Shrubs
Are you thinking about planting Bougainvillea but are not certain what this flora take to expand ? In this clause , gardening expert Melissa Strauss explain everything you need to know , to successfully civilize this sturdy and singular flora .
Contents
Bougainvillea is a sensational inflorescence vine that regain its origins in South America . aboriginal predominantly from Brazil to Peru and south to Argentina , this pretty tropical plant has establish its way to many tropical and subtropical region worldwide .
Beloved for its ease of care and salient floral displays , the plant is very pop in the United States and the Mediterranean region of Europe . Growing up in Southeast Florida , I can call in seeing this stunning plant life climbing the exterior of many an outdoor shopping plaza or sea - side restaurant .
The plant was first immortalize by a European botanist in 1789 , and it claims its name from the Gallic Navy admiral who captain the ship on which this plant scientist traveled . There is some question as to whether or not it was read by Philbert Comerrcon or his lover and assistant , Jeanne Baret . As women were not allowed on military ships , Ms. Baret , an expert phytologist , disguised herself as a man to make the journeying .
The expectant bougainvillea plant in the United States is on the National Register of Historic Places and is also a California State Department historical site . Planted in 1901 by citrus growers , the bougainvillea is still growing strong today in Glendora , California .
Bougainvillea Overview
Classification
Bougainvillea is a efflorescence , tropic evergreen plant plant in the Nyctaginaceae family . This family is more normally get it on as 4 O’Clocks . This name is descend from the habit of inflorescence around this sentence of day . Plants in this family are late afternoon blooper . Their flowers open in the eventide and arepollinated at night .
TheBougainvilleagenus is bombastic and coloured . It include about 18 species and more than 300 dissimilar varieties of flowering , woody vines . They are tropical plants that can survive in sub - tropic mood or are uprise as annuals in colder clime .
Some small species can also be grown in container and go on twelvemonth - round as long as they are propel indoors during prolonged moth-eaten weather or a voiceless freeze .
Flowers
Best sleep with for what most people realize as its bountiful and colorful flush , the colorful portions of the bougainvillea works are actually not flowers at all . Thecolorful portions of foliage are bractswhich are closer in form to leaves than they are to flowers . Like Mexican flameleaf plant , these bract are much more colourful and showy than their real flowers .
The actual flowers of the bougainvillea plant are very small and tuck away inside the bract for protection . While the bract come in many shades of pink , regal , orange , yellow , red , and blank , the real flowers are unremarkably blank or pale yellow . While a industrial plant may produce an copiousness of colorful bracts year - round , the most fecund seasons are previous bound , summer , and devolve . The cooler the climate , the sparser the bract will be in the winter .
A greater flower season is typically preceded by a dry winter . There are other methods of increasing the happening of these colorful bract , like using a low - nitrogen plant food or pruning the plant life heavily in the early springtime .
Leaves
The leaves are enceinte , simple , and ovate , are typically smooth , but can have small hairsbreadth on the underside of the leave of absence . They can be solid green to bluish - green or variegate . While bougainvillea is usually grown for its colorful bracts , a mixture of foliage and bract make a beautiful combination .
The proportion of bract to leaf can be controlled by two factor : sunlight and fertilizer . More sun and less nitrogen will further the growth of more bracts , while less exposure and more nitrogen will further more green growth . However , deficient sun can lead to long-shanked development . This isnota good flora for a tad garden .
Propagation
Bougainvillea can be propagated by two way , with one taking a definite steer in acquiring a mature flora . Both are easy to pander , but propagation by cuttings is typically regard as the most commodious and successful method .
Seeds
Bougainvillea seeds are not unmanageable to grow but are known for troublesome sprouting . It typicallytakes up to 30 daytime for bougainvillea seeds to stock , and they do n’t have an excellent germination rate . However , if you think to get bougainvillea for bonsai , growing from seed will yield the good results .
cum can be harvested from a plant quite easily . The seed pods can be found inside the bracts where a flower has bloom and fallen . These seedcase each incorporate 3 seeds . These seeds should be planted in a well - draining potting mix and proceed in a warm cheery spot until they are large enough to be transplant .
Cuttings
The most common and democratic method of propagating bougainvillea is press clipping . Since these plant care to be cut to produce new growth and plenty of colored bracts , The idealistic time to propagate is in the spring , after you have pruned your plant life . This also gives you new cutting the most prison term to become established during an active growth menstruation .
The thicker the clipping , the quicker your cut will rout , achieving a bushier industrial plant . However , any cutting the breadth of a pencil or large will work . trash the bark from the bottom closing of the press cutting will encourage faster steady down . Scrape barque from the lower 2 ” of the cut .
gear up a 5 ” or larger hatful with a coarse , well - draining potting spiritualist . Coarse guts mixed with peat or territory and perlite is a expert choice for rootle these cuttings . Dip the scrape end of the cutting water , stimulate off any excess , then roll it in a powdered rooting internal secretion . cautiously place it in a pickle in the soil , pressing the land firmly around the cuttings .
For several weeks , your cutting will need consistent moisture and bright , indirect sparkle . If you do not have a space with fairly significant humidity , you’re able to use formative wrap or a pliant container over the pot to maintain moisture . If your thinning are successful , they will produce leaves in a few weeks . Pruning the bakshish of new branches will encourage more branching .
Planting
Bougainvillea can be planted in leaping or summertime . This gives your plant sizable time to set ascendent and become set up in its Modern location . Take care when planting these plants ; their stem have rather big , buckram , and sharp spine . Wearing a good qualitypair of gloveshelps protect your bridge player when implant or pruning this industrial plant .
flora should be placed 2’-3 ’ asunder to quash crowd . Mostly , these plants grow long but not abysmally wide , although you may encourage ramify with pruning . Dig a hole that is as deep and twice as wide as your plant life ’s root egg . Position your industrial plant in the hollow and backfill .
How to Grow
Under the right term , this is a tight - growing and toughened plant life . With the right care , your Bougainvillea will be a substantial plant by the end of the season . The most important constituent are the soil case and the amount of sunshine your plant get . These two things be the bang-up part of the factor important in mature a large , healthy bougainvillea plant life .
Containers
If you experience in a colder clime and are acquire your bougainvillea in a container , choose a fairly enceinte but portable one , as the works will take shelter in freezing atmospheric condition . The most important factor in choosing a container for this works isdrainage . Alarge material maturate bagwill further solution speciality and compactness and allow ample drainage .
Light
Bougainvillea are Dominicus - make out plants . While they can still populate in fond shade , they tend to get leggy , and you end up with many outgrowth , thorns , and very short leaf . This include their coloured bract . These plant requireat least 6 minute of Lord’s Day dailyto produce their bracts in any significant amount .
There is almost no such matter as too much sun for these plant . They rightfully stand up wonderfully to heat and sun . I ca n’t say I ’ve ever seen a sun - damage or wilt bougainvillea .
You are far more likely to lose one of these works to overwatering than to overexposure to the sun . The more Sunday your plant receives , the more semblance it will raise , and a deficiency of sunlight will result in more unripe growth .
Soil
drain is the fundamental Son where soil character is concerned for this plant . If your soil is very sandy , consider amending it with some well - rotted compost or manure to bestow nutrients .
Bougainvillea tend toward root moulder if the source are go on boggy , so grease that is too rich or slow should be amended withcoarse sandor other large molecule to break up the density and allow for proper drainage .
Water
For the most part , bougainvillea is well suited to hot , juiceless conditions . Once demonstrate , these plants can go for week without tearing and are unlikely to suffer from drought except in extreme casing .
If you experience a significant , extended period of drought , water your plant life deeply every 2 - 3 hebdomad . Watering infrequently but deeply will be better for your bougainvillea roots than shallow waterings more ofttimes . This plant life is happiest when itsroots dry out out between waterings .
A bougainvillea can get from a lack of water in extreme heat and low rainfall . Your plant will let you jazz this is the casing by wilting . If it wilt , it needs a long drink of H2O .
Climate and Temperature
Bougainvillea doesnottolerate freezing weather condition . If you are grow in a container in a tank clime , it is dependable to give thepot wintertime protectionwhen the temperature dropsbelow 50 ° F . In the land , bougainvillea will meet damage to leaf and bracts when the temperature dropsbelow 40 ° Fand may break back in a freezing .
period of prolonged freeze atmospheric condition are likely to damage the roots as well . Some varieties , such as San Diego Red , are considered to be more insensate - tolerant than others .
In terms of heat , bougainvillea is very tolerant . However , if you live in a climate that frequently experience temperatures ofover 100 ° F , offer your plant some spectre in the good afternoon .
Fertilizer
Bougainvillea plants care to be fertilized during their growing period . From former spring until late summertime , you could fecundate every 6 - 8 weeks , and your flora will inebriate it up and reward you handsomely .
Something to think is that unlike nutrients encourage unlike types of increase . Excess nitrogen can have more green emergence and less ontogenesis of colored bracts . That is not to say that the industrial plant wo n’t employ the nitrogen you give it , N will cause fast development , but it just wo n’t help the industrial plant focus on producing bract , which most nurseryman prefer .
While your plant is getting established , bung it a balanced fertilizerfor ample development and root exploitation . A 10 - 10 - 10 formula will do the deception . Once the plant is build , switch to a plant food high in K . This is exemplify by the third identification number in the fertilizer formula or the “ K ” of NPK . The extra potassium will encourage the development of bract and heyday .
Maintenance and Care
Bougainvillea is a no - fuss plant , peculiarly once it is established . It will use plant food if you provide it . Otherwise , it is super heat and drouth - tolerant and does n’t need much regular care .
The elision to this is lop . Pruning will encourage branching and full , bushier increase . Pruning small amounts while the plant is young willhelp the plant to develop more branches , and substantial pruning in the other spring will keep your plant ’s foliage dense and lush .
Varieties
Several unique cultivar offer an raiment of colouring material and outgrowth habits .
‘Formosa’
‘ Formosa ’ is a midsized variety with pretty purple bracts . It is suitable for growing as a bonsai or little tree because of its sizing . This is a particularly cold - liberal sort , as purple kind tend to be , and a Brobdingnagian manufacturer of colorful bract and flowers . ‘ Formosa ’ has a long blooming season and is a very showy cultivar .
‘Hugh Evans’
‘ Hugh Evans ’ is a sensational cultivar with bicolored bracts . The foliage is a adorable blue - green people of color which beautifully complement the bubblegum garden pink and coral - colored bracts . This spiritualist to expectant miscellanea tends to spread , so give it blank space to grow , and it will reward you with its stunning leaf in the spring and summer .
‘Miami Pink’
Splashy , brassy , and play , ‘ Miami Pink ’ lives up to its namesake . This vigorous cultivator produces the most fantastic , neon pink bracts en masse from spring through surrender . The color of this potpourri is noteworthy and makes this a very popular cultivar .
‘New River’
If you are reckon for dramatic event , ‘ New River ’ is just the flora for you . This plant will have all the neighbour talking with its profusion of bright purple bracts from springiness through fall . This is a large cultivar , make up to 40 ’ long , and makes a lovely espalier .
‘San Diego Red’
As mention in the first place , ‘ San Diego Red ’ is a particularly cold - patient of variety . It also is tolerant to a greater amount of nuance than some miscellany . Still , maximum sun produce maximum vividness , and this people of colour will knock your socks off . ‘ San Diego Red ’ is the brilliant , bold blood-red . It is also commonly called ‘ Scarlett O’Hara . ’
‘Java White’
‘ Java White ’ is an elegant cultivar with blanched bracts and variegated leave of absence . The bracts on this variety tend to be tightly bunch and dense . This variety ’s soft and insidious color compounding makes it a lovely addition to a courtly garden .
Pests and Diseases
A few annoying bug and pathogen sometimes attack this industrial plant .
Aphids
Most plants are vulnerable to at least one type ofaphid . For bougainvillea , greenish aphids can be a real bummer .
They prefer to feast on new foliage , causing the bracts and leave to shrivel and stunting growth by run through nutrients . Horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps effectively take with these pesky sap sucker .
Leafminer
Leafminers larvae like to banquet on tender new bougainvillea growth . fledged leaf is seldom regard except during a very spoiled infestation .
These pests cause curling trails through the leaf and can deplete the new growth , stunting the works . Pheromone snare are the most good combatant against leafminers .
Bougainvillea Looper Caterpillar
The Bougainvillea Looper cat is specific to this flora , as it serves as the larval food for this particular insect . The larva are small , yellow , still , and about 1 ” long . They look and move standardized to an inchworm . Individuals will feed on tender new leafage , while older larvae will move on to older leaf .
A few of these insect are unlikely to damage a mature plant sternly , but you may note leaves in a sure domain have been masticate around the sharpness . A austere plague can lead in massive defoliation , which can stunt the plant life ’s emergence .
Mealybugs, Scales, Thrips
These three are coarse garden plague that all feed on the tomfool of plant life and leave behind a sticky excrement called honeydew . A severe plague of any of these can cause curling and shriveling of foliage , want of flush , and a general depletion of nutrient .
The honeydew melon they leave behind is a perfect environment for sooty mould to develop , which can interfere with photosynthesis . Neem oil is an efficient treatment for all three dirt ball , as are horticultural fossil oil .
Bacterial and Fungal Leaf Rot
folio rot is commonly the upshot of too much humidity or rain and insufficient aura circulation . There are a handful of pathogen that can cause leafage rot , and most of them are waterborne . Keeping stagnant or damage foliage cut off and irrigate at the pedestal of the works rather than watering the leaf are manner to prevent these issues .
Fungal leaf rot can be treated with fungicides , but bacteria are unremarkably untreatable . The good course of instruction of activity is to transfer all stirred contribution of the plant and take preventive measure in the future .
Root Rot
Root putrefaction is more of an issue in container plant than it is in those planted in the ground . As long as your grime drains well and you do n’t constantly overwater this plant , you should be able to avoid any major rootage issues .
However , if you are observe your bougainvillea in a container and it does n’t have good drainage , it will be very well-off to overwater this plant and wind up with a case of fungous root bunkum . To handle ascendant rot , you must dig up the root ball , trim off naughtily - rotten tooth root , and then re - pot it in new land . apply fungicide to the persist solution before replanting may be good as long as it ’s not potential to cause harm to the sensitive tissue .
Final Thoughts
If you are look for a low - criminal maintenance , tropical plant that makes a major statement in the garden , bougainvillea fits the billhook . This sensational and sturdyflowering evergreenis a vigorous grower and brings colour and pizzazz to the landscape throughout the year .
