The Secrets Of Bougainvillea: Everything You Need to Know
I’ve done a few posts about bougainvillea but this one is straight-up everything I know about it including planting and care. I worked at a nursery in Berkeley, CA that carried bougainvillea and that’s where I first learned a few things about it. I’ve since moved south and in this part of the state, it’s seemingly everywhere.
Love it or hate it you can’t go 2 blocks without a bougainvillea sighting. Lots of colors, sizes, shapes, and forms make it a very common landscape plant – especially fitting with the Mediterranean and Spanish architecture here in Santa Barbara. I’m in the “love it” category in case you’re wondering.
What I’ve Learned About Bougainvillea
My Bougainvillea glabra at the end of the driveway always draws oohh & aahhs – it’s a riot of color. Watch the video below & you’ll see how it looked in early Feb.
What Does Bougainvillea Need to Thrive?
Sunlight
They need at least 6 hours a day to produce all that color we love.
Not enough sun = not enough bloom.
Warm Temperatures
They love the heat. 1 or 2 nights of a light frost won’t harm them but anything more that could. The recommended USDA zones are 9B through 11.
Drier Climates
They’re better suited to drier climes – we don’t get rain here for 8 or 9 months out of the year.
Well-drained Soil
T
How to Choose Your Own Bougainvillea
They come in many colors, types & sizes. Colors run the gamut from white all the way to purple. Double-flowered varieties are available too.
I’ve already done a post showing some of these options so be sure to check it out.
You can get 1 with variegated foliage if you want some real pizazz in the garden. There are ground cover & dwarf forms if you don’t want a monster plant. And pay attention to height because some of the taller varieties don’t get as tall as others. No lack of choices regarding choosing a bougainvillea.
Planting
Bougs are tough as can be but are big babies when it comes to their roots. They don’t like to have them disturbed. You’ll have much better luck if you leave them in the grow pot when planting. I cut the rim off & make slits in the sides & bottom of the pot.
Dig the hole twice as wide as deep & add in a good amount of loam (you don’t need this if your soil drains freely) & organic compost. Water it in very deeply.
If you want it to grow against a wall or fence, then angle it that way. For more info check this post on “how to plant bougainvillea to grow successfully: the one thing to know.“
Watering
2 words – water deeply. Bougainvillea likes to be watered well & have it drain out. After established, they’re drought tolerant. My Bougainvillea glabra didn’t get any water for 9 months last year & it’s lookin’ great. Overwatering = no color (not to mention rot!).
Pruning / Trimming
They need it as
The flowering cycles tend to run every 2 months. Be sure to wear gloves – the majority of bougs have long thorns. Blood has been shed! They put out long, fleshy water shoots so be sure to prune those out – they mess up the shape.
Bougainvilleas bloom on new wood. More pinching = more color. If you want more blooms, check this post: How I Prune & Trim My Bougainvillea For Maximum Bloom.
Fertilizing
I’ve never fertilized mine & they bloom just how I want them to. There are lots of bougainvillea fertilizers on the market but the one that we recommended at the nursery was also for palms & hibiscus. I don’t do this either but they’d probably enjoy a good dose of organic compost or worm compost every year.
Pests
The only pests I’ve seen on mine are the bougainvillea loopers. These are small caterpillars that chew away at the leaves. You’ll see black droppings around the base of the plant. I just leave them be because they don’t appear until mid-summer or so & never permanently damage my plants. BT or neem oil sprays are what is recommended to keep infestations under control. Besides, too many butterflies & hummingbirds visit my plants so I want them to enjoy the flowers “au natural”.
Training
Bougainvilleas don’t cling or attach themselves so you need to train them. As I noted above in “planting”, angle them towards whatever they’ll be growing on. They’re not hard to train but it does take a little effort. Without support, they just flop down & can become a sprawling low blob.
On a wall – If you have a chain-link fence, after a little initial guidance, it will attach itself. Otherwise, you’ll need to provide some guidance in the form of eye-hooks & wire or something like that.
On a trellis or arbor – Attach it with tie & train & prune it as it grows. The new growth is easy to bend.
Hedge – just keep on pinching & pruning out all that soft growth. Not as much flowering though. As a tree – gradually started taking out the other stems to get it to 1 main truck. I did this with my Bougainvillea Barbara Karst.
Transplanting
It’s a crapshoot. See “planting” above. If you must try, make sure you get the whole root ball. Dig a very large hole & add plenty of those amendments. Keep it well watered & hope for the best. They’re a very common plant & not very expensive so I’d recommend buying a new one.
Uses In The Landscape
Bougainvilleas are very tough & very versatile. Use them as a vine, ground cover, hedge or tree. On arbors, trellis’, fences, buildings & walls. In containers & hanging baskets.
I could add topiary or bonsai because here in Santa Barbara I’ve seen it pruned into the shapes of a large basket & swan. Now that’s an Edward Scissorhands at it’s finest!
In Containers
They do well. If it’s a larger growing variety, just make sure the pot is large too. It must have drain holes to enable the water to flow through. You will need to water them more often than when in the ground. A container enables you to wheel your bougainvilleas into a garage or covered porch (or a conservatory if you’re lucky) for a month or 2 if you’re borderline zone 9b.
Winterizing
If you must have one, see above. We’re in zone 10a & can get a light frost for a night or 2. They do just fine. This winter was very mild for us but in colder years, more leaves have dropped off my plants & flowering hasn’t started as early.
When I lived in San Francisco there were 5 or 6 straight nights of frost years ago. In many parts of the Bay Area, this knocked bougainvilleas out & they didn’t recover. We heard many sob stories at the nursery that spring!
Indoors
I have absolutely no experience in regards to this. Bougainvilleas need a lot of sun & heat so I imagine you wouldn’t get any blooms. There are many better houseplants you can choose if you want flowers.
Another thing I learned early on is that this colorful plant doesn’t make a good cut flower. It wilts almost immediately. Too bad because they scream “look at me!” when in full bloom.
Happy gardening & thanks for stopping by,
Want to learn More About Bougainvillea? Check Out These Care Guides Below!
- How To Plant Bougainvillea To Grow Successfully
- What Is Eating My Bougainvillea Leaves?
- How to Prune and Trim Bougainvillea For Maximum Bloom
- Pruning Bougainvillea In Summer
- How To Care For Bougainvillea In Winter
- Bougainvillea: Care and Growing Tips
Plus These Gardening Tips!
- How To Care For and Grow Star Jasmine
- How To Grow Pink Jasmine Vine
- Before Pruning: Clean And Sharpen Your Pruning Tools
- Organic Flower Gardening
This post may contain affiliate links, you can read our policies here.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Nell, the founder of Joy Us garden, was born into a gardening family and grew up in Connecticut’s countryside. After living in Boston, New York, San Francisco, & Santa Barbara, she now calls the Arizona desert home. She studied horticulture & garden design, working in the field all her life. Nell is a gardener, designer, blogger, Youtube creator, & author. She’s been gardening for a very long time & wants to share what she’s learned with you.
Hello:
Can – -or should — bougainvilleas be trained to grow up and around a big tree, such as a pine or oak that is about 16 inches in diameter? The trees are over 30 feet tall.
Thank you,
Hi Barbara – Growing vines up a tree is generally not a good idea unless it’s a small scale vine. The trunk of the tree needs to breathe. In the case of bougainvilleas, definitely not. Bougies need a lot of sun & heat – the crown of the tree will provide too much shade. Also, the soil below will be too compact & perhaps too acidic for the roots of the bougainvillea to grow successfully. Hope that helps, Nell
Hi Nell,
When you say leave it in the container when planting a new Boug, how large of slits are you talking? Do I cut the whole bottom off? Any help on this would be appreciated! I just bought a beautiful pink one and I’m very scared I’m going to kill it.
Thanks,
Bethany
Hi Bethany – Smart move to plant your new bougie in the grow pot! I cut out chunks of the pot on the bottom, basically enlarging the drain holes. Then, I would make 5 single slits all the way up & down the sides of the pot (for a 5 gallon size). As I said, they’re very, very tough plants but big babies when it comes to their roots. Don’t worry because the roots will grow out of the pot over time. And, they don’t like to be transplanted so choose the location carefully. Hope that helps! Nell
Am I expecting too much too fast? I’ve had my bougainvillea since Aug 1 2015. I’m doing everything right as far as I know and my bougainvillea are not growing or blooming; in the full sun all day, not over watering (waiting for the soil to get good and dry then saturate), they’ve even wilted a couple of times, the right plant food 6-8-10 bougain food for “powerful bloom boost” it proclaims. Not fair. 🙁 Help.
Hi Marie – Bougainvilleas typically don’t bloom too much (if at all) in the 1st year or 2 after planting. They bloom on new growth so you have to wait until there’s enough of it. Mine are both very well established & I routinely pinch them for that reason – to bring on the color. Also, if you took it out of its grow pot to plant it, it takes longer to establish (if it doesn’t die – they don’t like to have their roots disturbed). So, wait until next year or maybe even the year after. Hope that helps! Nell
Thank you Nell; Your reply was encouraging. I know now my plant is acting normal. However, I didn’t plant my boug in the ground. He’s still in the same pot I purchased him in 4 weeks ago. It had a nice spray of bright white bracts that turned to light pink (beautiful). It bloomed once, it wont bloom again in the fall?
I trimmed the branches back 1/3 after the bracts fell off and feed it 6-8-10. Another year or 2 huh? Lots of new leaves all along the length of each branch though. Oh well. At least he’s healthy.
Regards!
Hi Marie – It can take Bougainvilleas a couple of years to really get going. Yours may or may not bloom again this year – pinching helps. My 2 are both well established so they put out 3 or 4 big bloom displays each year. 1 hasn’t been supplementally watered for almost 3 years now & is blooming away like crazy despite our drought here in CA. I’ve found that they aren’t heavy feeders in regards to fertilizers, especially when in the ground, so go easy on that. Nell
First off, let me mention what a great site you have with tons of info! My question is, my mother is in search for a multi-colored Bougainvillea Tree. Now, is this only achieved through grafting several different colored Bougainvilleas? Whether the answer is yes or no, what would be the best place to purchase Bougainvillea trees? We currently live in the U.S. Any information would be appreciated.
Thank you so much!
Thank you Alex! Where are surrounded by bougainvilleas here in Southern California but the trees are a rarity. I trained my Bougainvillea “Barbara Karst” into a tree – it was a tall, columnar shape when I bought the house. There are growers, mainly in Florida, who grow the trees. The multi-colored bougie trees are a result of grafting. The only ones I’ve seen are from a man in the Philippines doing the grafting. I don’t know of anyone online who sells them. I would recommend going to a local reputable nursery & see if they could specially order one for you. You most likely won’t get the multi-colored one but perhaps they could locate a tree for you. Not the answer you were probably hoping for but I hope it helps! Nell
I’ve just moved and I’m anxious to start landscaping my huge sun-drenched garden. Is this a bad time to plant bougainvillea? I live in So Cal but the nights have been rather cold lately and it’s only going to get colder. Am I better off keeping the plants in their pots until spring?
Hi Nancy – The bougainvilleas will love your sun drenched garden! I’m in Santa Barbara & the evenings have been very cool so I would recommend keeping them in pots until at least the beginning of March or when the evenings start to warm up. Bougainvillea, even though it’s a very tough plant, has sensitive roots when it comes to planting. Here’s an important thing to know: do not take your bougies out of their pots when planting. Make slits in the pots for the roots to grow out & just sink the plant. pot & all, into the ground. Hope that helps! Nell
Hi I’m from Australia, love your site! Just wondering if you can tell me how many bougies would I need to cover a fence line of 15 metres? And how far should each be planted apart from each other. They grow really well here in Perth and I can’t wait to get mine going!!
Hi Rachel – Greetings from California, & thank you! It depends on what bougies you’re going to plant (some grow to be much bigger than others) so I’ll assume it’s 1 of the more robust ones. You can plant 6 if you want them to fill in faster or 3 if you’re patient – also, these figures assumes they’re in 5 gallon grow pots. Remember, they do best if you plant them directly in the ground in the grow pots, just make a few slits. Hope that helps! Nell
Hi, I’m a boug lover as well. I’m planning on using it in a wedding I’m decorating for in August (we live about 90 miles north of Santa Barbara ) any recommendations on keeping blooms fresh after cutting or sources on where to purchase? I have my heart set on some beautiful fuchsia bougainvillea.
Thank you! Sirena
Hi Sirena – I don’t know anyone who sells cut stems of bougainvillea because it’s not a long lasting cut flower. If you are going to try, then be sure to cut the soft stems (which tend to be short by the way) because the blooms on the hardwood will start to wilt in 5-10 minutes. I’ve hear that if you cut those softer stems & immediately put them in hot water, then it has a better chance of making it. It’s definitely not a flower to use in big arrangements nor work with the day or 2 before the wedding! If you want to use it, I think you’re going to have to find someone who has a good sized bougie & cut from that. I’d definitely do a trial run well in advance of the wedding. Hope that helps, Nell
Hi,
I live in California in zone 9B in the San Fernando Valley (North Granada Hills). I recently purchased a home that was terribly overgrown with plants everywhere. The whole west wall of the huge backyard is a compilation of at least 8 multi trunk bouganvilleas along the wall. The old owner never cut it back…ever, just a hedge type trim from the gardeners every now and then as he liked his privacy. This thing is pretty but also just a mess with lots of dead debris inside. It was easily 12 – 15 feet high and at least 6 – 8 ft deep and at least 20 feet wide (6 – 8 trunks/plants). A monster with minimal new growth and blooms, lots of brown ugliness inside. I recently had some tree trimmers come out and they said they would take it back as far as possible. They did just that. Now what? it looks like a mess of sticks with a bit of green here and there that I asked them to leave. How do I tell what is alive and what is dead? HELP!!!!
Hi Gina – Bougainvillea is very tough & because it sounds like that stand is well established, you should get new growth appearing soon. Bougainvillea loves sun & heat so new growth will come in the spring. The only thing that would knock them back is to be severely pruned & then a cold spell hits. Nell
Here in Chile I am trying to get every color, except purple. The purple ones here grow massive, like a tree, maybe 15 meters tall. And they look awful in the fall when the leaves turn brown and stay that way until they fall off in the winter. The other colors do not seems to get so huge and perhaps their leaves fade but do not turn ugly brown. So far I have fuchsia, white, pink, and red. I bought an orange one but it turned red. And then I had one that was white with pink mixed in but I transplanted it and then a horse or maybe rabbits chopped it off so I lost that one. Have not seen that color for sale anywhere since.
Hi Walker – Sounds like a lovely array of colors. We have lots of varieties here too. Nell
I have 3 beautiful Bougs that flank pillars on my patio…however, they are constantly dropping flowers which makes a huge mess all over the patio and in the pool. Is there an alternative flowering vine that you would suggest to replace the boug? We live in southern California, Palm Springs.
Hi – Yes, Bougainvilleas do shed a lot but I call it a beautiful mess. And having them near a pool would mean a lot of clean up. Every flowering vine I can think of for your climate is going to make a mess. The only solution may be to find a vine with larger flowers so the mess wouldn’t be as extensive. Nell
Hi-I planted 5 bougs 2 yrs ago. In the spring 2 didn’t make so I replaced them & all 5 did great THEN comes winter. I covered the base of each with manure & covered them from tip to bottom when the hard frost hit (a few days) I uncovered them, moved the manure around & turned on the water letting them get a good soak. Each have new growth shooting up from the bottom but how do I get them to pick up where they left off last year? I am a newbie when it comes to these plants. My neighbor didn’t do anything & his are beautiful. Please Help!!!
Hi Laura – Established plants can withstand a hard freeze much better than younger bougies like yours.They’re native to the tropics so they don’t like those cold temps. Give them regular water (which you can back off after they’re established) & as much sun (at least 6-8 hours per day) & heat as possible. Nell
Hi Nell Could you tell me if Bougies will dig up surrounding paving with their roots. Cheers Sheree
Hi Sheree – Bougainvilleas are vigorous growers but you don’t have to worry about the roots. Both of mine are planted next to a structure as well as the sidewalk & driveway. There are so many here in So Cal planted in paved areas with no problems. Cheers to you, Nell
Hi, I live in Houston Texas and have a beautiful variegated blueberry ice bougainvillea in a medium plastic hanging basket. I would like to plant it in the ground. My question is : should I take it out of the basket first or plant it as is? Thanks!
Hi Susan – Bougainvilleas are very tough plants but sensitive when it comes to their roots being disturbed. It’s a crap shoot when it comes to transplanting them so I’d leave it in the pot & plant it that way. Make a few slits in the pot if you can. Hope that helps! Nell
I’m in Phoenix, Az. I decided to move my ancient Boug, instead of buying a new spindly one, when we built our porch. Nothing to loose, really. So, I had my yard guy put it in the hole I had dug. Of course, I wasn’t there when he did it, so it was crooked and looked ridiculous, when he got done. I dug it up and moved it, 8 weeks later. Fingers crossed. The darn thing has a heart of gold. She’s got little tiny pink buds all over. I think she’s gonna be okay. She may be as old as me! Over 50. She’s a keeper.
You never know with plants, do you?! Nell
Hi! I’ve discovered to my horror that my potted bouganvillea rooted out of the one drainage hole into the ground! The plant is on a trellis and is 5′ tall and just as wide. I’m beside myself and don’t know what to do. I’m afraid to cut it off but I’m willing to try anything! Thanks, Debbie
Hi Debbie – the best thing might be to leave it where it is (if you can) & continue to let if grow into the ground. If you need to move it, then try cutting it free. Because you aren’t disturbing the whole root ball, my guess is that it will be okay. I’ve never done that before but if it’s the best option, go for it. Just make sure you’re pruners are really sharp! Nell
I live in south Australia and have a wild bougainvillea. We have just moved into the house and I’m not sure what to do. As far as I can tell there are 2 one meter sucker trees (growing in a really awkward spot), 3 smaller trees which have been cut back at some time and 3 original trees which are full of spines and are rampant. Any advice on how to tame this mess. I would like 3 beautiful plants that can be trained as a screen. Alternatively, should I rip the whole lot out? Help!
Hi Cassie – That’s a tough one because you could spend quite some time trying to get “the mess” to be the beautiful screen you want it to be & never get it quite there. I’ve often found it hard to bring overgrown plants to where I want them to be. I’ve pruned & trained both of mine but it takes work so it can be done. I ended up taking the 3rd one out. Here in Southern California they are common, inexpensive & grow like crazy as I imagine they do & are In south Australia. The easiest route would be to take them out (or have someone do it!) & plant 3 new ones. Also, you could get the color(s) that you want. Hope that helps! Nell
Hi Nell You have a great site. Tks My question is if I leave the plant in the 7 gallon plant container made of a plastic like material and will never disintegrate in the ground.
Hi John – Thanks! I always plant bougainvilleas in their plastic grow pots. Simply cut off the upper rim if it’s sticking way up above the soil line & cut multiple slits in the sides & also the bottom. The plastic doesn’t disintegrate but the roots can grow out that way. I learned this when I worked at a nursery & did it many times always with success when I was a professional gardener. Nell
Hi Nell. Fantastic site. So I just purchased two Barbara Karsts – one in a 5 gallon and one in a 2 gallon container. Had planned on putting them in 2 different “in ground” locations, but unfortunately we hit concrete a few inches down in one spot so my gardener put the two side by side. They look beautiful, but my concern is that they are only a few feet apart and I have read that there should be 6-9 feet of spacing. Will they be ok being so close together or should I move one of them into a pot? They are planted against a fence with no other plants, trees or foliage by them. Thank you.
Hi Chrissy – Barbara Karst is a vigorous grower & would prefer to have the 6-9′ of spacing. That being said, as long as the roots have room to grow (which it sounds like they do), they’ll be fine. The other good thing is that there’s no other plants around for them to smother. You’re probably going to have to do more pruning to keep them from overtaking each other! Nell
Hi from South Florida — I “dropped ” a scrawny about to die boug in an out of the way spot and forgot about it. Now many years the top is in beautiful flower at the top of a 60′ oak and the vine at the base is of impressive diameter. I have another I’m considering relocating near another oak. My question – is this a bad idea? Will it be likely to harm the oak?
Hi David – I wouldn’t have thought that a vigorous bougainvillea at the base of an oak (which I’m assuming is a Live Oak?) would be a good companion but it sounds like both are doing fine. Personally, I wouldn’t consider locating another 1 near another oak. Nell
HI NELL<Wonderful page, what month, or best time for grafting bougainvillea, regardless, for the region and the climate? thinks
Hi – Thank you so much! I would think that spring would be best. Bougainvillea is so hardy & so vigorous that any time would most likely be fine except any extremely cold &/or hot month(s). Nell
nell,
live in houston texas, and have some bougainvillea (pink surprise, example shown here: http://pichost.me/1283723/). they are each in very large pots, I’d say pushing 50+ gallons. the plants have been in place for about 3 years and do very well. showing lots of color in spring and fall, and intermittently throughout summer.
anyway, i discovered that a main root was growing out of the drain hole of each pot. one pot was actually gathering water because the root plugged the 1-inch hole.
i have opened those holes up to about 6-inch diameter, and reset the pots on stones with some lightly packed dirt under the pot / drain hole. tried my best not to disturb the root coming out of each pot, but they each sustained some “scarring” as i shifted the pots around to complete my project.
i would much prefer the roots to grown down into the soil, rather than laterally, which is how they are growing now. they went lateral, i suspect because there was a broad, flat stepping stone under each pot, but shimmed up just a bit to allow water to run into the soil.
my question: can i / should I trim the main root coming out of each pot to encourage the roots to go down into the soil? i am highly doubtful the plants are root bound in the pots, given how large the pots are and it’s only been 3 years or so. so was hoping i could trim these roots, without a ton of harm or shock to the plant. then when the roots decide to emerge out of the pot again, they will more or less go down into the soil.
appreciate your advice! (sorry for long post)
Hi Joshua – Those are big pots & bougainvilleas don’t mind being a bit potbound so there should be no worries about that. They don’t like to have their roots disturbed when planted that’s why it’s best to leave them in the grow pots. I’ve never trimmed their roots before but I do know that bonsai masters do it to the roots of their bougainvillea specimens. Pruning a bit of the main root should be no problem because you won’t be disturbing too much if any of the root ball. Be sure & do it before August. Hope that helps! Nell
Hi Nell,
I love your page. Very informative. Do bougainvillea do well in the Paso Robles area (about a half hour north of San Luis Obispo)? We dip into the upper 20s on the colder winter days with some light dusting of frost on those evenings. I don’t see much of it around here. We want to grow a dense, hardy, colorful hedge about 100′ long, 2′ wide and 6-10′ high. Basically a living fence to replace an ugly, dilapidated wooden fence that is falling down. I realize some posts & wire guides and a good deal of training and pruning will necessary for that. Can you tell me what varieties “hedge” up the best? I’ve seen this done in Hawaii where I grew up but always with a single color or variety. We want to mix up a great deal of colors and varieties but want a consistent growth rate so we don’t have gaps. Also, I’d prefer to start with plantings already a good 2-3′ high as I want to establish the hedge as quickly as possible. Any tips on variety, care and spacing is greatly appreciated.
– Dave (not the same David with the Oak tree!)
Hi Dave – Thank you! I know exactly where Paso Robles is because I lived in Santa Barbara for 10 years. You should be able to grow Bougainvillea but you might be right on the line of being too cold. Bougies are hardy to around 25 degrees F & are suited to USDA zones 10 & 11. You can hedge many of the bougainvilleas but it’ll take a bit of pruning to keep them at 6-10′. I don’t want to go through the list because I don’t know which ones, if any, are available in your area. And, some are more cold tolerant than others. The best thing to do is go to a reputable,independent, local nursery & see what they have to offer & what they have to say. Hope that helps! Nell
Hi nell potted a bambino Bougainville some 10 weeks back and nothing has happened can’t see any new growth , others I planted in soil against a wall , 6 weeks back all bambino have taken off with much growth it is winter in Perth , Australia now temp being very mild 12- 19 most days , any thoughts on this , cheers , paul.
Hi Paul – Plants are funny sometimes & you never know. The root system could have been less developed than the others. Bougies can be slow to take off so give that 1 some time. Also, bougainvilleas don’t like to be disturbed when planted (it’s recommended to leave them in their pots) so maybe that’s it. Also, it’s still cool where you are & they like sun & heat. Nell
Nell, I’ve had a 5′ bougainvillea in a large planter for 4 yrs on the west side w some shade. The first winter it got hit w a freeze, followed by half the flowers it had originally. Next year, it had stalks and few flowers, and now green stalks only. I cut back the stalks once a year. Nothing good seems to be happening. What’s your recommendation??
Mary – If there’s green growth only, it could be too little or too much water. Also, bougies need sun & heat to flower so that could be a cause too. If the pot is too small, it could be potbound. It’s hard to say without knowing all the conditions. I never pruned mine back too much & periodically tipped the ends for maximum flowering. Mine in Santa Barbara they never froze so they showed color 9 months out of the year. Nell
Hello,
I planted 6 San Diego Red plants (11.5 Gallon) in late May. I live in the west San Fernando Valley so it gets really hot. One plant didn’t make it. It immediately dried up and went brown. I think the inner stems were still green, but I didn’t have the patience to wait, so I replaced it. I put one plant in the middle of a 10 ft space attached to wire. Im starting to see some new growth, but I have several questions:
Is one plant enough for this 10 ft space?
How long will it take to fill in? Bloom?
I have a wire strung across the top and the middle that I’ve attached them to. Is this enough?
Should I string more?
I put bamboo sheeting behind the wire to provide a little privacy. I was considering using a colored corrugated steel for a better look. Will this burn the plants in the extreme heat? They are attached to wire but I’m sure they’ll touch the steel.
I waited 2 weeks and then fertilized with a bougainvillea fertilizer, then again a month later (yesterday). Should I be?
How much should I water right now? It’s really hot. Close to or above 100 Degrees Fahrenheit everyday.
Your blog is awesome. Thanks for providing such great information!!
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl – 1 every 10′ is enough. In that size pot, they should fill in in 3-5 years. Most bloom the 1st year. Bougies are strong so you might want to put up 2 or 3 more strings. The steel would be too hot. I never fertilize them, only compost. Water deeply to establish in the heat, at least once or twice a week. Bougainvillea post coming tomorrow! Nell
Are there companion plants for San Diego Reds that you’d recommend?
Hi Cheryl – There are quite a few depending on how you’re using & training the Bougie SDR. Here are some recommendations to start with: lantanas, ornamental grasses, plumbago, lavenders, salvias, dwarf oleanders, lophomyrtus, rosemary & the smaller to mid-sized pittosporums. Hope that helps, Nell
Hi Nell, can you tell me what the difference is between the San Diego Red and the Barbara Karst?
Blooming patterns is what I’m most interested in.
Hi Cheryl – Both are very vigorous growers & bloom a lot in full sun. I’ve found the SDR stays a bit more red & the BK is a bit more on the magenta/red side depending on where they’re growing. Nell
We’re thinking about putting some bougs (white or light pink trailing) for our slope where the ivy is dying. we are in Orange
County, Ca. We need it as a ground cover. What do you suggest
we use and what variety? any help would be appreciated – this
would be our first experience with them. Thanks!
Hi Nancy – The dwarf/trailing Bougainvilleas make great ground covers. The colors are just a matter of what you can find – the bright pink & magenta colors seem to be more readily available as low growers than the colors you want . The new “Sunvillea” series is worth checking out – colors are cream, pale pink & deep rose. Oh la la & raspberry ice are old standbys. Nell
Nell,
We are in Southern California. We planted a red bougie on the slope behind our barn. It is growing well but is now blooming white. Why the color change?
Debbie – I don’t know because I’ve never known that color change to happen. The shades can vary slightly from year to year depending on the temps/sun but not the color. The hybrids go through a lot of breeding so perhaps that has something to do with it. I’m not sure if the soil (nutrition / pH) would cause that. Nell
Nelly
We have a five bougies. Half approximately of one plant the leaves curled up like under stress. The leaves even though curled/stressed still have life.Difficult to pull off. Even some blossom but deteriorating . The other half of the plant not many blossoms but leaves look healthy. The plant is in the ground not potted, and approximately 4-5 diameter. It receives 2 gallons of water three times a week from drip system. To much water? Fertilized plant every month.
What to do? Prune? Cut back on water? ?????
Thank you
Peter Hamper
Hi Pete – Curling leaves on bougainvilleas are usually do to insect infestations or something with the watering. I never supplementally watered my very established bougies in Santa Barbara & they did fine. Also, I never fertilized them. That 1 plant is obviously a bit stressed so don’t prune it now. Nell
For over 20 years in Pacifica, south of San Francisco, I had no idea what this “hedge plant” was growing up against our wall. I shaped it and noticed a few red flowers from time to time. Then it hit me that this was a bougainvillea, duh. On sage advice of neighbors, I cut the hedge back to a single stalk and ever since it has been stunning, bursting forth year around in bloom. But, at the base where I cut back all the other stalks but one, those cut stalks continue to sprout from a common base that includes the “winner” stalk. It’s an annoyance as it requires maintenance nearly every month. Is there a way to prevent growth of these “suckers” around the base?
Hi Jeff – I know right where Pacifica is because I just got back from there 3 weeks ago! I was a professional gardener in the Bay Area for 20 years & was doing work in a former client’s garden. Those suckers that you see on your bougainvillea are water shoots. Some varieties & cultivars produce more of them then others. You probably have the variety “San Diego Red” which is popular in those parts. There’s really nothing you can do about the shoots, except to prune them out. My B. glabra produced quite a few of them (some very tall & fat) & I removed them. So no, there’s no way to prevent them. Nell
Hi there – I also live in SB and just got two boug. plants to grow up the side of my house. I ordered one purple and one orange and wanted to grow them together. When the plants arrived one was purple but the other seems to be mostly red with a bit of pink. I don’t suppose it will turn orange, will it?
Thanks,
Renee
Hi Renee – No, it most likely won’t turn orange. There’s a variety called “rosenka” which has both orange & pale pink flowers but it’s definitely not reddish pink. I like to buy bougies which are named varieties & are in flower. Besides rosenka, orange king, CA gold & delta dawn are ones that run the orange to gold range. Nell
Hello, I’m in the Portland OR metro area (zone 7b-8a) and most garden centers here sell bougs as summer annuals. I bought a “Barbara Karst” today for a sunny patio area that has a south and west exposure. Plan is to transfer it into a larger plastic container. Should I keep it in the original 1-gallon pot and cut off the bottom of that pot then set it into the larger container? I have one of those old-fashioned iron T-pole style clothes-line and planned to train the vine up one of the poles.
Thanks for any ideas.
P.S. I used to live in Berkeley in the 1980s. Magic Gardens & Berk. Hort were my fav nurseries back then.
Hi Aly – I loved working at Berkeley Hort & learned so much there. I also bought way too many plants! Yes, it’s best to plant it right in the grow pot because bougies don’t like to have their roots disturbed, which is something I learned the 2nd day of working at BH. You can cut the bottom off the pot & I’d put a few long slits on the sides too. Make sure the larger pot has drain holes as they need good drainage. Also, you can plant your BK slightly at an angle going towards the T-pole which will help you in the training. Nell
Hi, I live in Deya, Mallorca, Spain in a house that is about 300 years old. Part of the front wall of the house is covered with this magnificent bougainvillea. There is a stone 7cement covere patio and there is a 3 foot empty spot right next to the side of the house through which the major trunk grows. Lately, many of the bougainvilleas leaves have turned yellow and brittle and are starting to fall off and week by week there are fewer purple flowers. We water the plant regularly every 2 or 3 days. Some
experts have advised cutting back on the watering / the flowers continue to dry out, turn yellow and fall off. I should mention that we have lived in this house for 15 years and this is the first year
that we have had this problem. Can you help, please-_-– any ideas….. thanks …. Patrick Kelly
Hi Patrick – It sounds like a lovely house & I can understand your concern. I don’t know what your weather patterns have been in Mallorca (lots of rain, very dry, etc) so I’m not exactly sure what to tell you. But, here’s what I can: My 2 bougainvilleas in Santa Barbara, CA never got any supplemental water at all & Southern California is in the midst of a big drought – both of the plants are doing just fine. Once well established, they can withstand dry periods & actually flower better under these conditions. Watering yours every 2-3 days is too much. If you have to water them, do it deeply every 2-4 weeks depending on the weather. Hope that helps, Nell
Hi
We live in Simi Valley, and the area I’m targeting for my Boug is a north facing, w/ hot afternoon sun, against the house planter. The heat generation off the house leaves it a hotbox, and the afternoon sun is maybe 5-6 hours. I thought it was a shade area, but evidently the afternoon sun is baking everything for shade or partial shade I’ve tried.
Would a Bougainvillea do ok on a trellis (not exceeding) 4 ft up the brick chimney? There is some brick issues on the bottom, I thought I could masked. I am so tired of replacing plants, and I have always had Boug-ies. Thanks for your advice in advance.
btw, great info on leaving the roots in the pot, cutting slits for root wiggle room. I had no idea.
Hi Laura – As I said in the post, bougainvilleas are tough as can be but big babies when it comes to their roots. Bougies love hot sun. I moved to Tucson 2 months ago & the sun is very intense & they do great here. Yes, it’ll do fine on a trellis but will need training, guiding & supporting as they don’t attach. Be sure to give it deep waterings to get it established. Hope that helps! Nell
Nell and everybody – I love Bougainvillea, but every day I clean the leaves out of our pool. Our neighbors Boug hangs over the side fence, and blows into our “addict” (chemical dependency problem) lol At least they are floaters.
Oh my goodness Laura, I love bougainvilleas but I’d never put 1 next to a pool. I loved the 1 growing up & over my garage but the fallen flowers were quite the sweeping & raking project every week! Yes, they are so light & do float so that makes it easier. Nell
I have 6 plants in their grow pots with the bottoms removed, in 3 wooden tubs with soil covering the pots. The trunks are quite large, and I fear they are root bound. Do I need to worry?
Hi Beverly – Bougainvillea can grow tight in a pot for a few years. After that, it’s best to go up on pot size. Of course, the lower growing bougies don’t need transplanting as often. The larger the plant is getting, the more root space it needs. Nell
Hi Nell,
I was wondering what you think about planting my Bougies against galvanized steel sheeting. Will it get too hot and burn my plants?
Hi Cheryl – It depends on where you are. I used to live in Santa Barbara (on the coast of CA) & that would have been fine. I now live in Tucson where the sun is stronger & much hotter so the steel sheeting would most likely burn it. Nell
It’s tied to wires that are a couple of inches away from the steel.
Can bou grow in pottin mix soil ?i transplant new soil n stop bloom.
Hi Lan – A soil mix that doesn’t contain too much peat & has excellent drainage is best. Also, they love a nice, rich organic compost. Nell
I live in Alabama. My bogs are beautiful this year. They are planted in the ground. How can I keep them through the winter.
Thanking you in advance for your help.
Debbie Wilson
Hi Debbie – I’m not sure how cold you get, but bougies can take more than 2-3 nights below freezing. They’ll also drop all their foliage. In temps below 40, they’re semi-deciduous. You can try protecting the plants & ground down below with canvas tarps if the evenings get too cold. Nell
Neil,
Thanks for all your info and replying to my posts. You’re terrific!My Bougies seem to be having their leaves being nibbled on, and it seems to not be getting worse. I must have not noticed this, when I bought them at HD last week. Can I spray them with a dish soap and water mist to kill whatever this is, or is Neem Oil better? I prefer a more natural approach. I wiped off a greyish white film on the leaves (not sticky) and it hasn’t returned. There was a warning from HD about a residue from their care.
By the way, Santa Barbara to Tucson must be a culture shock. Hope you are enjoying the change.
I bought a plant thinking it was varigated ivy . Its on a trellis , But the vine has thorns about 3/4 inches long [ like bouganvillea] Does bouganvillea com in varigated leaves {green and white]?
Hi Edie – Yes, there are about 15 varieties of variegated bougainvilleas that I know of. Some have green/white leaves & some green/yellowish leaves. Sounds like you have a bougainvillea. Nell
This is my first year with this plant absolutely love it. But here is my question I live in Otawa, Canada and would like to bring it indoors until next spring can I cut it back before or should I wait until next spring. It has bloomed twice already and I also have another one different colour that is just starting to bloom again when is the best time to cut it back to give it shape!
Hi Susan – Because you live in a cold climate, I’d wait on cutting your bougainvilleas back until spring. It’ll probably go into adjustment mode when brought inside & cutting it back will up the ante on that. Give it as much light as you can. Hope that helps! Nell
I have bought some seeds white, yellow and blue Bouganvillea what is the best way to plant these …. I live in Ottawa Ontario Canada I love the two plants that I currently have and can u make cuttings for another plant or is seed the best way?
Hi Susan – Propagating bougainvilleas from cuttings is the easiest & fastest way to do it. And, spring is the best time for that. The seeds you can propagate at any time of year, just don’t let them get too cool. Nell
Neil, I enjoy reading your site. I’ve just moved to Palm Springs California. We have a duplex and very little landscape area to plant. I am wanting to plant some bouganvillea in our front bed (faces East). It’s the middle of September and the days are finally only reaching 100 degrees and nights are in the lower 70″s.
Is this a good time to plant. Beds are lots of sand and landscape gravel. Are there varieties that don’t grow as fast as others. We like a variety of color. I’ve also heard there are some that don’t lose their colorful leaves as fast as others.
Can you help?
Hi Bill – I recently moved to Tucson so I know what you mean about the temps. You can plant now but I think it’d be best to wait until Oct or Nov – you won’t need to water it as much to get it going. Also, don’t take it out of the grow pot when planting. There are many varieties of bougainvilleas which grow to different heights – ground covers all the way up to 30′ tall. I’m not sure about loosing the colored bracts as fast, but there’s definitely some that flower more than others. Check what’s available in your area. Hope that helps! Nell
Hi Nell from India…I loved your blog about bougs. Thanks.
Hey I got a Boug cutting (with light orange flowers) for my pot one year back. Now I has started developing branches but the branches run in all the directions spreading away from each other. Can you please help me in managing them. I have kept the pot near a grill which is 4 feet in height on the top floor.
Hi Mamta – Greetings to you in India & thank you. Bougainvillea takes pruning very well so don’t be afraid to do it. If you want to take the branches in, you can always do it gradually. Just know that pruning will encourage new growth which can be good & bad (depending on how you look at it!) – more to prune but you’ll get more flowering. Bougies flower on new growth. All the best, Nell
Nell<
What if the pots are plastic. Still plant them with the pot? Just curious since the pot will never degrade. Is this ok?
Sherika – Yes, that’s how it’s commonly done. Just make sure you put good-sized slits in the pot so the roots can grow out. Nell
Also is there any special way to incorporate a trellis into a climbing Bougainvillea.
Sherika – The best time to incorporate the trellis is at planting time. Because bougainvillea roots are sensitive (which is surprising because the plant is so tough) just make sure you don’t jam the trellis footings into the root ball. Nell
Hi
Awesome site. Thank you. I love Bougainvilles
Do bougainvilles thorns exude an irritant?
My bougainville is over 50 years old and still going strong,
When I prune (I always forget to wear gloves) I usually cut myself on a thorn and it hurts for days.
Hi Barbara – The sap is slightly toxic but I don’t believe the thorns are. However, they do cause a type of dermatitis because when poked by one, it can deposit a little plant matter in the skin which can lead to swelling, redness & irritation. It never has bother me except for the couple of times I’ve been stabbed in the joint. Nell
Could you possibly tell me what the variety is in your picture that has almost yellow leaves with dark reddish bracts that you have pictured. Thanks
Hi Leslie – That is a ground cover – Bougainvillea “Golden Jackpot”. Nell
My newly planted bougies have been hit by loopers. Any resistant varieties that you know of?
Hi Beth – My bougies get by them every year too. There are many varieties of bougainvilleas on the market but none of them are resistant (that I’m aware of anyway). Nell
My dog dug up my bougainvilleas roots on the one side, and literally chewed part of it off. I am devastated because I know they’re really finnicky about their roots. Is this plant going to die now? Is there anything I can do to help it or repair the damage and or encourage it to keep growing? Please help.
Hi Emma – I’m not 100% sure about this because I’ve never had it happen. Bougies are very sensitive in regards to their roots, but if yours is well established & well rooted, it should be fine. Fill the hole back in & then cover with a 2-3″ layer of nice, rich compost. Water your bougainvillea deeply as needed to encourage new root growth. Nell
Dear Nell – I also live in Tucson out by Old Tucson. I have been trying for years to plant bougainvillea outside of the chain link fence for ‘beautification’. Are the planting instructions the same for here? I was thinking voles or such were sucking the roots dry. I wonder if it would help to make a ‘cage’ of metal mesh for the roots. Do you think the roots could grow through that? I have successfully killed about 6 plantings of six plants each from 2007 to 2012 (when I had a stroke) – none have survived so far. Barbara Karst was my last try. Any suggestions?
THX! Lynn
Hi Lynn – Greetings neighbor! I have 4 bougainvilleas growing at my new home here in Tucson. I pruned my “Barbara Karst” around Labor Day (waited for the intense heat to pass!) & it’s already showing a lot more color so I’m happy. My bougies do fine so no voles here. I can tell you that the roots should be able to grow through the cages just fine. Just make sure to leave the bougies in their grow pots (make big slits in the pots so the roots can grow out) when planting them – they are big babies when it comes to having their roots disturbed. Add compost when planting & water deeply to establish. “San Diego Red” is a very strong variety which is reportedly the most cold tolerant. Hope that helps! Nell
Hi Nell. I can’t believe I have stumbled across so much knowledge about these plants! I have a beautiful ones which is in a pot, outside in a very sunny position and doing very well. I live in Barcelona so the climate is very sunny and warm/hot of many months of the year. My question is- when the cold weather and frosts come in Dec-Feb, should I bring the plant indoors? Or would it prefer to be outside but slightly sheltered? Thanks!
Hi Sarah – Thank you – I’ve just moved into a new home & now I have 4 bougainvilleas! If the temps dip below freezing, then yes, you should bring it indoors for those months. Covering it for a few nights of cold is fine but for 3 months, it’s probably enough. The roots can freeze. Hope that helps! Nell
Hi Nell,
Thank you for sharing all your Boug intell…….I have made a lot of mistakes in the past and do not want to continue that pattern so I started looking for info and found you:) I am moving into a home in Southern CA and I have no idea how to handle an extremely mature , overgrown, slumpted over, beautiful blooming bougainvillea. It is so overgrown that it has fallen over a walkway path to the point I have to crawl under it to get to the front yard. HELP! What are your best suggestions for how this can be handled?
Hi Lori – Bougainvilleas do grow like crazy! Be careful when pruning because they have thorns. Work from the outside of the plant inward & remove branches all the way back to the main branches. If you don’t, the plant will fill in like crazy. They handle pruning really well & I always did the big pruning of my bougies in late Jan./early Feb. Nell
Hi Nell – I want to plant my bougainvillea in a pot in my covered patio area. It has a fibreglass roof so plenty of light and gets very hot but NO direct sunlight. Do you think it will flower in these conditions? Thanks – Philippa
Philippa – 1 of my bogies is in bright shade (getting about an hour of sun a day) & flowers just a little bit at the ends. So, you might get some flowering. For optimum bloom & a big show of flowers, they need full sun. Nell
I have two variegated bougs in pots. Just got them this past spring and haven’t had them over a winter yet. I live in zone 8 so we do get some freezing weather although it varies from year to year. What is best–bring them in to a garage with lights or leave them outside and cover them if a freeze is expected? Thanks for you help.
Hi – I have bougainvilleas growing in zone 9A & they’re fine. They can take a night or 2 around 32F but not any prolonged cold spells. 1 or 2 nights of freeze you can cover them. Otherwise, bring them into the garage when a cold spell is forecast. By the way, cold wind isn’t good so it helps if they’re protected from that. Nell
Hi Nell… I live in British Columbia, on the coast, and bought a beautiful bougie in the Spring… planted it in the PERFECT spot, and it was spectacular !! It lost it leaves and flowers at the beginning of November, and we cut it back, and planted in a beautiful huge pot. Brought it inside, and was expecting it to go dormant. I looked at it today, and gave it a little water….much to my surprise, it has new growth on it !! Is it going to keep growing inside ?? It does get lots of light and sun, and I am afraid it is going to take over our dining room ! Should I cut it back more now, or just let it keep growing. Will keep it in the pot forever, and move it back outside when the weather warms up in early spring… Thank you for any help you can give. Take care… Patricia
Hi Patricia – Congratulations on your beautiful bougie! It may not go dormant or even semi-dormant in your house because you most likely have the heat on. They drop their leaves in reaction to cold temps. Early winter isn’t the best time to prune this plant but if you must, then give it a light pruning. You can give it a bigger pruning in late winter/spring. Hope tyhat helps! Nell
I am crazy about orange-way before it became trendy. My orange bougainvillea seems very happy EXCEPT the flowers have turned magenta (which I hate!) Is there anything I can do to get it back to orange? I don’t know the variety. I am in zone 9 and have been using bougainvillea fertilizer.
Thank you…great site.
Hi Terry – Thank you for visiting our site. By the way, I love orange too. Bougainvilleas changing color aren’t a reaction to soil pH or environment so there’s nothing I know of to change the color back. It’s in the genes so the breeding is the cause. Also, age can be a slight factor. Nell
Hello . I am on the Algarve (southern Portugal) I planted two Bougs back in summer 2016 to grow along a metal fence I had made for the purpose , the boug on left gets sun all day the one on right goes into shade mid afternoon , the one on the right raced along the fence the one on the left just stayed same size , both had plenty of flowers and still have flowers on them Jan 2017. Is the one on the right seeking the sunshine hence the faster growth ,? I was expecting them to grow at same rate and eventually meet in the middle , having read the threads above I think I may be expecting too much too soon , I look forward to seeing how much growth I start to get in spring
Hi Alan – I don’t know if the 2 bougainvilleas are the same species/variety or not, but some grow a bit faster than others. Yes, I think you’re expecting too much too soon. In my experiences with bougainvillea, they’re slow to go at 1st & then really start to take off after 3-5 years. At least they’re flowering, mine are too! Nell
We live in South Florida and bought a Bougainvillea tree about a month ago. It is 95 gallon tree that we planted in its pot & cut holes for drainage. It gets 6 hours of full sun a day. The sprinkler system waters once a day & sometimes I put it on twice. Within 30 days I’ve lost all of the flowers & am now losing some leaves and don’t know what to do. Please help?
Hi Sonia – I think you mean 15 gallon & not 95 gallon because that would be huge! There could be 2 reasons which I see off the bat: the sprinkler is coming on too often. It would prefer a deeper soaking less often. Or, depending on you species/variety of bougainvillea, it could be going deciduous or semi-deciduous as a reaction to the cooler days & evenings. 1 of mine has completely defoliated, the other has not. Bougies do best in the sun & heat & can look at bit “funky” when the temps drop. Hope that helps, Nell
Question about Using a dead tree trunk as support for growing bougainvillea vines.
Hi Nell: A few years ago we moved from Southern California to a beautiful valley just east of Quito Ecuador. We built a house on a scenic lot and there was a tall 25-30 year old avocado tree near the house that had to have many of its branches and a main root shot to be lopped off due to the construction.
Unfortunately after about a year the tree has died due to the trauma and I had this tree trimmed with the idea of using the trunk and its bare branches as a stand for growing some bougainvillea vines. What was left is a 15 foot tall trunk with a few bare branches. Bouganvilleas are very common in this area: 8500 ft elevation, warm but not hot tropical climate right on the Equatorial line, the temps are always between 55F nights and 85 F days, and the days are always 12 hours long. Sunshine is not a problem and the rainfall is abundant, it is seasonal and it never gets dry. The mountains surrounding us are always green.
So my idea is to plant about six flowering bougainvillea plants at the base of the trunk and train them to climb up all over the tree trunk up to the top. I plan on wrapping chicken wire mesh around the trunk for support of the vines for this.
Is this a good idea? About How long should it take for the tree to be covered with the bougainvillea? Any specific tips to make this happen?
Any other thoughts?
Thanks!
Attila
Hi Attila – It’ll work just fine if the soil around the tree trunk is workable. Bougies are big babies when it comes to their roots – they don’t like to be disturbed & need really good drainage. Depending on the variety/species of bougainvillea you’ll be planting, you may want to rethink planting six. Some grow to 25-30′. Bougainvillea, like many plants, is slow to go but once it takes off, grows like crazy. I’m not exactly sure how long it’ll take because I’m not familiar with growing it in your climate. biggest tip: don’t remove it from the grow pot when planting. Nell
Hello all! I just bought three of these beauties and am going to plant them next to a wire fence that was put up to contain my dog. The yard behind the fence is a rapidly ascending hill. Also behind the fence is a lot of English Ivy that has been allowed to grow ramped. My question is will the Bougies overtake the ivy (which is what I’m hoping for), or will I have to abate the ivy. I know I can experiment and do what is necessary, but just curious. Thanks!
Hello! Both bougainvillea & english ivy are vigorous growers so they’ll duke it out. The ivy might eventually cover, or partially cover the bougainvillea at some point becuse it’s a clining vine & bougainvillea isn’t. It take bougies a few years to really get going so you may have to help your bougies out by pruning away some of the ivy. Nell
Hello Nell, the three Bougies I am going to plant are in hard plastic 1-gallon pots. If I use your advice and leave them in the pots, will I shock them too badly if I use a saw to cut “big” holes in the bottom? And should I cut big slits like you suggest for the 5-gallon pots? Thanks!
Hi Tracy – You can just make slits in the sides & that’ll be fine. I always used a spare sharp pruner to make the cuts. Nell
Nell, Do you cut the “rim” too, and work your way down? Also, how deep do I bury the pot? Just enough so it isn’t seen? Thanks!
Hi Tracy – I usually cut the rim because it’ll stick up otherwise. But it’s your call – if you leave it on it’ll be fine too. And yes, bury the pot to the level of the root ball soil. Nell
Hello! Thank you for the great info. We live in n. calif & have a lot of retaining walls in our backyard. We need a flowering vine that we can train “down” the wall & are thinking of bougainvilleas. Do you know if that will work? Mostly, I see the vines growing up so wanted to ask if you see any problem with planting them in an upper soil bed where they grow down the wall…And, if you don’t think that works, do you know of another colorful flowering vine that might (aside from jasmine & geranium)? thank you!
Hi Gina – You’re welcome! I lived in San Francisco for 20 years but there’s a lot of NorCal above that & to the east with many different climate zones so I can’t answer. I can answer this for you – most vines can be not only trained on a wall but can grow as the ground as well. Hope you find one! Nell
Hi Nell :
I have two beautiful and well stablished Bous. Both of them are in biggish pots . Both pots have cracked badly and I need to replace them.The problem is that the trees have grown their big roots into the gound …What can I do to have them in new and stable pots while not cutting those roots ?
Hi Lilian – That’s a tough one. I’ve seen smaller wrap around plant pots but not any large ones. I think you’re going to have to transplant them as carefully as possible without cutting off too many of the roots. You’ll have to dig down a bit to get as many as you can. Do the transplanting in early spring or fall, not during heat which will add to stress. Give them a good dose of compost & keep them well watered while establishing. Nell
Although 98% of your information is solid info, you clearly have never been to Florida.
Bougenvillias thrive here and we are not a dry climate. We get plenty of rain all year, but especially in the summer and the humidity levels are always high.
That being said you should probably correct this article to say they thrive in dry climates like So-Cal OR tropical, humid states like Florida.
Hi Jess – Oh yes, bougainvilleas grow in many sub-tropical & tropical climates & are actually native to tropical climates. They are quite commonly used in Hawaii too. I was just making the point that they bloom & can thrive in drier climates too. I now live in the desert & my bougies are blooming like crazy. Quite the versatile plant! Nell
Thanks for all great info you provided! I have a question that whether bou grow in pottin mix soil? I’m a bit worry about that
Hi Scott – You’re most welcome. Yes, bougainvillea will grow in pots in potting soil. Add in a good amount of compost & it’ll be happy. Nell
Hello,
I’m just learning about my Bougainvillea and after a hard pruning we have tons and tons of thin bright green shoots/vines curling around every branch, are these a weed or are they supposed to be there?
Many thanks.
Hi Clare – When prune a bougainvillea, it puts out lots of soft, new growth & it sounds like that’s what you have. Depending on what species/variety of bougie you have, some of those could be water shoots. I’ve never seen shoots/vines curling around a branch. Nell
Hi Nell,
What a wonderful website! I love bougainvillea, they make my heart sing, make me smile & brighten the world with their vibrant colors. I live in an apt. and although I don’t have one of my own, I’ve purchased many bougainvillea as gifts for friends who have gardens. They seem to shout out “Hey, look at me & I’ll make you smile!”
I’d like to try to plant a small bougi beside our very sun drenched apt. building but have 2 major concerns:
1) There is a row of very old Hibiscus growing along the side of the building (some are even in bloom) but the front one has dried up & died ( I’ve actually pulled it out as it was already quite rotten). All the Hibiscus in our neighborhood have some kind of sticky film on them would this “blight” infect a healthy Bougi if I were to plant one in the empty spot?
2) The sewerage pipes for the apt. building are under that planting area & if the Bougi roots are too deep (deeper than a Hibiscus), I’m afraid they will cause problems with sewerage.
I thank you in advance for your expertise & look forward to your feedback. All the best, Talinda
Thank you Talinda! Sounds like the Hibiscus have either whiteflies &/or mealy bugs because they are prone to both. The bougainvillea could get it but I’ve never seen either 1 of those pests infest bougies. Regarding the sewage pipes, bougainvilleas have a fine root system. If you’re concerned, plant a lower growing variety rather than 1 that gets 30′ tall. The lower the bougie, the small the root system. Nell
Hi Nell,Thanks for all the info,you are great! We got our bougainvillea as a gift last summer, we plant it in a very large pot with holes in the bottom. We didn’t know it should not stay out in the cold winter, it has nothing on the vine and I mean nothing! Will it come back or do I toss it out? The tag that came with it had very little info.
Hi Catherine – You’re very welcome. I have a big, juicy bougainvillea post & video coming out this weekend to stay tuned. I don’t know where you are, how cold it got or for how long so I can’t say. What I will tell you is that established bougies can handle a cold spell much better than newly planted ones. Nell
Hello Nell
I have a a question. Do you know about how long they live? I have one that is a tree wrapped around a column on my porch in Phoenix AZ . It is 32 years old and it is the most important plant in my backyard as it makes a big statement.
I want to make some design changes to the porch and I don’t want to plan around a tree that will be dead in a couple of years and have to start over. I would never live to see a new one get as big and established as the one I have.
Thank you for your advice.
Hi Charles – I can’t give you an exact figure on that but I remember seeing one on a garden tour that which the guide claimed was over 60 years old. Nell
I find Bougainvilleas are the strangest creatures. Some do well and others never seem to flower. A dose of super phosphate however will make a shy bloomer think twice about being reticent. I’ve since learnt there are a few species involved i.e. its not just one species but that most are hybrids of three or so species. Flowering times and needs are therefore slightly different between varieties. For me my darkest purple will only start flowering in the shorter days of winter, in other words its a short day length bloomer. This is the time I feed it and water it like crazy to produce new growth and a magnificent show of flowers. The cool weather also means the flowers are particularly colour saturated. If I did this to my other bougainvilleas they would die, rot to the ground as they only start growing and flowering early spring after a long very dry cool rest, almost leafless through winter. They are lengthening day bloomers. In the rainy season some flower too, usually the “cold purple” small leaved one. I think you might be lucky as you don’t live in the tropics, in the tropics they are quite erratic about flowering but flower they do even with high rainfall and extreme heat and humidity. But those that just don’t flower, hit the compost heap because they just don’t love the wet tropics. I give them exactly three years LOl. Not sure but it would be nice knowing what each variety’s cross was so we could plan planting better…..any ideas? At the moment its just trial and error. Im a fan BTW, absolutely love them.
Hi Anton – I love bougainvilleas too even when I have to sweep up masses of colored bracts. Taking the bitter with the sweet! Many cultivars have come out of just a few species. I’ve always had bougainvilleas bloom like crazy (in my drier climates) so the thought had never crossed my mind. A breeder/grower could give you some thoghts I’m sure. Nell
Thank you so much for all the great info on successfully growing Bougainvilles! It’s so helpful. I recently purchased a plastic window box that measures 36″ long, 6″ deep. I planted 3 Raspberry Ice boug in it but I’m wondering if they will thrive in such a small space. I don’t need massive trails coming off it, just want some low maintanence color. I live in Hawaii so frost isn’t an issue. The woman at the nursery said it would be fine but I’m a little sceptical. Do you think these boxes are too small? I often see beautiful bougs in window boxes but I’m unsure how big the boxes are. Any input would be appreciated.
Hi Sandy – You are welcome! Raspberry Ice Bougainvilleas grow to be 2-3′ tall by 5′ wide. That planter box is ok for now but it’ll eventually be way too small as their roots grow. Plus, bougies don’t like to be transplanted. I just did an updated post on bougainvillea care: https://www.joyusgarden.com/care-growing-tips-bougainvillea/ . I have 1 on planting bougainvillea coming out this weekend so stay tuned! Nell
Thank you for sharing all your knowledge and taking the time to reply. I’ve bookmarked your page and will come back often for more info and to watch any new videos! Thank you!
Hi,
Thank you for all of this info. Question: I would like my Bougainvillea to keep growing where it would cover a fence. So that it grows approx 7 feet high and 15 feel wide. Can I leave my Bougainvillea in the large pot that it is in? Or do I have to plant it in the ground?
Hi Matt – You’re welcome. to reach that size, it would prefer to be in the ground. Bougainvilleas don’t like to be transplanted unless you do it in the grow pot. I just did a post on this: https://www.joyusgarden.com/how-to-plant-bougainvillea-to-grow-successfully-the-most-important-thing-to-know/ If the pot it’s now in is plastic, you could always cut the bottom out. Nell
I am in the Oklahoma City area and just purchased my first Bougainvilleas from a nursery. It is in about a 10″ pot and was blooming when purchased but now no blooms. I am not worried so much about the blooming but some of the leaves are getting faded white areas on them. Not spots, just areas. It sort of looks like some kind of fading but I don’t know what is the cause or how to correct. Any suggestions?
Hi Paula – I’m not sure but it sounds like a symptom of leaf scorch which I’ve seen on other kinds of plants. However, I live in Tucson AZ & my bougies don’t show it at all. Nell
I thought sun damage as well but could not figure out why since they are sun loving plants. I guess too soon in the sun after being in a nursery. I’ll just let it gradually get used to full sun and see what happens next! Still in the 10″ish pot I bought it in. Have not decided if time to re-pot yet.
Hi, we live in Okeechobee, FL (zone 9b) and have a beautiful massive bougainvillea growing throughout our oak tree that people are in awe of. The problem I have is it drops so many blooms that I can’t keep up with raking them and it is driving me crazy! They are very healthy looking and the leaves are very green and they are not dropping and very few faded blooms. Is this normal?
Hi Rose – Bougainvilleas are very floriferous. I do a lot of raking & sweeping too! Some varieties of bougainvilleas hold their color a lot better than others, so yes, that can be normal. The oak probably helps to protect it a bit because the wind can knock a lot of the blooms off. Nell
Hello,
thanks for the very informative and well done web page on Bougainvilleas. I noticed you said to have no info or experience in growing or maintaining them indoors. So I thought I would share with you my experience. I knew next to nothing about the bougainvilleas 10 years ago, when my wife and I were offered a nice one in a pot for our engagement. Living in Montreal, Quebec, I thought this would be difficult to keep them. So I did leave them in full sun on the balcony, and inside next to a large window from late October (just before frost) until may 15). Then we moved to a house with less light, and in the winter I kept in in a basement room with lots of artificial lights 16hrs a day. While changing the pots (shallow fairly small bonsai pot), I divided it in two, and I always get them outdoors from end of spring to the fall, and they have been doing great, blooming twice a year for several month, in winter or summer, it seems they don’t see the difference, if there is enough light, they will bloom, with or without direct sun. While I prune them regularly, I also trim their roots and change the soil every 2 years approximately. very little fertilizer is applied. Occasionally I got them shocked by accident, with not enough water or I left them a little late outdoors in chilly Canadian November. But they always seem to recover quite fast and make new leaves. I find them very resistant. This year we will celebrate 10 years of our wedding, and these nice trees are a great proof that with care they stay alive and grow well.
All the best.
Etienne – Thank you so much for sharing. I’m sure others will benefit from reading this & now I can pass this info on. What a lovely way to remember & celebrate your life together! Happy gardening, Nell
I live in South Florida. I have two beautiful Bougainvilleas in front and back yard. I want to plant several in side yard but would be near septic system. Do you think their roots could create a problem. I can’t find any info on their root system. Any help is much appreciated.
Hi William – To the best of my knowledge, their roots aren’t considered invasive. Their root systems are actually rather fine. I’ve had a few of them planted right up against the house & garage with no problems. It might depend on how deep your septic system is buried. Of course, the taller the bougainvillea, the bigger the root ball will be. Nell
Hi Nell – I transplanted 2 hibiscus and 1 made it. Barbara Kast, I think. I grew up in the Panama Canal Zone where hibiscus reigns. i want to replace the on which did not survive. Any suggestion as to specimen? UR total fan, George Stanley, Fresno, Ca
Hi George – You say hibiscus twice but mention “Barbara Karst”. Do you mean hibiscus or bougainvillea? Nell
Hi Nell-I live in great B country, S. Texas (hot and dry); they grow beautifully here. My dilemma has to do with having to plant one in a pot. After cutting down a huge oak we are left with an extremely hot patio under a pergola. I’d like to train a B to grow up one of the big cedar posts about 12′ high and spread over the pergola. BUT I have no ground to plant it in so I must use a pot. Would a B grow that big in a pot, even a large one? I found an affordable ceramic pot 26″ tall with a 30″ diameter. ( My B is a dark rusty red with some hints of fuschia and is growing in a small whiskey barrel.) What do you think?
Hi Sylvia – Bougainvilleas do fine in pots. However, the taller & bigger a bougainvillea gets, the bigger a pot you’ll eventually need. It’ll do well for 2-3 years in that pot but will eventually need to be repotted into an even larger pot if you want it to grow up & over the pergola. Nell
I moved to an older home in the Phoenix valley in 2015. It has 26 established bougainvilleas. Some have very large main stems, pruned back, so they are old. Others are much newer. All were covered with beautiful leaves and brachts. The soil is gravel and sand. During the first summer, some of them started going down hill. Color still, but small leaves that never got mature. Gradually, over the next year, the poorly ones got worse and the good ones also started going bad. I had advice from lots of sources and too many of them said everything would be fine, bougs are tough. They just got worse. I’ve tried more water, fertilizer, soil conditioner. Next I’m going to try even more water, bigger rings around them, and mulch. Any other ideas?
Hi Jo – I pruned my bougainvilleas hard soon after I moved into my Santa Barbara house. They responded well over the years. I now live in Tucson & have pruned my bougies there. 2 hardly at all, 1 moderately & the other more severely. The latter has responded rather slowly but is coming back. The AZ desert is a tougher climate than the coast of CA. You might try watering less (maybe every 10-14 days) but more deeply. I’ve never fertilized bougainvilleas; only composted. Apply at least a 4-6″ layer of a good, organic, local compost & see what happens. Nell
Hi Nell, Thank you for your informative page on Bougainvilleas. I live in a hot, humid coastal town of India and am writing for an advice. I would like to plant one Boug in the soil, train it to cover a compound wall grill 3 ft. high and 28 ft long. My question is, do I plant it at center or at one end of the wall ? If growing to a length of 28 ft. is not going to be tough on the Boug I would prefer the corner. Thanks.
Hi Prabhakara – You’re welcome! Some of the bougainvilleas reach 20-30′ so that wouldn’t be a problem. I trained mine to grow up & over the garage so planting it towards the corner wouldn’t be a problem. Planting it in the center might be easier for training though. Regardless, you’ll need to find a method, like hooks & eyes, wire,trellis’ etc., to train it. Nell
Hi Nell:
I wish I would have seen your video before planting my Bogie. I didn’t know I was suppose to leave Bogie in the original pot. I remove the original plastic pot and with gently care to the root ball I planted my Bogie in an above ground – 1-1/2 x 1 -1/2 planter box. My Bogie came with a trellis and I have placed a trellis on each side of the planter box so Bogie can spread and grow along the wall.
Will my Bogie be happy even though I took off the planter pot? Thank you
Hi Sandra – It very well could be happy. As I said, taking it out of the pot is a crap shoot – it may settle in well or it could struggle. Leaving it in the pot just insures planting success. Nell
Hi Nell, I live in Indiana where it snows, and just recently bought me a bouganvillea simply because I love them I’m from California and admire them. What is the possibility of it living out here?
Hi Michelle – Bougainvilleas love sun & heat. I’ve never grown 1 in that climate but I do know that it can be difficult unless you have a greenhouse, conservatory or heated sunroom. Wintering them over indoors isn’t always successful & the growing season outdoors is short. Nell
can’t find info as to why my beautiful white bougs are turning pink…..is it possibly due to the heat here in palm desert
Hi Mary Ann – I touch on color change briefly in this post under “Flowering”: https://www.joyusgarden.com/care-growing-tips-bougainvillea/ There are 3 reasons that I know of as to why this happens: the variety changes color, the color changes as the flowers age & temperature. Nell
I love these plants and haven’t tried one yet. I live in Portland Oregon zone 8 and they sell them everywhere but always unsure if I want to spend the money and have it not live through the winter. This summer we’ve been very hot and sunny all summer but some summers aren’t nearly as hot and sunny. I will have it in a pot so I can move it. My question is overwintering. What are the chances it would overwinter well? Ive read about three options for overwintering: Place it in the garage near the hotwater heater in darkness which would provide a little warmth and let it go dormant, overwinter it in the house in a south window where it would only get a little light because Portland is cloudy and rainy all winter, or put it under a grow light in the garage. Please help me determine what would be the best. And would it recuperate well if it did survive winter. By the way Im very attentive to my plants and have a lot of experience with gardening just haven’t tried these
Thanks you
Hi Valerie – I don’t have any experience with over wintering this plant. I’ll give you a couple of tips I’ve heard along the way: put it in a garage with exposure to sunlight & keep it on the dry side. They never go totally dormant outdoors so I imagine it would take a while for the foliage to reappear in spring & consequently flower. I’d check with a reputable nursery in your area & see what they recommend. Nell
Hi Nell – I live in Northern Baja in the desert. I planted 6 bougainvilleas two years ago, added peat moss to the clay soil and they were doing fine until this summer. It has been extremely hot (116 degrees at times) so I ran the drip on them every other day. Now they are dying. Am I over watering? We use water from the river that we live on which has some salinity at times but my lime trees are doing fine. I’m upset and don’t want to lose them!
Penny
Hi Penny – I now live in the desert in Tucson AZ where we had record temps in June just like you. My 4 bougainvilleas came through it just fine. Yours are only 2 years old so that could be the issue because established bougies can withstand more stress. They prefer infrequent, deep waterings after thy’ve established. Give them regular, deep waterings until they’re established. Nell
Thanks for the info! I have an indoor boug that I’ve managed to keep alive for a year now. It flowered this year in June and kept going until currently. I cut it back when it gets leggy. It gets west facing light. The miraculous thing is that I live in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. I have a number of others indoors that haven’t responded to any of my widows and grow but don’t flower.
Leslie – You’re welcome! I’ve never grown a bougainvillea indoors so thanks for sharing. They need full sun & warm temps outdoors to put out a good bloom so indoors they need all the natural light you can give them. Nell
Great site! Thanks for all the information. I’m starting some new bougainvillea and wondered how they’d do in plant grow bags. I’ve lost some due to overwatering (too much rain) and am hoping the permeable bag would allow the extra to evaporate.
Thank you Saundra! I have no experience with bougainvillea & grow bags but I’ll share my thoughts. I would think that the smaller, lower growing varieties would do fine. I have doubts about the varieties which grow to be 30′ tall although they should do alright for the 1st few years. Nell
Would you be willing to sell a cutting of yours? I’m looking for a piece at least 2 inches thick, and around 5 to 6 inches long.
Hi Emily – I would happily send you a cutting but I don’t think it would make it because they almost immediately droop after picking. You’d have to plant it immediately on. Another thing: I sold that house last year & moved to the AZ desert. I have different bougainvilleas now. Nell
How did you train your boug to go up and around your garage? I want our stars to go up the wall and over a window. Thanks!
Hi Blaine – It looked like a green chimney when I bought the house. Bougainvillea glabra is a vigorous grower so I took out a few main stems, all the way back to the ground. I had a metal trellis attached to the garage & started slowly training stems (turned out to be 2 main ones) over & across. You’ll need a strong support & a method of attachment. I pruned it 3-4 times per year to keep it shaped. Nell
I have a fairly large bouganvillea plant two years in place growing up beside an open slat iron fence and training to attach to fence with ties. Has done great until the last three weeks and suddenly the top shoots are all drying up, leaves turning brown and falling off. These are of course growing up from the bottom but the bottom 4 to 5 feet of branches look fine so far, it is just the top few feet that look awful. Also, it is not some leaves but all the leaves on those sections of branches that are dying, I have pruned most of those branches off now but wondering what is causing this and if there is something I should do to help the situation. Thanks very much. We are located in Southern California about 45 miles north of LA. No danger of freezing temperatures here, nighttime is never colder than 45 or so.
Hi Dennis – If only the top & outer shoots are drying up, it sounds like 2 things to me. Either cold damage, which happened to mine in Tucson in mid-December or damage due to wind velocity. You say it’s not cold damage but I’m doing a post & video on this subject in a few days. If there was some sort of root damage or it was a watering issue, more of the plant would be affected. Nell
Hello Nell,
Sorry for the late post, but do bougainvilleas cause damage to walls? I live in a condo and was thinking of putting one outside with a pot and trellis. I don’t want it to attach itself to the wall, just the trellis. Thanks!
Hi Jason – Bougainvilleas aren’t clinging, attaching vines so the walls will be fine. They need for you to train & attach them. I’ve grown quite a few on walls before with no problems at all. Nell
Hi,
I’m from Cape Town South Africa. I planted 3 different colour bouganvilla in a very sunny spot and grew them up a trellis. I regular have to shape them as they seem to sprout shoots every couple weeks. I just use grass sheers to cut the shoots off and keep it near, but there are hardly any flowers at all, just a thick growth of leaves. I have not watered them in about a year, so the only water they get is from the rain. Leaves are dark green and full, how do I get them to flower rather?
Hi Craig – Sounds like all conditions are good. Some varieties bloom more than others so that could be it. Also, sometimes it takes them 2-4 of years after planting to really settle in & bloom. Know that bougainvillea blooms on new growth so you want to prune to stimulate that. Nell
Hi Nell,
A year and a half ago my friend cut back her bougainvillea and I planted a few of her branches in our pot. Although it has grown few leaves and has nice blooms, it doesn’t grow any taller or really grows larger new branches. The leaves are sparse during the winter, I live in southern California. Any advise on how to get it to grow larger?
Hi Peter – Bougainvilleas are semi-deciduous or deciduous in winter when the temps drop. My bougies in Santa Barbara would loose most of theirs. As to the growing, bougainvilleas are sensitive when it comes to their roots & even the rooting process. If the branches were damaged in any way, then you won’t see much if any growth. Rooting from softwood cuttings, around 6″ long is best. Nell
Hi Nell, another Aussie here! Have enjoyed reading all your helpful hints as I am about to attempt to grow/train a Bougainvillea along a wire trellis up and around a window frame. Is there any recommended length of an eye screw I should use……that is, how far from the wall should the wire sit. Here in Australia we only seem to be able to purchase stainless steel fittings that once drilled in to the concrete wall allows the wire to only sit out roughly 30mm, without heading down the track of expensive balustrade fittings. Do you think this would be enough room to train a bougie around and up?
Sorry Nell, that should have read 20mm (2 cm) not 30. I can just slide my ring finger through. I am wondering if it would be okay to clip the bougie to the wire instead of threading it, or if you think threading will still work with this size opening. I have read throughout your posts that you say the bougie is a “tough little bugger” but want to do it right the first time!! Thanks for your time.
Hi Annette – Bougies are tough indeed. As long as you can get your finger through to attach the stems, it’ll be fine. These plants grow out & up & aren’t a clinging vine. Clipping the stems with something like jute twine would work. Just allow some room for the stems to grow. Nell
Hi. I have never seen bougs here in NC – Zone 7b. Is it possible to have one in a hanging basket or container as an annual? Or would there be any point? If treating it as an annual, I would need one that performed well the first year. Thanks!
Hi Shawna – Yes, you could have one as an annual. You have a longer growing season than other parts of the country do. I’d recommend getting one of the smaller varieties which do best in hanging baskets or as ground covers. That way you’d get maximum flowering. Nell
Hi, I’ve been following your posts since I planted my first boug in March, 2016. I live in coastal Los Angeles zone 10a. I have several bougs along a South-facing wall that I am training up a trellis. Like I said, I planted these 2 years ago and they are hardly growing/blooming. They haven’t taken off. I watered weekly during these past 2 summers (long, hot and dry). But still, not performing as I expected them to.
I have recently planted some trailing lantana in front of them to cover the bare earth and have been watering those frequently.
Will the extra water I’m providing for the lantana further impact the bougs? Am I just impatient and need to give them time? Am I watering too frequently?
Any advice is appreciated.
Hi Karen – I’m not sure what size you planted, but a 1 gallon plant would grow very slowly. They’re fast growing, but if the conditions aren’t all to their liking, they grow much slower. When bougies are newly planted, they need regular watering but after established, a more infrequent, deep watering is best. If you took them out of their grow pots when planting, this could be an issue too. More info here: https://www.joyusgarden.com/how-to-plant-bougainvillea-to-grow-successfully-the-most-important-thing-to-know/ Nell
Hi Nell,
This is a great page for bougainvillea lovers. Thank you for all the info.
I am trying to grow a Barbara Karst in a 6.6 gallon pot in Sydney, Australia. The plant is about 6 and a half feet tall, and requires a stake for support. I would like to replant it into the ground now and I read in one of the comments earlier you suggested planting the pot directly into the ground without taking the plant out. Will a 6.6 gallon pot be large enough for the roots of a fully grown plant? Or should I plant it in a larger pot first, and then pot it into the ground? Also, how deep should I plant the pot under the soil? Looking forward to your reply!
Cheers,
Mafruha
Hi Mafruha – You’re very welcome! You can cut slits into the pot on the sides & bottom so the roots are able to grow out. Plant the level of the soil in the pot even with the soil in the ground. You can always cut off the rim if you need to. Here’s a post I did on this subject: https://www.joyusgarden.com/how-to-plant-bougainvillea-to-grow-successfully-the-most-important-thing-to-know/ Nell
My bourgainvillia is not in color ? What can be wrong?
I live in zone 7. I brought home a barbara karst yesterday not realizing i will have to plant in a pot so i can bring it in during winter. I have a very sunny sunroom where it can get the sun it needs in winter. How large should the pot be for longterm success?
Hi Michelle –
Barbara Karst is one of the taller, more robust bougainvilleas. I’m not sure what size pot you bought it in – 1 gallon, 5g or 15 g – so it’s hard to say. It’ll ultimately need a large pot over time; at least 20″. Here’s a post I did on planting them: https://www.joyusgarden.com/how-to-plant-bougainvillea-to-grow-successfully-the-most-important-thing-to-know/ Nell
I have just moved into a Florida house that has a bougainvillea planted next to it. It looks like it’s planted in a cement pot that’s an actual add on to my house. I started picking at it ( the soil that is ) and I noticed that it was all seashells. I pulled them all out thinking it would need mulch. I know it was a mistake now because all of the blooms look like they have died. Not all of them but a good portion of them. Is it just smart for me to go get some more seashells? I also know I over watered it. I wish I would have gotten to this blog way before I touched it.
Hi Laurdess – I’m not at all familiar with planting bougainvilleas in seashells. Here’s a post on planting/transplanting a bougie: https://www.joyusgarden.com/how-to-plant-bougainvillea-to-grow-successfully-the-most-important-thing-to-know/ as well as an updated care: https://www.joyusgarden.com/care-growing-tips-bougainvillea/ Nell
Hello Nell,
I really need some advise on my 2 bougainvilleas and i live in Phoenix, I have planted them 2 years ago and they are growing so slow and hardly no flowers, Would it be ok to remove them careful and planted them in full sun? since i have them planted part sun and part shade… Help please! I appreciate it.
Hi Rosie – Bougainvilleas can be a bit slow to go at 1st, depending on the size of the grow pot & plant. Some depends on the variety. I have 3 & 1 of them blooms non-stop. If they’re only getting morning sun, then move them. If it’s afternoon/early evening sun, they should be fine. Also, they like to be planted in their grow pots. Here’s some info on that: https://www.joyusgarden.com/how-to-plant-bougainvillea-to-grow-successfully-the-most-important-thing-to-know/ Nell
Hi Nell, Its almost a year since I last wrote to you for advice regarding Bougainvillea. Inspired by your Bougainvillea grown over your garage I have trained my Bougainvillea to grow over the railing of my terrace and the results have been great! I wish I could share a picture of my Bougainvillea. Thank you again.
I’m in central Alabama. I am absolutely blown away by your photos and discussion with others who have tree size plants! I had no idea they grow so large! I have a Bougainvillea in a hanging pot I have been keeping on a porch with northwest exposure and no direct sun. I had cut it back severely and now have some branches 8-10 inches long. Can I move it right away to a sunny area ? Would it grow well here in the ground? This is considered semi-tropics. We get frost November to April and usually plenty of rain. Azaleas and dogwoods bloom here in early April.
Hi Jane – Thank you! Some bougainvilleas grow very large (25’+) whereas others grow as shrubs or ground covers. Yes, you can move it right away to a sunny area because otherwise it won’t bloom. Bougies are tough – just make sure it doesn’t dry out in the transition period. I’m not familiar with your climate but if you get frost for 5 months, then no. Bougies can take 1 or 2 nights a bit below freezing but any more will damage or kill them. Mine got hit by 1 cold night last year: https://www.joyusgarden.com/light-freeze-damage-on-bougainvilleas-what-it-looks-like-what-to-do-about-it/ Nell
Hi Nell,
I think my last comment didn’t post. I have a question about my Bougainvillea. I put them in the garage last winter but didn’t cut them back. I didn’t touch them all winter and I didn’t water them. They also received no direct sunlight all winter. Now they look like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.
It is now summer here in Ohio and the days are hot. Do you think if I cut them back, water them, and put them out in the sunlight they will revive and come alive? Please help! It is almost impossible to find Bougainvillea in this area.
Thank you!
Allie
Hi Allie – It’s hard to say because it depends on if the roots are dead or not. Try cutting off the stems (about halfway) & seeing if any are alive. Water them & put them outside to see if any new growth appears. Nell
Hi Nell, I’m so glad I found your post. I live in zone 7. I have a potted bougainvillea that I bought last year. I’ve searched online for how to care for it and am finding so much conflicting information. My plant has several long arms. I was afraid to prune it after reading that they should never be pruned. I’m guessing that’s not correct. It’s flowering a little right now. Can you tell me if and when I can trim it back and also how much to trim. Thanks so much! Maria
Hi Maria – I’ve pruned my bougainvilleas growing outdoors quite a bit. They flower on new growth so you want to stimulate that for good blooming. I’m not sure how big your plant or why you’re pruning it (to control the height, to make it fill in, to stimulate flowering, etc) so it’s hard to tell you. Now knowing the details, I’d start by just pinching it back (1-4″) & go from there. Now is a great time to prune it. Nell
Hi,
I have 2 variegated orange bougainvilleas in hanging pots that wilt in the direct summer sun. I’m in Boca Raton, Florida so it is quite hot. Is this normal behavior? Is there anything I can do to help them? Heavy watering does not seem to help.
Thank you,
Jim
Hi Jim – I live in Tucson & my bougainvilleas take a lot of sun & heat without wilting bur they’re in the ground. The pots they’re in could be too small, or conversely, they could actually be getting too much water. Hard to say not knowing what size the pots are. Nell
I live in the UK. Do you think I can get away with planting Bougainvillea and wrapping then in fleece in the winter?
Or using a heated soil mat ?
I am trying to grow them into a flowering arch suitable for a wedding entrance. The spot is extremely sunny but UK winters can be down to minus 10. all ideas appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Monk – Bougainvillea loves sun & heat. They thrive in places like Southern California, Spain,Greece, Hawaii, etc. Having been to the UK several times, I think your spring, summers & fall wouldn’t be warm & sunny enough for one to thrive. They would certainly do fine for 1 season, but the winters are too cold along with the spring. If you give it a go, let me know if it survives! Nell
Hi,
I live in Portugal and have just purchased my first bougainvillea.
It looked great in the shop but when I got it home all the pink petals have turned white and fallen off.
I cant tell if im watering it too much or not enough.
When i got the plant I repotted it and put it in the sun. Its gettimg aboit 8 hours of sun per day
Hi Nick – Hers’s a post on repotting bougainvillea: https://www.joyusgarden.com/how-to-plant-bougainvillea-to-grow-successfully-the-most-important-thing-to-know/. It could be that reason, it’s going through an adjustment period or something with the watering. Water deeply (how often will depend on the temps & what kind of soil you have it in) will establishing & then you can back off. Nell
Loved your post! I live in Houston and am growing my very first bougainvillea. I wasn’t sure how and when to prune it. It was growing like crazy on my porch. Well I gave it a trim today and I’m so scared that it will die. Keeping my fingers crossed.
By the way, your shrub that was over the garage was gorgeous.
Thank you,
Deanna
Thank you Deanna! Bougainvilleas can be pruned hard or lightly with success. My next post & video is on bougainvillea pruning so stay tuned. Nell
Nell my magenta colored bougie has been in the ground 3 years. it has been flowering well during the years. A few months back it flowered really full and vibrant, pretty flowers all over it. Then last month suddenly most of the clusters of flowers turned light brown. The flowers are falling off very slowly. If I pull them or shake the tree one of two flowers will dislodge. Is this a problem sign? Is there something I can feed it to help it? We live on So Calif zone 9. My plant is attached to the side of my porch facing north.
Hi Cynthia – It’s really hard to say because I don’t know how it’s being watered. It could be too wet or too dry. I’ve never fertilized bougainvilleas but I have composted them. You can try fertilizing with a food specific for bougies but don’t do it any later than mid-Sept. Nell
Hi Nell,
Just an update, I had a Bougainvillea which was having problems producing leaves and branches, instead producing almost a black colored and dry dead budding, like it was diseased.
Well I’ve finally managed to fix the problem! I tried watering (both deep watering and light watering) 4 days minimum and increasing the reduced watering to even 2 weeks, however over this 6 month period the same thing kept happening and the tree was slowly dying…..i then decided to ignore what is written on the internet and water it every 2 days. All of a sudden the whole tree starts making the best growth I’ve seen it have in a year with new stems and flowers, after 6 months of dying and then after 1 week of this watering schedule! This is an already well established tree experiencing temperatures in winter of 18-22C (64-72F) and in summer of 23-30C (74-86F).
So anyone experiencing the same problem as me, try watering more frequently for at least a week to see any difference.
Thank you for sharing Jason. My bougainvilleas get very little watered (here in Tucson & in Santa Barbara) because they’re well established. Nell
Hi
Hi I’m just north of you in Atascadero and I am obsessed with Bogie!! I get a lot of naysayers up here because we do get a big freeze I actually have six that have survived ! I question is right now they look super healthy I’ve been watering them a lot no flowering yet …. Should I fertilize? Should I stop watering for a while?
Hi,
I live near Laguna Beach CA–south of you in Santa Barbara.
I planted a beautiful Miami Pink Bogie with trellis outside my patio wall and it was growing beautifully.
Unfortunately, I have a very cruel and diabolical neighbor who knows how much I love bougainvilleas and she poisoned it. It died and was removed August 5, 2019. I would say she poisoned it some time in June because by July 15 it was really getting to be droopy and the brachs were drying out.
I now have another one that I would love to plant in the same spot but I’m afraid the poison remains in the ground and I won’t ever be able to do that.
Is there something that needs to be done to the soil to rid it of the poison she used?
Is it safe to plant one there again?
Thank you so much!
Melanie
Hi Melanie – Oh dear, that is a cruel neighbor. I don’t have experience with that but do know it can depend on what poison was used & how much of it. Some break down much faster than others & you may be able to plant next spring if winter brings rain. In extreme cases, the contaminated soil has to be removed. Here’s a post on planting bougainvillea: Nell
Hi,
I was just wandering i am looking to make a small hedge around my garden beds yousing a dwarf boug do i need to create a small wire line around the garden bed for it to cling to thanks
Yes Jason, that would be best to keep them in the form you’d like. Just know that when you prune them into hedge form you don’t get much flowering. Nell
Hi Nellg
I live in the Palm Springs area, and I have several gorgeous Bougainvillea’s growing on my walls around my property. When the wind blows many of the leaves of the Bougainvillea find their way into my veggie garden where I grow squash and peppers. Question: Do I need to remove the leaves, or can I leave them be to use as mulch?
Hi David – I let the fallen bougainvillea leaves gather around the base of my bougies because it helps retain moisture. I think they’d be fine in your veggie garden as long as they don’t pile up too high. Nell
Hi Nell,
Left a comment earlier, but it disappeared, sorry if this is a repeat.
I have Bougain that is very thinned out, no bloom, or very little bloom. It bloomed wonderfully in spring and summer of 2013. The first year I bought the house in San Dimas, CA. But since then, my mom added a lot top soil to roots thinking it would help protect and drying out (to the height of the paint stick in the photos). After that, it was never the same.
I have been gradually removing the built up of soil from root for past 3 or 4 years.Being careful not to damage the roots, but that was difficult since the dirt was so clumpy and stuck to the roots. It seems to be helping a little, but not as much as I hoped. Last month, I was so excited to see 3 individual bracts bloom red, something I haven’t since probably early 2015, alas they fell today.
Looking at my google photos link (all taken today): https://PHOTOS.APP.GOO.GL/7DGZRAWS4DDRYT6I9
Can this beauty still be saved (and bloom fully again)? Or Should I just start over? Do I need to remove more top soil? Since under the top layer it seems moist. Do I remove my timer watering stake? If so, should I instead water manually, every week, 2 weeks, monthly, or not at all? Should I trim it – which has never been done (to my knowledge since 2013). After reading a lot of your writing, I feel like I know a lot about the plant, but don’t know where to start and I don’t want to damage this plant further. Please help.
Much Thanks!
Luke – I can’t open the pictures. Maybe a local garden center can help. Nell
Hi Nell,
Thank you for the quick reply. Yeah, if you click on my name (above, previous post) it actually links to the photos. The type address must be missing a few letters, and didn’t work.
Sure, Home Depot doesn’t seem very helpful. Maybe a local Armstrong Gardens would be better.
Yes Luke, I’d try Armstrong Gardens. Nell
Hi! Do you have any advise of how to use the Bougainvillea for flower arrangements? I will get married next year and I wanted to plant around 200 plants divided in pots and ground planting so I have enough to work with. I have noticed though that they are very sensible once they are cut down, and I would like to understand how to better work with it.
Maybe drying the branches? I wouldn’t know how to do it
Thank you!
Pámela
Hi Pamela – Congratulations! I don’t have any advice for you on this matter. I tried cutting bougainvillea a few times & using it as a cut flower but the flowers & leaves wilted almost immediately. Nell
I have a bougainvillea that I purchased 3 years ago. When I bought it it had beautiful lavender blooms on it. I didn’t leave it in the plastic pot it came in, but have brought it inside every winter, trimmed it back and it has done well. My problem is that it hasn’t bloomed since I purchased it. It gets plenty of sun so I know that isn’t the problem. I had read that I should pinch off the tips and give it a good fertilizer and let it get to the point of looking wilted before watering again. I have done all of this and the plant itself is very healthy looking and growing, but I still can’t get blooms. What else can I try. I’m in NC by the way.
Thank you,
Hi Kathy – Common causes for a bougainvillea not to bloom are: not enough sun, not enough heat, too much water, or too much fertilizer. I encourage flowering with tip pruning. I’ve never grown one indoors but know you need high light, low water. Nell
I bought my first 2 bougies today: Alice White (no info on the pot or sales slip – so didn’t know it only grows to 5 feet-ish). Second one is a Johnny Walker (again, no info on the pot or sales slip).
I can’t find Johnny Walker anywhere on Bougainvillea sites – but I do see James Walker….. I’m hoping this plant will cover a trellis but have no clue!
Hoping you can fill me in with some info. Appreciate your site! You are one busy lady!!
Hi Jane – Miss Alice (the name I know it by) is a compact variety with white flowers that’s more of a slow grower. I’ve never heard of B. Johnny Walker. James Walker is a popular one & grows to 20 -25’tall. Nell