Bougainvillea glabra is hardy in USDA hardiness zones 9 and 10, it is evergreen, prefers full sun,
and can reach an ultimate height of 20 feet. This particular paper-flower bonsai plant has been in training since 1981, and is under 3 feet tall. The common name, paper-flower, is somewhat misleading because
it implies that the bright papery pink structures are flowers, when in fact they are bracts. Bracts are
modified leaves that hold flower parts. The true flower is the small white structure at the center of the
vibrant bracts (see inset). You can view paper-flower in the Haruo Kaneshiro Tropical Conservatory
at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum.