Bougainvillea is a vibrant, colorful, woody vine with thorns so care is needed when handling this tropical charmer. It requires little or no help once established and if left untouched by shears and secateurs it will find its way through nearby shrubs, up trellises and pergolas. It is often seen as a spectacular sight tumbling over garden walls and balconies.
There are many colors to choose from but the most likely one to be seen is Bougainvillea Glabra, its purple bracts are synonymous with this plant in every tropical or desert region. Bougainvillea Glabra, also called “Paper Flower” because its bracts are paper- thin, blooms endlessly from Spring to Fall. Other colors available are: pink, white, yellow, red and orange.
Where to Grow a Bougainvillea Plant
The bougainvillea plant is native to South America but it has traveled well and now it can be found in Thailand and Texas, in Sydney and Singapore, in California and the Caribbean and endlessly throughout the Mediterranean region. It is frost sensitive but it will thrive in U.S. zones 9 and 10+. It has a high salt tolerance so it is often a splendid choice for seaside/coastal regions where its flowering mass can frequently be seen cascading over cliff edges in seaside resorts in Spain and Portugal.
Even though bougainvillea is normally grown as a climber it can do very well in patio containers where it can be neatly trimmed and trained to any particular spot. Bougainvillea plants will grow in hanging baskets but to avoid long untidy stems pinch the tips regularly for a more bushy plant.
These plants are beautiful in any garden but avoid planting them close to a swimming pool as the bracts will constantly drop off and invariably end up floating in the water – in this once instance they are hard work.
Growing a Bougainvillea Plant
Bougainvillea is an easy plant to grow but the favored growing conditions should include:
- Minimum temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Any soil type but it must be well drained and fertile.
- Full sun is best and the more the merrier and a minimum of five hours a day is needed for the most outstanding display.
- Bougainvillea are drought tolerant plants but they do require water and it is best give each plant a thorough soaking where ample drainage is provided and to allow the plant to dry out considerably between watering. It is best not to use saucers when watering as water logged roots will be detrimental.
- Feeding is a must for this vigorous climber and it should be a given a water soluble fertilizer every two weeks during the growing season.
- Bougainvillea has no problems with cramped conditions and will bloom in any pot-bound situation.
- Pruning: Unless the plant can have a free rein it is going to need pruning and this is best done on a regular basis. Pinch the growing tips to encourage bushiness. As new flowers are borne on new growth pruning will result in endless color. Taking care by wearing stout gloves cut back the woody stems with sharp secateurs. The thorns are very sharp and can pierce the skin easily.
- Pests: Bougainvillea is pretty much pest resistant. Nevertheless is can sometimes be attached by aphids and red spider mites. These can be treated by spraying with any insecticide.
- Propagation: Increasing the stock by taking cuttings in late summer. Simply take a cutting from an older stem or pull a side shoot with a heel from the stem and pot them up.
Bougainvillea Flowers
The flowers of bougainvillea are delicately insignificant and are forever lost in the gay profusion of the bracts. Each bougainvillea flower is surrounded by three or six colorful bracts – bracts are leaves modified by nature and are needed for the reproductive process.
Bougainvillea plants will grow indoors but will rarely flower as bountiful sunshine is a must. Bougainvilleas make ideal ornamental plants and good companion plants for bougainvillea are Allamanda and Oleander. These plants enjoy the same growing conditions except in a seaside situation where Allamanda is not salt tolerant.
Laurence O'Sullivan - Larry O'Sullivan, Irish short story and freelance Article writer now living in Thailand. I am Irish, 55 years old and am now living in ...
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