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Also known as Paperflower, bougainvillea are a subtropical, semi-evergreen climber
common to places like South America and the Mediterranean. Favored for their
brightly coloured blooms (actually three papery bracts encircling each tiny white
flower), older specimens can have truly stunning trunks with natural jin and shari
and a twisting character that lend to the illusion of great age. Their growth,
like most plants with a naturally climbing habit, can be scraggly in immature plants.
It takes many years for a thick trunked bougainvillea to develop, but it is well
worth the effort!
Hardiness: Zone 9-11. While they thrive outdoors in summer, Bougainvillea are not
frost hardy, needing to remain above 50 degrees (10 Celsius) year round.
Light: Bougainvillea prefer bright sunlight, and should be grown outside as long
as nighttime temperatures remain above 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 Celsius).
Soil: A free-draining soil mix, with plenty of fibrous material, but no fine particles. Bougainvillea do not tolerate
constantly damp roots.
Watering: Drought tolerant. Do not keep the roots permanently damp, as these plants can tolerate and prefer a
slightly drier soil. Water with restraint in winter, and when forcing flowers. In early summer, withholding water
until the leaves start to wilt may induce flowering, though it can also cause leaf drop. Once normal watering is
resumed, the leaves will regrow. Will drop leaves readily due to overwatering.
Fertilizer: Low nitrogen through the growing season, tapering off in fall. Chelated iron may improve bract
colouring.
Pests and Diseases: Chlorosis from lack of iron or magnesium. Leaf Spot. Usually fairly pest free, but watch for
aphids and leaf cutters when grown outdoors, and spider mites and powdery mildew when grown indoors.
Inspect roots for root aphids and vine weevils.
Repotting: Avoid radical rootpruning, as Bougainvillea have a delicate root system. Repot every two to five years,
depending on climate: two years in a hot climate where roots grow fast, or four to five years in a cooler climate
with slower growth. Remove as much of the old soil as possible, but keep the root pruning light, as they don't
react well to radical root loss.
Pruning and Styling: Blooms on new growth at the end of shoots and in leaf axils. Spring growth should be
allowed to grow until the new leaves have hardened off, then cut down to one or two leaves. The following burst
of growth will bear the flowers. Pruning too early can cause too much vegetative growth, while pruning too late
will limit flowering. If in doubt, simply wait until after flowering. Remove flowers as they fade to keep the tree
looking neat during the blooming season. Prune current seasons growth right after flowering, some time in
autumn, though pruning can be done almost any time of year on a healthy plant. Try to prune mostly while the
tree is in a semi-dormant state though, as in the autumn and winter, whenever possible. Major branch pruning can
be done in the winter. Bougainvillea sucker readily. With naturally scraggly growth habit, older plants will
develop a thicker trunk if all of the suckers at the base are removed as soon as they appear. Older branches
become brittle, so wire younger, more flexible branches.
Styles and Forms: Immature plants are best suited to literati, cascade, or semi cascade. Also curved trunk, twin
trunk, root-over-rock.
Species and Cultivars: 'Helen Johnson' red bracts, dwarf variety
'Pink Pixie' pink bracts, dwarf variety
'Raspberry Ice' fuchsia bracts and variegated leaves with cream margins. Prolific, repeat bloomer. Slow growing.
Other Information: Bougainvillea do best when put in deeper pots. Though sun loving, their roots can use the
extra protection from the heat, especially in the peak of summer.
To acclimate a Bougainvillea from indoor wintering to outdoors in the spring, introduce it to the outdoors slowly.
Start with an hour of morning sun the first day, increasing by an hour a day until it can remain outdoors for the
rest of the season.
common to places like South America and the Mediterranean. Favored for their
brightly coloured blooms (actually three papery bracts encircling each tiny white
flower), older specimens can have truly stunning trunks with natural jin and shari
and a twisting character that lend to the illusion of great age. Their growth,
like most plants with a naturally climbing habit, can be scraggly in immature plants.
It takes many years for a thick trunked bougainvillea to develop, but it is well
worth the effort!
Hardiness: Zone 9-11. While they thrive outdoors in summer, Bougainvillea are not
frost hardy, needing to remain above 50 degrees (10 Celsius) year round.
Light: Bougainvillea prefer bright sunlight, and should be grown outside as long
as nighttime temperatures remain above 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 Celsius).
Soil: A free-draining soil mix, with plenty of fibrous material, but no fine particles. Bougainvillea do not tolerate
constantly damp roots.
Watering: Drought tolerant. Do not keep the roots permanently damp, as these plants can tolerate and prefer a
slightly drier soil. Water with restraint in winter, and when forcing flowers. In early summer, withholding water
until the leaves start to wilt may induce flowering, though it can also cause leaf drop. Once normal watering is
resumed, the leaves will regrow. Will drop leaves readily due to overwatering.
Fertilizer: Low nitrogen through the growing season, tapering off in fall. Chelated iron may improve bract
colouring.
Pests and Diseases: Chlorosis from lack of iron or magnesium. Leaf Spot. Usually fairly pest free, but watch for
aphids and leaf cutters when grown outdoors, and spider mites and powdery mildew when grown indoors.
Inspect roots for root aphids and vine weevils.
Repotting: Avoid radical rootpruning, as Bougainvillea have a delicate root system. Repot every two to five years,
depending on climate: two years in a hot climate where roots grow fast, or four to five years in a cooler climate
with slower growth. Remove as much of the old soil as possible, but keep the root pruning light, as they don't
react well to radical root loss.
Pruning and Styling: Blooms on new growth at the end of shoots and in leaf axils. Spring growth should be
allowed to grow until the new leaves have hardened off, then cut down to one or two leaves. The following burst
of growth will bear the flowers. Pruning too early can cause too much vegetative growth, while pruning too late
will limit flowering. If in doubt, simply wait until after flowering. Remove flowers as they fade to keep the tree
looking neat during the blooming season. Prune current seasons growth right after flowering, some time in
autumn, though pruning can be done almost any time of year on a healthy plant. Try to prune mostly while the
tree is in a semi-dormant state though, as in the autumn and winter, whenever possible. Major branch pruning can
be done in the winter. Bougainvillea sucker readily. With naturally scraggly growth habit, older plants will
develop a thicker trunk if all of the suckers at the base are removed as soon as they appear. Older branches
become brittle, so wire younger, more flexible branches.
Styles and Forms: Immature plants are best suited to literati, cascade, or semi cascade. Also curved trunk, twin
trunk, root-over-rock.
Species and Cultivars: 'Helen Johnson' red bracts, dwarf variety
'Pink Pixie' pink bracts, dwarf variety
'Raspberry Ice' fuchsia bracts and variegated leaves with cream margins. Prolific, repeat bloomer. Slow growing.
Other Information: Bougainvillea do best when put in deeper pots. Though sun loving, their roots can use the
extra protection from the heat, especially in the peak of summer.
To acclimate a Bougainvillea from indoor wintering to outdoors in the spring, introduce it to the outdoors slowly.
Start with an hour of morning sun the first day, increasing by an hour a day until it can remain outdoors for the
rest of the season.
Bougainvillea
Golden Bonsai Nursery
Bougainvilea "Pixie Pink" property of
Golden Bonsai Nursery
Golden Bonsai Nursery