The luxurious bougainvillea plant will give your outside area a bright, tropical feel. The colors of this stunning tropical vine range from vibrant pink to soft apricot. Little white or cream-hued blooms in the center are encircled by flamboyantly colored bracts or modified leaves. It goes without saying that wherever bougainvillea grows, its vivid colors offer a wow element.
Tough as nails and thriving in poor soil and intense heat (even during droughts if they were established earlier), the bougainvillea is a native of South America. In USDA Hardiness zones 10 to 11, it grows as an evergreen perennial; however, in colder areas, it is planted as an annual or houseplant. In regions free of frost, several varieties bloom all year long.
Remarkably adaptable, the plant can be trained to grow as a hedge or ground cover, or it can be pruned into a shrub-like shape. It’s a woody, climbing vine, of course, with some types growing to be over thirty feet tall. Bougainvillea can be cultivated in hanging baskets or pots if you have limited space. Wear gloves when working with this plant because many varieties contain sharp thorns that can inflict significant harm if you’re not covered (though there are a few new cultivars, or developed forms, that are thornless).
How to Handle a Plant of Bougainvillea
Your bougainvillea vine requires similar care to many other tropical plants, whether it is grown in a hanging basket, in a pot, or on a trellis or fence. Additionally, it can require more fertilization than other plants in your collection do.
Sunlight
Above all, keep in mind that your bougainvillea need six or more hours in direct sunlight each day. In partial or full shade, it will not blossom.
Water and Soil
Bougainvillea blooms dislike being wet, yet they flourish well in poor soil. Make sure the place where yours is placed in the ground has good drainage so that water doesn’t collect there. When watering a plant in a pot, avoid using a saucer underneath to allow the plant to drain completely. Only until the earth has dried out should you give it a drink; then, water thoroughly.
Apply fertilizer
Bougainvillea requires frequent feeding; use a general-purpose balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) as it is a heavy eater. However, because these plants have sensitive root systems and benefit most from getting particular micronutrients, like iron, some experts advise using a fertilizer specifically made for them.
How to Trim a Plant of Bougainvillea
Pruning your bougainvillea is essential if you want to maintain its colorful appearance and healthy growth. However, it cannot be emphasized enough: If you don’t wear thick gloves, you risk getting hurt! Sensitive individuals may also develop dermatitis from the sap. Any time of year is a good opportunity to prune your bougainvillea to train it over a wall or trellis, or to regulate its size. In order to prevent it from becoming a jumbled tangle of new and old growth that doesn’t bloom properly, you should also trim out any old, woody stems. It is a robust grower, therefore you will need to prune more than once a year if you reside in a warm region.
Is Your Bougainvillea Flowering? Give It a Shot!
Because bougainvillea blooms on new wood, it will branch out and produce more flowers the more you pull back young shoots. You should pinch your plant as soon as it blooms. Trim a few inches from the delicate, growing tips of each stem with pruning shears. Once more: Remember to wear gloves!
Every now and then, the plants will send off branches called water shoots that grow quickly from the main stem. These can aid immature plants in filling in more quickly; on adult plants, they should be removed as they don’t blossom and take away from the overall beauty of your bougainvillea.