Bougainvillea glabra

No—the vivid papery structures are modified leaves called bracts that surround the plant's small, inconspicuous true flowers. The true flowers are tiny, cream-to-white, tubular structures nestled at the centre of each cluster of bracts.

Bougainvillea glabra blooms best in full sun with at least six hours of direct light and actually flowers more profusely when slightly drought-stressed. Overwatering, excessive nitrogen fertilizer, or too much shade will produce lush green foliage at the expense of the colourful bracts.

Bougainvillea glabra is generally hardy to about USDA Zone 9b–10 and can be damaged or killed by sustained temperatures below roughly −1°C. In colder zones it is commonly grown in containers that can be moved indoors, or treated as an annual for the summer.

B. glabra typically has smaller, smoother, less hairy leaves and thinner, more flexible stems than B. spectabilis, and it tends to bloom more continuously through the year. B. spectabilis has larger, hairier foliage, more robust thorns, and often produces bigger but more seasonal bract displays.