Natural Algarve: Flora, Fauna and Landscapes

🏡☀️ Create Your Retreat in the Algarve! 🌿🍊

Having a garden or terrace in the Algarve means enjoying unique colors and aromas. With abundant sunshine and a mild climate, you can grow vibrant bougainvillea, olive trees, and orange trees, transforming your space into a true oasis. Embrace the outdoors and create the perfect space to relax, entertain friends, and experience the essence of southern Portugal.

📖 See the list of plants that adapt to the Algarve climate.

Bougainvillea in the Algarve: Vibrant Colors and How to Care for It

Bougainvillea is the Algarve's calling card, painting the landscape with its intense colors. The bracts, which look like flowers, appear in shades of purple, red, orange, white, and pink , creating a visual spectacle.

To care for them, the golden rule is plenty of sun and little water . Pruning in late winter helps keep them healthy and flower more. Use a phosphorus-rich fertilizer and ensure well-drained soil for them to thrive.

Main Types of Bougainvillea

Bougainvilleas are mostly hybrids of three species. The plant's shape (vine or shrub) depends on its variety and how it is pruned.

Bougainvillea glabra: Versatile, it can be shaped into a shrub or a vine. It has fewer thorns and is ideal for pots.

Bougainvillea spectabilis: It is a robust, vigorous-growing vine. If used as a shrub, it requires regular pruning.

Bougainvillea x buttiana: A popular hybrid that grows more compactly, perfect for flowerbeds and as a shrub.