It would be hard to find a more dazzling, flowering tropical plant than the bougainvillea. The bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis) is a tropical, shrubby vine whose bright magenta, pink, white, gold or purple flowers positively glow. Actually, the colorful parts are modified leaves called bracts. The true flowers, located within the bracts, are small and white. More of a large, sprawling shrub than a true vine, the bougainvillea is wonderfully versatile.
 
Bougainvilleas are tough plants, and getting them to thrive and grow is not difficult. The most common complaint gardeners seem to have is getting them to bloom. Individual plants tend to bloom intermittently on and off throughout the year, with the heaviest production of blooms most common in spring to early summer (if plants are kept healthy over the winter) and in late summer to fall. It’s not unusual for a bougainvillea plant to produce abundant blooms just once or twice a year. Older, established plants tend to bloom longer than younger plants, so the more years you have your bougainvillea, the more it should bloom for you.

The first step to getting your plant to bloom is to provide as much light as possible. Bougainvilleas will bloom reliably only if they receive six or more hours of direct sunlight each day. Grown in partially shaded locations, these plants will produce healthy, dark green leaves but few or no flowers.

Container culture gives the best results and the most reliable blooming. Use plastic or clay pots or hanging baskets, but make sure they have drainage holes. Any good potting soil or soilless mix is fine as long as it drains well.

Fertilize bougainvilleas in early summer with a slow-release product or regularly during the summer with a soluble fertilizer. Should your container-grown bougainvillea begin to grow rampantly, producing large, dark green leaves, you probably have been too generous with fertilizer, and you should skip fertilizing for four to six weeks. Most growers use a balanced, slow-release or soluble fertilizer with a 1:1:1 ratio such as 20-20-20 or 14-14-14.

When it comes to pruning, keep in mind that bougainvilleas bloom on new growth. If your plant begins to grow too large or if it sends out a wild, vigorous shoot, feel free to trim it back. This will keep the plant under control and encourage branching without interfering with blooming. You can generally prune occasionally as needed, but the ideal times to trim back bougainvilleas are whenever they have just finished a bloom cycle and in the late fall or early winter just before they need to be brought into a protected location for the winter.
8/18/2010 8:03:49 PM
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