How to Grow Stunning Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea is a beautiful plant, and personally, it's my favorite plant. Bougainvillea my be beautiful, but they can be quite pricey. Proper care is important in insuring that you get the most for your money. If well-maintained, Bougainvillea will not let you down. Below, you will find everything you need to get the most out of your stunning new plant.

Scientific Name:

Bougainvillea

Common Names:

Bougainvillea

Paper Plant

Paper Flower

Description:

Bougainvillea is a flowering vine that has woody, spiny stems. Come both green and variegated and both are stunning. They are often called paper plants due to their paper like blooms.

Bougainvillea can be planted in a container or basket and make stunning pieces for patios, porches and in elegant containers on the lawn. Bougainvillea plants can also be grown indoors with bright light.

If you are looking for a plant that you can bonsai or trains to your own desire, Bougainvilleas are great! Bougainvillea makes a rare, intriguing piece when cultivated as a bonsai.

Flower:

Bougainvillea has a stunning flower that comes in many colors and range from white to purple. My personal favorite is Raspberry Ice which is a bright pink, almost red color. Their blooms look mush like tissue paper and are very delicate.

While Bougainvillea plants create delicate flowers they are not sparse. A healthy Bougainvillea plant will produce hundred of blooms at any given time and bloom all year round.

Elements:

Light: Bright light is a must when growing Bougainvillea.

Temperature- Days: with 70-80 degrees F. Nights: 60-65 degrees F

Water: Allow soil to dry between waterings. Over-watering will cause problems

Care and Maintenance:

As mentioned above, you have to grow a Bougainvillea properly to get your moneys worth. Bougainvilleas are easily grown but with out the proper knowledge can lead to an unsightly plant.

First and foremost; LIGHT and WATER are two important factors. Bougainvilleas require full sun or bright indirect light. This is very important. Watering is another important factor of Bougainvilleas. Most people tend to water Bougainvillea all the time when watering their other plants; that's a big no-no. Always allow the soil to dry in between waterings. Water thoroughly and allow soil to try almost completely and then water again. Too much water will lead to root rot, leave drop and other problems that you don't want to deal with. Insuring proper water and light will give you a spectacular display that all your neighbors will be talking about.

In addition to the two most important components to growing Bougainvilleas, there are other things you need to do. Try to avoid repotting Bougainvilleas. Due to their thin, fibrous root system they are easily damaged. Rather than repotting, simply add soil to the top-dress every springs. In the event that you do have to repot, try to avoid disturbing the current root system. Always replant Bougainvillea in a bigger pot when necessary to avoid breaking up the root ball. Place the root ball in the new container and add soil all around.

Support long stems on a stake or frame if not growing in a hanging basket. Cut off unwanted stems at soil lever to encourage strong new growth.

After flowering your Bougainvillea will go through a slight dormant period and drop their leaves. New growth will develop immediately (if properly taken care of). This is the best time to prune or trim your Bougainvillea to insure that it's not injured or put in to shock. Also, reduce watering during the non-flowering stages and slowly increase again during the flowering stages.

Fertilizing:

Fertilize Bougainvillea plants at half recommended strength every 2-4 weeks in springs and summer and every 4-8 weeks in winter.

Propagation:

Propagate Bougainvilleas by soft cuttings or seeds. Soft cuttings with only a few leaves an no buds are ideal. Place cuttings in Perlite and water or into moist soil. Again, don't over water soil, instead, spray mist leaves and stems several times a day.

Common Pests, Problems and Diseases:

Leaf drop- root disturbance such as repotting.

Root rot- over watering

Powdery mildew- too much water on steams and leaves

Scale insects

While most of this information was of my own knowledge after taking 3 years of horticulture classes I did refer to the Pictorial Guide to House Plants by M. Jane Coleman Helmer, PH.D. I strongly recommend ger book to anyone who is looking start growing plants indoors.

Source:

Pictorial Guide To House Plants, by M. Jane Coleman Helmer, Copyright 1993