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Bougainvillea care

Bougainvillea, also referred to as Paper flower is a native of Brazil and belongs to the Nyctaginaceae family. This tropical climber is ideal for hanging baskets and grown in containers where it can cascade its vibrant blooming vines. The flower is unremarkable compared to the brightly colored, paper-like bracts that surround the flower. 

Bougainvillea do well in a tropical climate. They thrive in full sun and heat and bloom best when kept slightly stressed and on the dry side. They are heavy feeders and should be fed regularily with 1/2 strenght fertilizer to keep them blooming all season long.

Bougainvillea

WINTEROVER BOUGAINVILLEA

Bougainvillea are tropical plants hardy in zone 8-10. It will tolerate temperatures as cool as 30-40 degrees for a short time  but will need protection or it can freeze and die.

There are two ways to winterover your bougainvillea indoors,

1.  Treat it like a houseplant.  Keep it in the coolest, brightest room in the house (east or north window) with temperatures between 50-60 degrees. If it gets too warm, it will grow but look lanky and pale because of insufficient sunlight. Water less during the winter allowing the soil to dry out between watering and don’t fertilize. You can prune the plant to make it more manageable but major pruning should be done in the spring before new growth starts. It may drop its leaves during this time but the idea is to keep the plant alive till spring.

2. Force it into dormancy.  Bougainvillea can be stored in a basement, garage or dark closet at temperatures above freezing (32F) . Reduce watering, cut back it just enough to make it manageable. With no light and water, the plant will drop all its leaves and go dormant. Check the soil periodically during the winter, watering it a few times just to keep it from completely drying out.  Don’t fertilize during this time.  In early spring, repot the plant in fresh soil, water thoroughly and bring it to filtered light.

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January 2nd, 2009 | Tags: , | Category: Bougainvillea, Garden Review, TROPICAL PLANTS | 89 comments
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89 comments to Bougainvillea care

  • John
    January 27th, 2007 at 5:06 pm · Reply

    Pruning bougainvillea

    I have a potted bougainvillea that has lost a lot of leaves and the branches that lost those leaves have dried up and died. It also has a fair amount of new growth in other areas – making the plant quite spotty. (some new growth some dead spots). What should I do so the plant is full of new growth?

    Bougainvillea blooms on new growth, therefore takes well to pruning. You can prune in late fall or early spring as well as light pruning throughout the growing season this will stimulate new bushy growth.

    MJF ( filla@sbcglobal.net / ) (IP: 70.255.0.195 )
    Pruning Bougainvillea

    We live in Houston, Texas. Our very mature bougainvillea has always bloomed great. But is was getting out of control size wise. I pruned in back hard in late March, after our last freeze. The leaves have all grown back, but no flowers yet (we usually had full flowers by now). Will I get flowers this year? Or did i prune too hard or too late?

    The best time to prune is right after flowering. They can take light pruning all season long. If your plant is overgrown and you need to control the size, early spring before growth begins is a good time to hard prune. After a hard pruning bougainvilleas tend to stop blooming and put on strong vegetative growth in which they can produce thorns instead of flowers. Try a “bloom boost” fertilizer to encourage it to flower.

    John Vasi ( johnvasi@cox.net / )
    I live in Southern California. I have a bougainvillea (red) in full sun. It’s at least 30 years old. I tried to get it to extend over a porch area by allowing branches to grow in that direction. After several years, the branches got woody and I get very sparse leaf growth. Can I prune back to the wood on these long branches (maybe 15 ft) to promote growth, or should I cut them off and promote new branches to cover the area I want?

    Hard pruning cutting back 1/2 to 2/3 should promote new branches and a fuller bushier plant. This should be done before new growth starts in early spring. Keep in mind that hard pruning will make the plants stop flowering and go to a vegetative growing phase; producting lots of green growth and perhaps long curved thorns in the leaf axils. You can apply bloom boost or better bloom after heavy pruning to slow down the vegetative growth and encourage new flower production. A soft pruning such as pinching the tips back to shape and direct growth can be done throughout the growing season.

  • Deanna
    February 5th, 2007 at 7:24 am · Reply

    Can you share tips on dividing Bougainvillea. Mine is quite large (pot size is 2′ and I am worried it is getting root bound and would like to divide it properly) thanks

    Divide your bougainvillea in the spring at the begining of the growing season. Water your plant a few hours in advance as this will make it easier to remove the plant from the pot. Carefully remove it from the pot and with a sharp knife cut it into sections. Remove dead and tangled roots . Be sure to use fresh peat based soil and clean containers. Plant it the same level that it was growing before. After repotting trim away 1/3 of the plant vines, this will give the roots time to grow and keep up with the leaves. If you can’t repot, topdress. To topdress scrape away the top 1-2 inches of soil and refill with a fresh soil mix. The top layer will provide extra nutrients to the roots

  • CAROL
    March 27th, 2007 at 1:42 am · Reply

    I am in Phuket, Thailand and would like advice on care of Bougainvillea in this climate which is tropical. I have an automated 10 min twice a day sprinkler system for the garden and the soil has good drainage.
    My gardener is watering the leaves of my plants – is this a good idea?

    Hi Carol
    Bougainvillea do well in a tropical climate. They thrive in full sun and heat and bloom best when kept slightly stressed and on the dry side. They are heavy feeders and should be fed regularily with 1/2 strenght fertilizer to keep them blooming all season long. As far as the automated watering.. twice a day may not allow the plant to dry out and will keep it in a moist state all the time which will encourage new growth but no flowers as well as root rot if kept too wet. You cannot water a plant to your schedule, you have to water according to what the plant needs especially in the rainy season. Overhead watering is not the best idea-it is better to water directly into the soil. If the wet leaves don’t have a chance to dry out by evening then they can develop diseases such as leaf spot & powdery mildew.

  • Jessica
    April 18th, 2007 at 5:38 pm · Reply

    NO BLOOMS

    We planted a Bougainvillea last August in our backyard. We live in Mexico in the mountains where there are some very beautiful Bougainvillea plants. It bloomed right away but hasn’t flowered now for some time. It looks like it may have bugs because the leaves do not look healthy-curled and shriveled. However, I did notice that there is some new growth. Should we spray it with a pesticide or leave it and hope for the best.

    Hi Jessica
    It sounds like your plant is in the right environment. Here are some cultural suggestions that it needs to bloom. Bougainvillea require at least 6-8 hrs. of full sun. They respond to blooming when they are slightly stressed- crowded roots and the soil kept slightly dry. In addition, blooming occurs on new growth so a light pruning will stimulate new growth and at the same time eliminate the diseased leaves. Lightly fed your plant 2-3 times a year with a balanced fertilizer. In general, lack of flowering usually happens from not enough sun, too much water, too much nitrogen. There are also varieties of bougainvillea that bloom in the fall in response to short days. If the insect problem gets worse, then you will need to identify it and treat the problem.

    I got my bougainvillea in Florida and It was in full bloom. We planted it in the yard in M.S its very tall now but has no flowers what so ever but has alot of large green leaves…and lots of thorns, other than that it looks good! Just no blooms.

    It may be the new location-not enough sun. In addition, they bloom under stressful conditions; need to be root bound and dry. The rootbound part is difficult if planted in the ground but you may be able to control the amount of moisture(unless its raining all the time). Let it dry out between watering to much moisture will promote green growth and no flowers. If your plant is dry, try using a bloom boost fertilizer to stimulate blooming.

    I got my bougainvillea in Florida and It was in full bloom. We planted it in the yard in M.S its very tall now but has no flowers what so ever but has alot of large green leaves…and lots of thorns, other than that it looks good! Just no blooms.

    It may be the new location-not enough sun. In addition, they bloom under stressful conditions; need to be root bound and dry. The rootbound part is difficult if planted in the ground but you may be able to control the amount of moisture(unless its raining all the time). Let it dry out between watering to much moisture will promote green growth and no flowers. If your plant is dry, try using a bloom boost fertilizer to stimulate blooming.

    rd.stick@yahoo.com
    DIANNA
    1

  • carmela nistico
    May 10th, 2007 at 8:38 pm · Reply

    Propagate bougainvillea
    can you cut off a branch of the bougainvillea and get it to root….what is
    the proper way to get it to root from a
    cutting? thanks

    You can propagate bougainvillea in the spring/e. summer when night temperatures are above 55degrees. Take softwood cuttings with 5-9 nodes, strip the lower leaves that will be in soil and dip the ends in rootone. Sub-terminal cuttings (tips removed) seem to work better than tip cuttings as they are less prone to disease and rot. Insert the cutting into a sand/peat soil and place in a plastic bag (to maintain high humidity) in the shade. The soil should be kept moist and not allowed to dry out. Bottom heat of 72 degrees is suggested to speed up rooting which should take 6-12 wks. Bougainvillea can also be propagated from hardwood cuttings (bare stems) in the fall/winter and will take 3-4 months to strike roots.

  • susan wilson
    May 11th, 2007 at 10:12 pm · Reply

    Color change
    I have a large pot of fuschia boug. that I bring inside every winter. I get two bloomings inside. I took it outside this spring and it is now raspberry/red poppy colored. (Which doesn’t go with my hot pink garden) How do I get the fuschia color back. Miracid? Thanks

    The change of flower color is affected by several factors: temperature, amount of light, quality of light, ph and micronutrients in the soil. Low temperatures, more light increase anthocyanin which is the red/purple pigment in plants, conversely high temps, less light decrease anthocyainin. Ph and fertilizer also has an affect on the shade of red. Try the Miracid and see if it changes the color. Let me know what happens.

  • shirly penn
    May 27th, 2007 at 9:09 am · Reply

    CAN I MIX SOIL AND EPSON SALT AND BUT TO THE ROOT OF THE BOUGAINVILLEA FOR FOOT?

    Epsom salt is a good source for magnesium and sulfur. According to the epsom salt council studies show that these micronutrients make plants grow bushier, produce more flowers, improve phosphorus and nitrogen uptake and increase chlrophyll production. It is usually mixed with water and watered in (2 TBLsp to 2.5 gal water). It should be used carefully, too much can also cause problems. Eventhough epsom salt may do some good, the better way to fertilize your plant is to provide a well balanced fertilizer with micronutrients included.

  • Valerie Bench
    May 30th, 2007 at 11:55 pm · Reply

    I am trying to pot perfectly red bougainvillea. I’ve been told B. Karst is best and have bought a few. Have noticed that when brackets are young they are red and then mature to a pinker color. Is soil ph an avenue to explore to keep them on the redder side?

    The color of flowers will naturally get lighter as they mature, It’s possible that ph will change the color but other factors such as temperature, amount of sun and nutrients also have an affect on color. Try lowering the ph ad see what happens.

  • Rosemarie
    June 3rd, 2007 at 2:13 pm · Reply

    Pruning bougainvillea
    I have a Bougainvillea that survived the Katrina flood. It’s been almost 2 years and the plant is bigger and more beautiful than ever. I want to move it to my new house but it is growing in a wooden tub that is about to fall apart. What is the best way to move it. Will I ruin it if I cut it down before transporting? I has spread all over the back yard. I would love to move it as is but it seems impossible. Any suggestions?
    Rosemarie, St. Bernard La. Now in Hammond.

    You can cut it down before you move it to make it more manageable. They bloom on new wood and can be trimmend anytime. It sounds like you will need to transplant it into another container so pruning will help the plant readjust to the change. After it reacclimates itself and shows signs of new growth give a a feeding of 1/2 strength fertilizer to stimulate flowering.

  • Choochi
    June 10th, 2007 at 11:37 am · Reply

    Wintering bougainvillea

    I have 2 beautiful Bougainvillea, I live in the very north east of Louisiana, can they be planted in the ground? Or do they need to remain in containers?

    Bougainvilleas are hardy in zones 8-10, you are in zone 8 on the marginal end of hardiness. You can plant them in the ground. It will tolerate temperatures as cool as 30-40 degrees but will need protection or it can freeze and die. Plant it on the south side of the house

    .

    My husband and I bought 4 plants in hanging baskets in Winston Salem, NC. I want to keep them in pots but I am not sure they will grow in this climate. Any help is much appreciated. Tammie

    Bougainvillea is a tropical plant and is frost sensitive. It grows in zone 8-10. You are in zone 8. They may go dormant during the winter and drop their leaves. You may want to protect them from extreme cold by keeping the baskets in the garage and watering slightly just to keep it from completely drying out. The important thing is to keep the roots alive so that they regrow the following spring.

  • Russell
    September 11th, 2007 at 9:58 pm · Reply

    Hey, great site. I live in Bali and I have 2 mature Bourgainvilleas which I recently repotted. Unfortunately both have responded badly with all leaves falling off and new ones emerging only to die off a few days later. I think the roots may have been damaged in the repotting exersize. Can anyone offer any advice on how to recover a plant with damaged roots.
    Many thanks
    Russell

    Your bougainvillea is suffering from transplant shock. The important things is not too stress the plant and in time it should recover. I would cut back the stems up to 1/2 so that the roots don’t need to support so much top growth and have a chance to regrow. Be sure the soil is well-drained and don’t let the plant dry out. Since you have new growth and they are heavy feeders, fertilize with 1/2 strength of 20-20-20 to stimulate growth or try a root stimulant. Keep the plant in a slightly shaded area until new growth perks up and then move to a sunny location.

  • Kelly
    November 10th, 2007 at 9:42 pm · Reply

    Comment on Plant & Gardening Tips, for topic: Bougainvillea care
    I just wanted to say that these posts about bougainvillea have been so helpful to me. I brought my boug. in for the winter and lost the leaves and it dried out. I found this site while looking for information on what to do for it and have found my answers just by reading other people’s posts. Thank you for such a wonderful resource for hort information!!!

  • Tarry Jackson
    November 12th, 2007 at 11:47 am · Reply

    PLANTING BOUGAINVILLEA
    I live 30 miles west of Houston in the Fulshear TX area. In early November ‘07, I purchased 8 beautiful Red Bouganvillea plants already trained up in tree form. Ranging from 6 ft to 3 ft heights. They are in good healthy condition and blooming. They currentlly are in the large plastic containers I purchased them in i.e., 65, 35 and 20 gallon containers per tree size. I want to plant them in the yard in full sun. The grower told me to use super phosphate and Lime to neutralize the alkalinity of the soil in this area to treat the holes for planting. The grower is located over 100 miles from me. Two questions. How exactly do I go about treating the holes for planting and should I wait until spring to transplant them in the ground in this climate area. I still have them in movable state in the pots. Any tips for protecting my investment appreciated.

    Bougainvillea are hardy in Fulshear, Tx (zone 9). If planting outdoors: Bougainvillea like a slightly acid soil with a ph of 5.5-6.0. Not knowing what your soil ph is, I would dig large enough holes for each plant mix in some organic compost (which will provide some nutrients ). Be sure the soil is well-drained. Space them 36-60″ apart. Water the plants well and add a root stimulator-such as superphosphate to encourage new root growth. Keep them on the dry side after they are established. Since bougainvillea are frost sensitive, you may get some winter leaf drop or the plant may die back completely if the weather gets too cold. Plant by a southern wall and be sure to protect the plants when temps drop below 40F. It’s better to wait till spring to plant them so that they can have a full year of growth to establish a good root system for the winter. Lime is used to increase the ph in soil. So if you have an acid soil with a ph of 5.0, then you can add lime to increase the ph.

  • Lee
    February 11th, 2008 at 6:55 am · Reply

    I live in Singapore and have got 2 pots of orange bougainvillea plants on my balcony. They get healthy amount of sunlight but are not growing well recently. Despite fertilizing and pruning, the new leaves come out wrinkly and remain so even when they grow bigger. I’m not sure if it’s a problem of over-watering or if there are bugs (no white spots so far though). Pls advise!

    Distortion of new growth is usually caused by several factors; aphids, thrips, virus, herbicide or ethylene injury. Check your plants closely for insects. There is also a cucumber mosaic virus that causes the leaves to become distorted and mottled.

  • Lisa
    February 19th, 2008 at 11:26 am · Reply

    Bougainvillea care
    I am in Orlando, FL. My potted bougainvillea was flowering beautifully until a frost. I moved it into my garage for the cold nights but it still dropped a lot of its blooms and leaves. Now the blooms are coming back, but the leaves don’t seem to be. Should I just leave it alone, or fertilize, or prune, or what?

    Leaf drop is a typical response to cold temperatures. and winter damage If you still want to enjoy the flowers leave it. It will releaf when it warms up. If the plant looks straggly cut it back up to 1/2 of the stem to get a bushier and fuller plant. Prune in Spring before they sprout and fertilize when new growth begins.

  • TRISH DYNES
    March 1st, 2008 at 12:47 pm · Reply

    I live in Spain and now have an apartment with a garden. The soil is clay. Our neighbours have several bougainvillea that are only two years old and are thriving and in full flower even though their garden gets just as waterlogged as ours. I have bought six bougainvillea but after two months they have dropped all flowers and leaves and all that is left is three foot stems on each plant.
    What do I do now? I would be grateful for any advice.
    This is the best site I have come across after days and weeks of searching.
    Trish

    Hi Trish
    The clay soil may be a problem because it doesn’t drain quickly and will hold water longer. Bougainvilleas like a fast draining soil too much water can kill the plant. You could ammend the soil by adding more organic material such as peat moss, compost etc. or plant them in a raised bed that will provide better drainage. Eventhough, your neighbors soil looks the same, it may not be the same and their plants are established. Your newly planted bougainvillea needs time to regrow new roots and get acclimated to the new environment. During this time they will drop their leaves and flowers because the roots cannot feed all the foliage. They also have a tendency to drop leaves in the winter due to lower light conditions and cooler temperatures. When the weather warms up(above 50F), cut them back by 1/3 . Once they sprout in warmer temperatures, feed them with 1/2 strength 20-20-20 or a hibiscus fertizlier to get the plant started. Hope this helps. Kris

  • Marcy
    March 15th, 2008 at 7:37 am · Reply

    Bougainvillea care. I live in San Diego, CA. My bourgainvillea is being eaten by something, perhaps called bougainvillea looper. What specifically is the best treatment?

    The bougainvillea looper often referred to as inchworm is a brown or green caterpillar 1″ long . It is hard to detect because it mimics a stem and feeds at night. The moth lays its eggs on the underside of the leaves. It is the caterpillar that eats its way from the tender shoots down to the foliage causing scalloped edging on the foliage. Other than deforming the plant it will not kill it. The safest way to treat it is with Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) sold as Dipel or neem. Both controls will kill the looper with out harming any beneficial insects. Spray in the evening when they are actively feeding.

  • Tanya
    March 27th, 2008 at 4:42 am · Reply

    Hello,

    I live in Marseilles, France, and am going to plant some Bougainvilleas into the soil. Would it be OK if I use a trellis or pergola for support, are this plant wind-sustaining? We have strong winds pretty often.
    Thank you,Tanya

    Hi Tanya,
    Bougainvillea are a popular plant in southern France. A pergola or trellis will be a great support for the woody canes that can climb up to 40 feet. They should with stand windy conditions but if you want to make sure secure some of the canes to the pergola when they start to grow.

  • Julie Romano
    April 20th, 2008 at 2:51 am · Reply

    I live in Scotland and I have my bougainvilla in the conservatory, I have noticed that there is small brown spots with a reddish brown colour circling the spots on the leaves I have been doing what the care instructions tell me, please help?

    It sounds like a leaf spot disease which is tan with reddish margins and caused by a fungus or bacteria. It’s difficult to say which one. High humidity, overhead watering are usually the culprit.
    Remove the infected leaves and give the plant more air circulation so that it can dry out. http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/enpp/pathology/pathcirc/pp343.pdf

  • Dee
    April 28th, 2008 at 5:23 pm · Reply

    I live in Athens Georgia and have just purchased 4 hanging boug. baskets. The temps are supposed to go down to 44 and 42 the next couple of nights. Should I bring the baskets into the garage or will they be OK in those temps? I don’t want them to lose their blooms – they are beautiful right now and we are having warms days.

    Don’t tempt fate. At 44F, bougainvillea will survive but the flowers may drop off. Store them in the garage until the weather warms up.

  • Claire
    May 11th, 2008 at 10:41 am · Reply

    I have a pink bougainvillea but i live in Glasgow, Scotland. the Weather is normally cold and wet. I do not have a garden but my kitchen gets allot of sunlight. It was fine for a week but the pink leaves are falling off. any ideas of what i should do??

    HI Claire
    I need a bit more info. Is this a new plant that you just recently purchased?

    Yes. only had it about 2 weeks now. its quite small but had a bunch of pink flowers at the top and the bottom. all of the bottom flowers have fallen off and a few of the top ones. i live in a flat so there is no option of me putting it outside.

    Hi again
    The problem is that bougainvillea needs lots of sun(6-8 hrs) and warmth to bloom and thrive. It was most likely grown in a perfect greenhouse environment and now is in a lower light and cooler climate. It is adjusting to this new environment by dropping its flowers. Frankly, it will be a challenge to it grow indoors as they thrive much better if allowed an outdoor summer vacation. Keep it in the sunniest window, let it dry out between waterings(don’t overwater) and fertilize once a month with a balanced fertilizer. I hope it proves me wrong and grows magnificently.

  • Ronna
    May 12th, 2008 at 4:10 pm · Reply

    Scale
    I have a bougainvillea that is a couple of months old, showing new growth, but with the new leaves have black spots (small black raised dots, looking like bugs), as well as beige colored flakes sprinkled all over the stamen and leaves???? What is it?

    Can you scrape off the “raised dots” if so, you may have scale. Black spots can also be a leaf spots.

    Yes, and they are definitely tiny bugs. When I scraped them, they came off easily and are dark green, but also there are light green ones, which I couldn’t detect until I scraped them off.

    It sounds like scale. The lighter ones are juvenile stage which are difficult to detect. You should also have some sticky residue on some of the leaves or stems. See scale for treatment suggestions.

  • Gary Christie
    May 25th, 2008 at 1:59 pm · Reply

    I have 2 Bougainvillea vines in red that are about 4 feet tall. I originally was going to train them to be on a trellis, but cannot do that. Can I train them to be bushes and use in the landscape that way? Thank you

    Yes, they can be trained to grow bushy. The best time for heavy pruning ( cutting off 3/4 of the plant) is late fall or early spring. You can trim it throughout the growing season especially after the blooming cycle.

  • Melissa Hebert
    May 31st, 2008 at 10:41 am · Reply

    I live in Dallas and have a beautiful fuschia boug that I take in the garage every winter. It bounces back in the spring and looks great all summer. This spring it was magnificent until the first hot day in the low 90s. Knowing it needs to be a bit stressed, I was watering every 2 days and had given it 3-month food about a month ago. (It also sits in direct sun.) After the first hot day (when several of my petunias wilted and died), it dropped all of its flowers. It still has leaves. Will it bloom again? What can I do to prompt more blooming? Is this normal?

    Hi Melissa
    To much of a good thing can also be stressfull. Your bougainvillea couldn’t cope with a sudden heat and sun and dropped its flowers. Also keep in mind that stressing it is keeping it root-bound and letting the plant dry-out between watering. Too much water will encourage more foliage instead of flowers. It may stop blooming for a few weeks but should begin to rebloom on new growth.

  • Sheridan Sansegundo
    June 21st, 2008 at 3:09 pm · Reply

    THRIPS
    I live in Mexico and have various different bougainvilleas. I have discovered that they are all infected by thrips, as are most other bougainvilleas in neighboring gardens. How can I get rid of them and will they kill the plants? Sheridan Sansegundo

    HI Sheridan
    Thrips will suck the juices out of flowers and new leaf shoots. They are attracted to blue flowers and can transmit viral disease. Other than disfiguring the plant it should not kill a healthy plant. To monitor for thrips, hang blue-colored sticky traps by the plant. Yellow traps will also work by are not as effective.
    A spray that contains spinosad (Conserve) is a biologically,safe organic insect killer which you can spray directly on the flowers and leaf buds. It works by contact and by injestion and will not harm most beneficial insects or predatory mites.
    A systemic such as Orthene will give you long term control. Orthene is not environmentally friendly since it will kill all insects even beneficial ones.Extreme caution should be used during application.

  • natalie
    July 7th, 2008 at 9:15 am · Reply

    I received a bougainvillea hanging basket for mothers day and it was beautiful then. But, it hasn’t had many new blooms. Just a bunch of long spindly branches with old spiky shoots on them. Do I cut the whole branch back, or just the spikes?

    Hi Natalie
    It may be that your bougainvillea basket is not getting enought sun or fertilizer to bloom. They are heavy feeders and can use 1/2 strength balanced fertilizer every two weeks. Keep the plant slightly on the dry side- the stress will encourage it to bloom. Since bougainvillea bloom on new growth, cut the spindly branches up to a 1/3 or pinch back the spiky shoots lightly to promote new growth and additional bloom. After pruning, it should rebloom within a few weeks.

  • Jann Mays
    July 8th, 2008 at 5:18 am · Reply

    In the postings, it is suggested using 1/2 strength fertilizer to boost growth of the bracts/flowers on Bougainvillea. At one point, 10-10-10 was noted and at another 20-20-20 was noted. So, does this mean taking a 20-20-20 solution and dilute it by half according to the package directions? i.e., 1/2 t instead of 1 t to gallon of water? Thanks.

    Yes, a 20-20-20 formula is twice as potent as the 10-10-10.

  • Tammy Seaquist
    July 8th, 2008 at 7:13 pm · Reply

    I live in northeastern Oregon and purchased a bougainvillea and the leaves are yellowing and falling off. The blooms are beautiful. What do I do? Thank you

    Hi Tammy
    You may be overwatering the plant. It likes to be on the dry side. Other symptoms of leaf drop are under-watering,m low light and cold temperatures.

  • La Tanya
    July 9th, 2008 at 1:20 pm · Reply

    Yellow leaves
    I have 2 bougs vines on each post of my pergola, in late spring they were doing great beautiful dark green leaves and loads of fuschia blooms, now one of the vines is doing bad, it’s leaves are turning yellow and no blooms. I live in zone 9 and they get full sun. I water and feed both of them the same. I have loam soil over the clay. Why is one of them doing bad? Thank you

    Hi La Tanya
    Yellowing leaves can indicate too much water. My guess would be that since the soil is loam over clay there may be a drainage problem. When the roots grow and reach further down into the soil, they may be in the clay soil that has a tendency to retain water. It may be that one side of the pergola has more clay than the other. Try watering less and make sure your fertilizer includes micronutrients such as magnesium and iron which are common defieciencies that can also cause new growth yellow leaves. For older yellow leaves give the plant epsom salt 1-2tsp/gal of water.

  • John Etling
    July 10th, 2008 at 8:52 pm · Reply

    I received an old Bonsai Bougainvillea today and when it was unpacked, found only a few (under 5) leaves attached. The entire tree, save the 5 leaves is bare. It is mid-summer here in SW PA. I watered the plant and placed it in a moderately sunny location. What do I need to do to promote new leaves, if anything.

    Hi John
    Bougainvillea will drop its leaves in low light. The sunny location and moderate watering will encourage new growth. When you see new growth fertilize it every 10 days to two weeks with a hibiscus fertilizer or a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) with micronutrients. Follow directions on the package.

  • Deb
    July 20th, 2008 at 9:28 am · Reply

    i have a boug tree & want to transplant to another location in the yard, when is a good time of the year to do this? It is on the south side now,but does not get enough sun,I want to put it on the north side where it will get more sun.

    Hi Deb
    It needs full sun to bloom best. The best time to move this tropical plant is in the spring before new growth starts or in the fall when its done blooming or goes dormant. Take care when moving it, the delicate fibrous roots don’t like to be disturbed and are easily damaged.

  • Rebeca Gregoire
    July 22nd, 2008 at 7:15 am · Reply

    I brought two very small Bougainvillea plants back to Massachusetts with me, planted them in full sun, in a large pot, and gave them some plant food and a little manure. They have grown like crazy in two months, and are nearly ten times their original size with huge, lush, dark green leaves. The problem is that there is not a single fuschia flower on it. It’s growing so well, but why no flowers? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Your bougainvillea is soo happy with all those nutrients that it grows and grows but does not want to make flowers. Its possible that it has too much fertilizer and water. They also like to be pot-bound before blooming. To get them to bloom- keep them on the dry side , let it dry-out close to the point of wilting between water and don’t fertilize. Hopefully, it will stress them enough to bloom.

  • Lynne B.
    August 20th, 2008 at 2:13 pm · Reply

    Scale
    I live in San Diego CA and have 3 boug vines espaliered on a wall. They are 30 yrs. old. For the past 2 years the central plant has dropped its leaves, new growth appears, then drops while immature. The leaf surface appears ‘bumpy’. The adjacent plants are healthy and vigorous. We sprayed with Spinnosad. Deep watered. No joy. To break this cycle we recently cut the plant back to bare trunks. Any idea what is happening?

    Hi Lynne
    You might want to examine the “bumps” on the leaves closer. Can they be scraped off? If so, your bougainvillea may have scale which may need several treatments

    .

  • Lynne B.
    August 21st, 2008 at 2:39 pm · Reply

    Thanks for the feedback. Not scale. The leaves are thin and slightly ‘wavy’, they lack substance and retain the light green/bronze of new growth instead of darkening and maturing. Rather as if the plant is unable to create healthy leaves. Invisible sucking insect or a virus? Lynne

    Hi Lynne
    It’s hard to say what the problem is. My guess would be either a virus or a nutrient deficiency. Give the plant a light feeding of a balanced fertilizer with micronutrients included. It may help alleviate the problem.

  • Matthew
    September 1st, 2008 at 2:35 pm · Reply

    I live in Palm Springs, CA (desert) with no gardening experience. I just returned from a two week trip. Most of my boug’s new growth leaves have been munched. Also, there is some fine webbing on some leaves and there was a lot of black soot on the pavement below. I haven’t detected bougainvillea looper when I looked close, but that’s what it probably is. Can you confirm? I didn’t know if it was something else because of the webbing and all the black soot on the ground. Thanks.

    Hi Matthew
    It does sound like the bougainvillea looper. Look underneath the leaves. They feed at night and hide during the day camouflaging as stems. The black “soot” is looper excrement and webbing is when they pupate and turn into moths. BT works on young caterpillars and Spinosad is more effective on adult caterpillars.

  • Michelle Young
    September 4th, 2008 at 9:20 am · Reply

    I live in Colorado and was given a Boug hanging plant in May. It lost all of it’s leaves and flowers, but came back incredibly beautiful throughout the entire summer. Now there are white spots on the pink flowers. They just look like colorless areas on the flowers. What could this be? Also, I would love to keep it alive throughout the winter in this area, what would I do?
    Michelle in Greeley, Colorado

    Are you overhead spraying the flowers with water? Are the spots fuzzy? Are the spots turning brownish? Are they just on the flower bracts and not the leaves?

  • e.l. filar
    September 20th, 2008 at 10:43 am · Reply

    I live in southwest florida. When should I prune, fertilize and water the bougainvillea? Thank you.

    The best time to prune your bougainvillea is right after flowering or at the start of the rainy season. They can take light pruning all season long. Major hard pruning should be in the spring. You can feed it with a 1/2 strength ferilizer such as 20-20-20 or high bloom fertilizer like Hibiscus food every month if grown in a container or give it light feedings 3x are year. Careful not to overfertilize esp. Nitrogen or you won’t get flowers. Keep your plant slightly on the dry side to promote blooming. The soil should not be soogy and allowed to dry before watering again especially in winter.

    http://hendry.ifas.ufl.edu/HCHortNews_Bougainvillea.htm

  • Charlie
    September 25th, 2008 at 10:55 am · Reply

    TRANSPLANTING BOUGAINVILLEA
    I need help!

    I recently replanted two bouganvillea’s from a pot into the ground in my Los Angeles garden. There were two plants in the same pot which I separated and planted in different spots. After a week in the ground neither are looking very happy and I’m worried I damaged the root ball’s when replanting them. I’m hoping there is something I can do to rescue these???? Any help would surely be appreciated – It is so sad seeing these once bountiful plants looking so droopy…. Thanks in advance.
    Charlie

    Hi Charlie
    Give them a little more time. Your bougainvilleas are going through transplant shock and need time to heal. Disturbing the roots and perhaps a different light exposure is enough to cause the plants to wilt. The damaged roots need to rebuild so that they can send up moisture to the leaves. Best thing you can do at this time is to give the plant a little shade and prune back the stems by at least 1/3 that way the roots will have less foliage to support. Once it stops sulking it should start to put on new growth.

  • Charlie
    September 25th, 2008 at 5:01 pm · Reply

    Thank you – Will try both of those things. Sun umbrella’s are going up for my sensitive bougainvilleas.

  • Adina
    October 6th, 2008 at 3:46 pm · Reply

    Hello,
    I live in Fort Lauderdale, FL and I have a beautiful Bougainvillea that I planted about one and a half years ago. It had blooms on it when I planted it. It has grown over eight feet high and vines over beautifully, lush and healthy. It has not bloomed since the initial flowers fell off. My neighbor has the same colored Bougainvillea and it blooms a lot. I know that they do not like much water, so the only water it gets is when it rains, which it does a lot during our rainy season (but still does not bloom during the dry season). I cannot understand why mine and my neighbor’s are both outside, get the same rain, but mine does not bloom. I love the color and planted it with love to bloom. Please help!

    HI Adina
    Perhaps your bougainvillea is getting too much love. They bloom better under stressfull conditions (dry). Wet conditions will stimulate lots of green growth and no flowers. It may be getting less sun than your neighbor’s bougainvillea . Your soil may be too rich with nutrients or not drain as well(holding moisture longer) as your neighbors. Too much fertilizer or nutrients will produce more green growth and no flowers. When fertilizing – use a high-bloom fertilizer (higher phosphorus). Bougainvillea bloom on new growth try cutting it back in the spring before new growth starts to stimulate blooming. If all fails ask your neighbor what she/he is doing.

  • Dave Crombie
    October 18th, 2008 at 2:59 pm · Reply

    We have a villa in the Algarve, Portugal where there is a beautiful purple mature (at least 20 years old) bougainvillea.
    This year the leaves have developed a white sticky powder and many of the branches appear lifeless, it is a sorry sight.
    Has anyone come across this problem and is there a solution.

    Hi Dave
    It’s possible that your bougainvillea has powdery mildew that caused the white powder. In addition if you have clear sticky areas then check for insect infestation such as scale.

  • Sharon Bertsch
    January 18th, 2009 at 7:17 pm · Reply

    Tree shape
    I live in Florida and have a beautiful bougainvillea that is planted in the ground ..it was so woody and too big so I had it pruned back to about 4 inches and its starting to get good growth but I would like to train it to be more tree like than bushy..please advise..thank you Sharon

    It is a slow process and may not be easy with an older well established plant. To train bougainvillea into a tree form, you will need to choose a healthy thick branch and elliminate all others. The roots will channel all nutirents to the main stem. Train(wire) the branch to grow up on a straight pole and trim away any new growth that may sprout on the main stem leaving only the top growth. You can also pinch the top growth to attain a bushier shape. You will have to cut away any additional sprouts that the plant will send out from the ground.

  • Susan Brown
    February 3rd, 2009 at 9:17 am · Reply

    I live in Phoenix, AZ and have just bought my first potted Boug. It was gorgeous at the garden center but after only a week, the pink bracts are starting to dried out and have brown edges. It gets full sun most of day and is on our drip system. The soil seems moist but not wet. What could be going wrong so fast? Thanks..Susan

    Hi Susan
    I suspect that the plant is being overwatered with your drip system. Let the plant dry out between waterings. Bougainvilleas prefer their soil on the dry side

    .

  • Laurin
    February 3rd, 2009 at 2:00 pm · Reply

    Boug fertilizer
    I bought my boug last spring and it only gave me a few blooms. Through the advise that I read here, I brought it in over the winter, leaves fell but surprised to see some blooms. I placed it by the door where it gets full sun. Can you recommend a good fertilizer brand to encourage more blooms. When is the best time to bring it out in the spring?

    Hi Laurin
    Wait till spring when night temperatures are 50’s to bring it outside or danger of frost is passed. Start fertilizing with a balanced 10-10-10 with micronutrients or a hibiscus fertilizer when new growth begins. You may also want to prune it to maintain a shapely plant.

  • Jenny Bancroft
    March 16th, 2009 at 3:09 am · Reply

    I have just planted two bougainvillea in large seperate pots on my roof terrace in Spain. Both are in full sun and I am keen to ensure that they grow well. I have read somewhere that boungainvillea like cold tea, is this true.

    I would like any tips you can supply. All my pots are on an automatic watering system, would you reccommend that I do not put these bougainvillea pots on the system and instead water them by hand

    Hi Jenny
    Watering bougainvillea with tea will not harm the plant. The acid in the tea will keep the ph low in the soil. This can also be done with coffee grounds. I balanced fertilizer will give the plant all the nutrients it requires. You can try them on the watering system as long as the soil is allowed to dry out between waterings. Since they grow in warm climates of low rainfall and hot sun, bougainvillea like it on the dry side with increased moisture during flowering. If you have soil that is too wet, you will have a problem getting them to bloom and developing root rot.

  • srini
    March 21st, 2009 at 5:17 am · Reply

    Grow upwards on pergola
    I have a deep pink bougainvillea which we hoped would grow very quickly up the pergola on our terrace. While it is very healthy and flowers well and with many lateral branches , it is not growing up the pergola as intended. Any tips on how we may direct the branches upwards?

    Hi Srini
    Long bougainvillea stems have a tendency to gracefully cascade with the pull of gravity. You may have to gently coax the vine to climb up the pergola. Tie the vine to the pergola to encourage upward growth.Pinch the side branches but not the tip along the stem to encourage the tip to grow upward.

  • Jackie B
    March 30th, 2009 at 7:27 pm · Reply

    Transplant shock
    I live in Arizona & I just planted 4 bougainvillea’s in my yard 2 weeks ago, they are showing new growth but some of the leaves are wrinkled & the flowers have yellow on the edges & look as if they are wrinkling up. At first they had yellow flower buds in them & whatever it is seems to be taking life from them. I am hoping they will survive. I water them every day & sometimes every other day. Help, what can I do? I dont want to lose them. Thankyou

    Hi Jackie
    Most likely your bougainvillea is suffering from transplant shock and needs time to adjust.The damaged root system has a difficult time moving water to other parts of the plant. Keep the plant stress free, make sure the soil is moist but not wet, provide a bit of shade until it recovers. You can try adding a root stimulant to help repair the roots.

  • Nick
    April 24th, 2009 at 12:27 pm · Reply

    I have several bougainvilleas with leaves that have been chewed but I have not seen the culprits. I read about moths affecting them. Please advise.

    Hi Nick
    There is a bougainvillea looper a green or brown caterpillar that feed on the plants. The bougainvillea looper often referred to as inchworm is a brown or green caterpillar 1″ long is hard to detect because it mimics a stem and feeds at night. The moth lays its eggs on the underside of the leaves. It is the caterpillar that eats its way from the tender shoots down to the foliage causing scalloped edging on the foliage. Other than deforming the plant it will not kill it. The safest way to treat it is with Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) sold as Dipel or neem. Both controls will kill the looper with out harming any beneficial insects. Spray in the evening when they are actively feeding.

  • Jennie
    April 26th, 2009 at 12:20 pm · Reply

    I got my bougainvillea trees last summer. They were beautiful. I have checked and they look like they are still dormant or dead? I scraped near the bottom on the trunk and saw green and there is kind of a yellowish / green in the middle of the branches when they are cut. I am hoping for the best I really love them. Right now they seem really dry and growth is very little to none.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/12117297@N06/?saved=1

    HI Jennie
    Your bougainvillea may be marginally hardy where you live and had some winter dieback. On the other hand , they do like warm weather and will not start growing until the soil warms up.

  • kc wong
    May 1st, 2009 at 6:52 am · Reply

    I live in Singapore. I bought 2 pots of bougainvillea plants while they were in full bloom. I re-potted one after the existing flowers on it dropped. But while doing so I accidentally pulled the plant out from the soil which held its roots. The main roots were exposed. After replanting it in the new pot for more than 3 months now, it still does not flower while the other pot has not stopped flowering. I may have hurt the roots while re-potting. What must be done to remedy the situation?
    kc

    Hi KC
    If the roots were damaged, then they need time to repair themselves before the plant even thinks about blooming. Bougainvillea blooms best when it is pot bound.

  • Bridgette
    May 6th, 2009 at 6:52 am · Reply

    Red leaves
    I have a fucshia bourgie that I have had for about seven years. It is huge. I live on the Coast of NC and put in in the garage every winter. I prune hard at that time. This year the leaves are coming back red from the trunk. ?????Any idea?????

    Hi Bridgette
    It may be a nutrient deficiency. Fertilize the plant with a balanced food with micronutrients.

  • JUNE WHITTON
    July 9th, 2009 at 4:14 am · Reply

    HI,,WE LIVE IN SOUTHERN SPAIN AND HAVE A LOVELY BOUGENVILLA TREE BUT WE PUT IT IN THE SUN AND ALSO HAD A LOT OF WIND AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE LOSING IT..NO WEBS REALLY TALK ABOUT THE TREE,,WE NEED HELP AND ADVICE,,SHOULD THE WIND HAVE AFFECTED IT??CAN IT HAVE TOO MUCH SUN?? pLEASE GIVE US SOME ADVICE
    THANKS IN ADVANCE

    Hi June
    Wind and too much sun can definately have an affect on the tree. My best advice is to move it to a more protected area where it can flourish.

  • Agnes
    August 22nd, 2009 at 1:07 am · Reply

    I have a bougainvilla tree grown on ground for years.

    I stay in an all year round hot and sunny weather.
    It used to have lots of leaves and when the weather is very hot, the tree will bear lots of flowers.
    However, since 2 months ago, the tree appears to be dying with leaves dropping off till hardly anything left altho’ there are still some flowers, and branches are drying and easily broken.
    Need urgent advice what may be the causes and how to quickly remedy the situation before it die off.
    TQ

    Hi Agnes
    Based on the information, I really can’t tell what is wrong with your bougainvillea. Does it get enough water? or too much water? An older plant is more prone to disease.

  • Samuels
    September 26th, 2009 at 2:37 pm · Reply

    Overwatered bougainvillea
    I have a young boug potted last year on my patio in So. California. I have a feeling I overwatered it, as there were mushrooms growing in a the periphery on the surface of the soil and yellow spores just under the surface and in the root holes of the pot. The plant is still growing very small leaves and flowering sparsely. Is it salvageable?? Thanks.

    Hi Samuels
    It sounds as if it is struggling. You need to replace the soil and check the plants fine roots at that time. There should be some cream colored fine roots. The soil should be porous and well drained. Use a good soilless mix. Avoid using a peat and perlite mix as it may compact and retain moisture. Make sure that the pot has drainage holes and do not let the plant sit in water or it will cause root rot.

  • Ray
    October 9th, 2009 at 10:29 am · Reply

    My aunt has a bouganvilia which is over a year old. The plant did not bloom at all this year, despite fertilising with Miracle Gro during spring and summer. It has sat outside on the deck basking in plenty of sunshine, so I can’t imagine what could be wrong! The plant is still healthy, with lots of green leaves, and my aunt plans to bring it in since temperatures tonight will drop to 0C. She lives in Nothern Canada, in the Muskoka region, and will definitely overwinter the pot indoors.
    Any comments on what can be done to ensure the fabulous pink blooms of last season?
    Thanks.

    Hi Ray,
    Here are some cultural suggestions that bougainvillea needs to bloom. It requires at least 6-8 hrs. of full sun. They respond to blooming when they are slightly stressed- crowded roots and the soil kept slightly dry. In addition, blooming occurs on new growth so a light pruning will stimulate new growth. Lightly fed your plant 2-3 times a year with a balanced fertilizer. In general, lack of flowering usually happens from not enough sun, too much water, too much nitrogen. There are also varieties of bougainvillea that bloom in the fall in response to short days

  • Zareen
    October 11th, 2009 at 5:27 am · Reply

    Pruning
    Hi, I have a bougainvillea in our conservatory in London, UK, which flowers well in summer and again around Xmas once the underfloor heating has been put on, but at the moment it has lost most of its leaves and looks really sad and straggly. It threathened to take over the conservatory, so I’m wondering if now is a good time to prune it?

    Hi Zareen
    You can prune it in fall or early spring. Since you are taking it to the conservatory where it will get proper heat and light you can prune it now to stimulate new growth and (since they bloom on new growth) also flowering.

  • Kris
    October 28th, 2009 at 8:32 pm · Reply

    Hi – I’ve read your advice for trying to keep bougainvillea safe (wrapping, adding mulch) but don’t see you recommending plant covers. I live in Sonoma, CA and we have some cold nights and wanted to try these. I can’t move mine indoors, unfortunately. They are just thriving and I would hate to lose them.

    Thanks so much for your help.

    Hi Kris
    There is a product called Planket plant covers that may be of use to you.

  • trina
    November 9th, 2009 at 4:59 pm · Reply

    how tall do they get i want to know

    Hi Trina
    Depending on the variety, bougainvillea’s vine mature height can range from 10-40 ft.

  • Bob
    November 21st, 2009 at 1:29 pm · Reply

    Wintering indoors
    I have a 2 year old bougainvillea vera purple plant. I have it planted in a clay pot. This past summer, I put it in my backyard. It may beautiful flowers. In October I brought the plant indoors. Now it is making new leaves. But these same new leaves are falling off. I have gas heat in my house. I use a hygrometer to measure temperature and humidity. At this time of year the plant receives approximately 4 hours of sunlight. I have it facing the southern exposure to receive the most sunlight. I water the plant when it starts to wilt. Then I give it a good drink. Should I give it some fertilizer?. I use a 15 15 15 formula. Thank You.

    Hi Bob
    Your bougainvillea is in a much lower light environment than it was outdoors therefore will normally drop leaves. Do not fertilize your plant during the winter, save it for early spring when it will start to grow again.

  • Jenny
    December 29th, 2009 at 4:42 pm · Reply

    We live in Seal Beach, CA and planted several bougainvilleas in a row along a wall about 2 1/2 years ago. Most of them became bare sticks within a month and have stayed that way. We’ve had a couple gardeners look at them and they say they are still alive and to wait while they establish their roots. Well, we’re about to give up. We thought these plants grew quickly and easily. They are in sun for about half the day and we are watering them with a drip irrigation system. They are in the ground in a space about 2 feeet deep between a wall and the tiled patio. We’d love some advice!
    Thanks!

    Hi Jenny
    It sounds as if your bougainvillea are off to a slooow start and something is wrong. The location may be the problem. They need full sun – that is 6 hours and more. The irrigation system may keep the roots too wet causing root damage thereby slow growth. Bougainvillea grow best in porous, well drained soil that is on the dry side. After 2 1/2 years, I would plant them in a different location in the spring.

  • Johanna
    January 13th, 2010 at 11:59 am · Reply

    I have a bourganvilla planted in my backyard just outside of Phoenix, AZ. It was growing out of control so I cut it back hard before reading any sites on when to do this. It was mid-December (temps 70 during day and 45 at night). At the time it was blooming and had green leaves. Since I cut it back, about 1/3 of the plant, it has become very vine-y with no leaves or blooms. Only part of the plant still has green on it. I visited my garden center and they told me to water it regularly and no fertilizer – this advice conflicts with this site. They seem prety hardy and it looks like its grown without any green… Is it dormant or did I kill it by pruning the amount of the plant at the time of year that I did? Thanks for any help.

  • Mike
    January 23rd, 2010 at 9:11 pm · Reply

    Pruning bougainvillea
    I live in NW Houston and have a bougainvillea plant I bought with money my grandmother left me. I love the wild nature and persistent red blooms outside our kitchen window. It reminds me of my grandmother. I find I have to prune it every few weeks to keep it from ruining the window screens. I hope to form it on some supports to keep it off the house.
    I plan to prune it almost to the ground in a few weeks. It faces south and even in the winter receives sun all day.

    Hi Mike
    Thanks for your comment! Sounds like it was a good investment.

  • Barbara Fuller
    February 4th, 2010 at 10:23 am · Reply

    Browning flowers
    I bought a beautiful bougainvillea in a pot a few weeks ago. It’s hanging on a sunny porch. Some flowers are turning brown and the others are just falling off. The leaves are fine. Would over watering or too cool temps. be the cause? What am I doing wrong?

    Hi Barbara
    Yes, overwatering and cool temperatures will cause the flowers to turn brown and drop. Also avoid overhead spraying with water, that will also damage the flowers. The flowers are the first indicators that the plant is under some type of stress.

  • Kathy
    February 23rd, 2010 at 8:47 am · Reply

    Tan/yellow spots
    Help! My Bougainvillea bonsai tree was so beautiful at the nursery only 2 weeks ago, I live in Kuwait and the weather has been up and down lately between 70 and 95 degrees. I water well every 3 days and it’s in a sunny location, however, I am seeing a change in leaves as well as the flower. There are some portions of the plant that look very healthy and then some areas have yellow spots on the leaves and the flower. See here…
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/12628738@N08/sets/72157623493878868/
    Please help!

    Hi Kathy
    Tan/yellow spots on the older leaves indicate a magnesium deficiency or overwatering. Have you been overhead watering the plants. Water that sits on the surface of flowers and leaves can also cause leaf spots.

  • Ruth
    February 26th, 2010 at 10:40 am · Reply

    I have a beautiful bougainvillea on my balcony in San Diego, Southern California. It’s just started to bloom again and there are a lot of new buds coming through. In the past week though, they’ve started to blacken and there’s been some blackening of the edges of the existing flowers. Some of the leaves and young flowers are starting to drop. I’ve had a greenfly/aphid problem that I’ve fought (successfully I think!) by spraying the plant with soapy water, now the aphids are pretty much gone but the plant is still dropping leaves and blooms. I have been fertilizing occasionally with Miracle Grow all purpose. What do you think could be the problem?
    Thanks!

  • Linda
    March 14th, 2010 at 7:42 am · Reply

    Is it alive?
    I live in Houston. I have several large beautiful bougainvillea. Two are in the ground, the rest are in pots. We had a very cold winter this year. So far I have not seen anylife on any of the plants. How do I tell if they are still alive?

    Hi Linda
    Give them the scratch test. Scratch or scrape the stem and see if there is green underneath. If not, then the stem is dead. A dried up stem that easily breaks is also a clue that it is dead. Even if the stems are dried up and dead you may get new growth from the roots if the didn’t freeze.

  • parsons
    March 18th, 2010 at 2:13 pm · Reply

    Wilted bougainvillea
    i have repotted a standard Bougainvillea recently. Now the pruned branches are weeping.is it dead or dying?

    Hi
    Are the branches bending over?

  • William Brennan
    March 31st, 2010 at 12:34 pm · Reply

    I live in Florida, but we have had a very cold winter. My bougainvillea (planted in the ground) are leafless and scraggly looking. they are about 5 feet tall. How low should I prune them?

    Hi William
    see http://hortchat.com/info/bougainvillea-winter-damage for pruning suggestions.

  • gary
    April 4th, 2010 at 7:01 am · Reply

    I have several plants in large pots, after a colder than normal winter they show no signs of coming back. They were bought into garage during the cold snap. The stems are turning black, but the root feels rigid and when scraped with fingernail it shows some green. What to do? I live in southeast Texas

    Hi Gary
    Bougainvillea need warm weather and warm soil to get growing. Bring the pots outdoors when you are sure night temperatures will be above 55F. Then it becomes a waiting game. The stems may be dead but the roots can send out new growth when they are ready. Once this happens, you will know what part of the plant died and then you can trim off the dead stems.

  • Mark
    April 6th, 2010 at 12:25 am · Reply

    Replanting bougainvillea
    Living in South Africa I have 2 Bougainvillea, perhaps 3-5 years old, that have been standing in plastic pots on a lawn for the past two years. The roots have since grown down into the earth. I would like to move them but am afraid of damaging the roots beyond repair. Any help would be appreciated.

    Hi Mark
    The best thing you can do is to dig around the pots so that you get the roots that are growing into the ground. Once you have your “clump” cut off the plastic pot and plant your bougainvillea immediately in a predug hole and water. You can also add a root starter into the water to stimulate new root growth.

  • Susan P.
    April 7th, 2010 at 10:03 am · Reply

    I live in Redding, CA, (zone 9) where we had an unusual frost in Dec. 2009 with temps down to 18f. five nights in a row. A Barbara Karst bougainvillea, growing up a west facing stucco wall under an eave, seems to have died. I bought a new one yesterday and am considering using a pot in the same location, though the goal was to have the branches fill an iron trellis on the wall, so moving the pot, if we have another deep frost, will be difficult. We may rig up some sort of blanket system for Dec. nights. We could include an outdoor lightbulb for heat. Can you tell me which bougainvillea best endure frost? Would I need to cover the entire plant or just the pot and say, 36″ of plant? Should I just plan to move it inside the garage for Dec-Jan? Thanks, Susan

  • Jane Stevens
    April 19th, 2010 at 9:19 am · Reply

    Winter survival
    Live in central FL. Cut back our plant last fall late and so far we have seen anything coming up. It was a beautiful plant last year, but we did not move the pot indoors during the cold winter. What chance do we have with it still being alive? Thanks for you help

    Hi jane
    Bougainvillea are slow to start in spring. They need warm soil before they think about waking up. The best way to see if it is alive is to scratch the bark on the stem and see if there is any green underneath. If not them there’s a good chance it did not survive. Although it may send new growth from the roots, so don’t give up too fast.

  • Nancye Harder
    April 25th, 2010 at 7:41 pm · Reply

    Hi there!
    I live in Northern California, and recently fell in love with bougainvilleas. I now have 3 potted plants in full sun on my porch. The beautiful pink color they had when I first got them has not turned into a deep red. I LOVED the bright pink color, and would like to know if you have any suggestions on how to get that pink color back. I saw in one of your other comments you suggested Miracid. However, as a recent gardener, I’m not sure of how much to use, and if that is all that is needed to bring that pink color back to these wonderful plants. Can you offer any advice?

    Hi Nancye
    The change of flower color is affected by several factors: temperature, amount of light, quality of light, ph and micronutrients in the soil. Low temperatures, more light increase anthocyanin which is the red/purple pigment in plants. Conversely high temps and lower light decrease anthocyainin . Ph and fertilizer can also have an affect on the shade of red in certain cases. The more intense color is probably due to the amount of light your plant is getting. The bracts are lighter in lower light conditions. I have a flowering quince that is a deep coral color in the sun but when I took cuttings and brought it indoors the flowers were all light pink. You wouldn’t know it came from the same plant. I don’t know if the Miracid would have any affect on the color.

  • Miriam Mellado
    May 1st, 2010 at 10:51 pm · Reply

    Yellow leaves
    I transplanted 8 bouganvillea plants 3 weeks ago in my back yard. I have been watering them constantly,by hand, I noticed this week some of the leaves are turning yellow, and almost all the flowers fell off of 5 of them. I live in zone 13, the very last city in Southern California. Also, 4 weeks ago, I transplanted 5 other bouganvillea plants in the front of my house, those are doing great, blooming and growing like crazy, those are watered by the automatic sprinkler system every day.
    I would appreciate any advice you could provide, since I do not want to lose my investment.
    Thank you!

    Hi Miriam
    It sounds like too much water or the soil is not draining well and the roots are staying too wet. Yellowing leaves can also be a sign of a nutrient deficiency such as iron, magnesium, nitrogen.

  • Teddy
    May 19th, 2010 at 10:00 am · Reply

    I live in Nothern California. I have a four year old boug that has been great. I keep it protected during the winter. Last fall it dropped it leaves. This spring it is blooming well however there are no leaves. What do I need to do?

    Hi Teddy
    As long as it is blooming, it should send out leaves soon. To give it a jump start feed it with a 1/2 strength balanced fertilizer that includes micronutrients.

  • winnie ferguson
    May 22nd, 2010 at 12:21 pm · Reply

    Leaf curl
    I have a type of Bouganvillea plant that has very dark red flowers and grean and white leaves. Ive had it about 2 months and transplanted it into a larger pot. It doesnt seem to grow at all and the leaves are curling up. The one next to it is doing fine but its the other kind.

    Hi Winnie
    Your varigated bougainvillea may be more sensitive to adverse soil conditions. By transplanting, the roots are damaged and are unable to provide enough water to the leaves causing them to wilt.They don’t like to have their roots disturbed. Keep the plant in a shaded area until it recovers and be careful that you don’t overwater the plant as they prefer to be on the dry side. In additon, do not fertilize it until it recovers and starts to put out new growth. Both overwatering and too much fertilizer can cause the leaves to curl.

  • Claire Jinks
    May 22nd, 2010 at 9:52 pm · Reply

    Mold on trellis?
    I have two twenty year old Bouganvilleas in San Jose, Ca. that are trained to climb up a garage wall. The leaves are fine but where the roots are coming out of the ground they are covered with a white powder. It even seems to be on the wooden trellis holding the plants up. Is this powdery mildew? I would expect it on leaves but not on the wood.

    Hi Claire
    Powdery mildew grows on plant material, you may have some kind of mold (fungus) growing on the trellis.

  • Kristen
    May 23rd, 2010 at 3:22 pm · Reply

    In fort worth, texas: I bought 2 huge hot pink bougainvilleas that are about 6 ft. tall. I put one of them on the side of the house against our brick wall which faces southwest, and the other on the northeast side of the house. The one on the southwest receives sun from about 11am-sundown & northeast side receives full morning & afternoon sun. I’ve kept both in their original pot they were purchased in for fear of disturbing the root (& terrible, clay, rocky soil), so for the southwest side dug a hole in our bed and put it against the wall. The northeast one is potted inside another big pot. Right after purchasing, we had a week long rain with very high winds. The southwest facing one was VERY unhappy, as it gets hit with the south wind almost all day. Many leaves & flowers have fallen off, it’s very leggy looking, and has a few blooms on the top but yellow on the leaves. I’ve since moved it to the southeast, a bit more protected with full sun. The other one is just as I bought it, happy as a lark on the northeast corner. I’ve fertilized both with 20-20-20 (given by the store i bought it from). What to do??

    Hi Kristen
    You are right to move the plant to a more protected area. The bougainvillea is still adjusting to the new environment and is experiencing a type of transplant shock-too much sun, water and wind. Make sure it stays on the dry side and don’t fertilize until new growth starts to show.

  • winnie ferguson
    May 26th, 2010 at 12:04 pm · Reply

    Do leaves curling up mean to much or to little water?

    Hi Winnie
    Which way do they curl inward or under? on what kind of plant?

  • jenny
    May 31st, 2010 at 8:47 am · Reply

    Hi. We live in Qatar, and I’ve overwatered my purple bougainvillea plant in a pot.
    The leaves are all dried up and still on the stem, but the plant looks dead.
    I’ve since moved the plant to a sheltered spot and stopped watering, safe for a very little bit (gauging by giving the dead one a quarter of what I give my other thriving plant)
    How do I know if it’s still alive? And if it is, what should I do? Thanks for any advice.

    Hi Jenny
    Water as you are for now keeping the plant slightly moist. If and when there is new growth, increase watering, fertilize (1/2 strength) and move the plant to a sunny spot. Trim any dead, dried stems.

  • Heidi Dunba
    June 1st, 2010 at 11:31 am · Reply

    I have a Red San Diego Bougainvillea, it’s an evergreen but looses almost all its leaves, why?

    shed their older leaves in late January

  • Jeanie M. Jones
    June 3rd, 2010 at 4:31 am · Reply

    I live in Michigan and would like to know if it is possible to grow a bougainvillea in this climate.

    Hi Jeanie
    Bougainvillea is a tropical plant and is not hardy in Michigan. You can grow it in a container and bring it indoors for the winter.

  • Scott
    June 13th, 2010 at 7:56 pm · Reply

    About 3 weeks ago, I moved a bougainvillea from a large plastic pot into a 3′ x 7” rectangular wooden planter. I definitely hurt the large root ball in order to fit it into the new narrower box. Within two days, all of the flowers and leaves shriveled up and began to drop. The grower told me to trim it back about 1/3 (it is growing up a trellis on my deck), including all the dead branches with the leaves and flowers. That was nearly two weeks ago, and the plant is showing no sign of regrowth. Should I water it more or less than normal? Should I fertilize at all? I live in LA, and the plant gets full sun (southern exposure). Thanks!

    Hi Scott
    Your bougainvillea still needs time to recover from transplanting. By trimming some of the plant will help reduce the amount of top growth needed to recover. Keep the soil moist not too wet or too dry. You can feed it with a root starter fertilizer only to stimulate new root growth. When you see new growth, then you can lightly feed the plant with a balanced fertilizer.

  • jo e. h.
    June 14th, 2010 at 8:43 pm · Reply

    Yellow spots on leaves
    I have three bougalvillea’s planted about 3 to 4 ft’ apart in my yard. They were all doing so well,but yesterday i saw that alot of leaves fell off one of the larger ones.It also had yellow spots.I watered them.Now this afternoon when i came home from work, I checked them and the smaller one has yellow spots now.The third one looks great and is a very full plant.Any suggestions on the reason for spots will be greatly appreciated. Also, should they have flowers right now.Because even though 4 out of the 6 plants I have all together look great and are bushy.They have a few to no flowers. Thanks. JO H. Ponchatoula,LA

    Hi Joe
    Yellow spots can be from overwatering. If on older leaves yellow spot can be due to a magnesium deficiency. Add epsom salt at 1-2 tsp/gal as a soil drench or foliar spray or make sure your fertilizer includes micronutrients.

  • Aleta
    June 22nd, 2010 at 6:49 pm · Reply

    Bougs in Colorado
    I live in San Diego and have 5 medium sized boug’s in pots. We are moving to Colorado. Will they survive? Can they be houseplants? If so will it be a huge mess?
    Thanks!

    Hi Aleta
    Bougainvillea are tropical plants and will not survive a Colorado winter unless you store them dormant in a frost-free place or keep them as a struggling houseplant. If you want to try bring one with you and give the rest to your neighbors.

  • Emily
    July 1st, 2010 at 8:55 am · Reply

    I live in Southern California, and have a 5-year-old bougainvillea in a large pot in the backyard. It is in full sun (temperatures get very hot here), and for the past few months it has been doing wonderfully–lots of deep pink blooms. Now, all of the sudden all of its flowers have turned yellow and fallen off. It’s leaves are still there, but they are sparse and small. I stopped watering because I thought that might be the problem, but its been 2-3 weeks and the plant only looks worse. I don’t want to kill it, but I just can’t figure out what went wrong. Please help! Thank you.

    Hi Emily
    It is possible that since the plant was overwatered that it has root damage (rot). Keep the plant on the dry side but not completely dry. The fibrous roots need time to recover. You can treat it with a broad spectrum fungicide to help control the problem. Make sure the soil drains well so the roots are not sitting in water.
    Has the bougainvillea been in the same soil/pot for the last 5 yrs.? If so you might consider repotting it in fresh soil that hasn’t been compacted over the years.

  • Marty
    July 10th, 2010 at 12:20 am · Reply

    Hi,
    I live in Brisbane, Australia and recently
    was given what I would call a stump with no roots.
    The friend who gave it to me said that he has
    grown many bougainvilleas from stump with no
    roots whatsoever. He just treats them like an oversized
    cutting. Am I being led up the garden path here? (pardon the pun)
    or is there merit to this?

    Hi Marty
    I have never heard of this, but did find a blog that said you can grow them from a stump. Wow, I learn something new all the time. Let me know how if it works. http://bonsaivictor.blogspot.com/2008/06/growing-bonsai-in-phoenix-arizona.html

  • patricia younger
    July 26th, 2010 at 12:50 pm · Reply

    Overwatering
    After reading these comments I fear I have overwatered my bouganvelia. I live in NE Florida. It is constantly wilted and I thought it needed water so I watered daily. Can I reverse the damage I have done?

    Hi Patricia
    Recovery depends on how much damage (root rot) the fine roots incurred. Bougainvillea prefer to be on the dry side with well drained soil. Move it to a semi-shaded area and let the soil dry slightly before watering again.

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