In 1768 Admiral Louis de Bougainville discovered the vine that bears his name. Through the ensuing years, this Brazillian beauty has assumed its rightful place as one of the most popular, spectacular and most beautiful tropical plants. The vibrant purple color comes not from the small white tubular flowers, but from the three large paper-like bracts that surround each flower. Hence the nickname "paper flower". The Bougainvillea will typically lose some leaves for a short time during the winter due to the lower lighting conditions. Under high lighting conditions the colorful bracts will adorn this tree trained vine almost constantly and will persist for weeks. Great indoor bonsai