Bougainvillea
Bougainvilleas are valued for their glorious, flamboyant display of blooms and their ability to cover a large area, of either ground or wall. The genus consists of 14 species ranging through tropical and subtropical South America, but only 3 or 4 have been grown as ornamentals. The numerous cultivars include many different kinds and colors. They are evergreen in the wet tropics, but may be deciduous in cooler climates or where there is a severe dry season. In more temperate climates the main flowering period is summer and fall (autumn), but in the tropics their finest display is in the dry season though they may flower off and on all year long.
Surprisingly, Bougainvillea blooms best during the short daylight periods of winter but will sporadically bloom year round on new growth. Growing season requires 60 degrees or warmer. This makes it difficult for people in colder climates to get the maximum ornamental value of Bougainvillea unless it is greenhouse grown during winter months. Bougainvillea's foliage is temperature sensitive below 50 degrees but the plant will survive down to the mid 30's with leaf drop.
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Bougainvillea glabra  |
Bougainvillea x buttiana ' Mrs. Butt'  |
Insider's Secret
We recommend growing Bougainvillea as a hanging basket plant. That makes it easy to take in and out as temperatures fluctuate. Remember to acclimatize any plant to lower light levels by gradual reduction of light if attempting to over winter in lower light conditions. It loves to be pruned occasionally which actually encourages new growth and therefore more potential bloom. The best fertilization program for them is a formulation similar to Hibiscus formulations of approximately 15-5-10. Flowering is best forced by letting the plant dry to the point foliage shows wilting before watering thoroughly. This helps encourage the plant to bloom through stress reaction. Bougainvillea must receive full sunlight or bright light and must be grown in a well drained soil as it must be grown on the dry side.
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