bouvardia

Bouvardia
Bouvardia ternifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Gentianales Family: Rubiaceae Genus: Bouvardia Salisb.
species
See text.

Bouvardia is a genus of about 30 species of evergreen herbs and shrubs in the family Rubiaceae, native to tropical America.

They grow to 0.6-1.5 m tall. The leaves are opposite or in whorls of 3-5, ovate to lanceolate, 3-11 cm long. The flowers are in terminal, generally many-flowered clusters; the corolla has a large tube and four spreading lobes; flower colour ranges varies between species, with white, yellow, pink, and red all found.

Cultivation and uses

Several species of Bouvardia are grown as ornamental plants, both in the tropics and indoors as houseplants in temperate regions. Several cultivars and hybrids have been selected. When grown as houseplants, a minimum winter temperature of 7 °C is required, with a minimum of 12 °C while in flower. Propagation of the cultivars is by cuttings taken in late spring or summer, which need to be kept at a temperature of 20 °C by night and 25 °C during the day, and shaded when required.

Selected species

• Bouvardia laevis
• Bouvardia leiantha
• Bouvardia longiflora
• Bouvardia multiflora
• Bouvardia scabra
• Bouvardia ternifolia
• Bouvardia triphylla
• Bouvardia versicolor

Bouvardia ternifolia: illustrations A-E