain at the top.
• If you like, dip the cut end in rooting powder, then push it into a small pot of moist seed or cutting compost.
• Keep the cutting warm, bright and moist, but out of direct sun. Bouvardia cuttings dry out quickly, so plant them soon after cutting and water them straight away.
• Roots usually form within a few weeks.

Flowering and Pruning

Bouvardias can bloom for long periods, often from summer into fall and sometimes into winter indoors. Pinching off the tips of young shoots makes the plant bushier and gives it more stems for flowers. Removing faded flower clusters keeps it tidy and encourages new blooms.

After the main flowering season, many gardeners cut the plant back by about a third to a half. This keeps it compact and helps it grow fresh, strong shoots for next season. During the cooler months, water a little less and let the plant rest.

Bouvardia as a Cut Flower

Photo by: Forest & Kim Starr

Bouvardia is a favorite of florists and is often used in wedding bouquets, corsages and mixed arrangements. Its flowers are delicate, but with good care they can last a week or more in a vase. The secret is water: bouvardia stems are thirsty and wilt quickly if they dry out.

Follow these tips to keep cut bouvardia fresh as long as possible:

• As soon as you get the flowers home, trim the stems at a slant with a sharp knife or scissors. An angled cut gives the stem more surface to drink through and stops it sitting flat on the bottom of the vase.
• Put the stems straight into a clean vase of lukewarm water mixed with cut-flower food.
• Strip off any leaves that would sit below the waterline, because they rot and make the water cloudy.
• Top up the water every day and change it every couple of days, re-trimming the stems each time.
• Keep the vase in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight, heaters and ripening fruit.

With the right light, steady watering and a little pruning, bouvardia rewards you with bunches of bright, starry flowers for months, both in the garden and in the vase.

Bouvardia FAQs

Related: Gardenia Flowers