Bougainvillea is a stunning flowering vine that finds its origins in South America. Native predominantly from Brazil to Peru and south to Argentina, this pretty tropical plant has found its way to many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.
Beloved for its ease of care and spectacular floral displays, the plant is very popular in the United States and the Mediterranean region of Europe. Growing up in Southeast Florida, I can recall seeing this stunning plant climbing the exterior of many an outdoor shopping mall or ocean-side restaurant.
The plant was first recorded by a European botanist in 1789, and it claims its name from the French Navy admiral who captained the ship on which this botanist traveled. There is some question as to whether or not it was recorded by Philbert Comerrcon or his lover and assistant, Jeanne Baret. As women were not allowed on military ships, Ms. Baret, an expert botanist, disguised herself as a man to make the journey.
The largest bougainvillea plant in the United States is on the National Register of Historic Places and is also a California state historic site. Planted in 1901 by citrus growers, the bougainvillea is still growing strong today in Glendora, California.
Bougainvillea Overview
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Classification
A tropical evergreen plant, this vine blooms in the late afternoon and evening.
Bougainvillea is a flowering, tropical evergreen plant in the Nyctaginaceae family. This family is more commonly known as 4 O’Clocks. This name is derived from the habit of flowering around this time of day. Plants in this family are late afternoon bloomers. Their flowers open in the evening and are pollinated at night.
The Bougainvillea genus is large and colorful. It includes about 18 species and more than 300 different varieties of flowering, woody vines. They are tropical plants that can survive in sub-tropical climates or are grown as annuals in colder climates.
Some smaller species can also be grown in containers and kept year-round as long as they are moved indoors during prolonged cold weather or a hard freeze.
Flowers
The showy, colorful bracts, often mistaken as flowers, hide small white or pale yellow flowers.
Best known for what most people recognize as its bountiful and colorful blooms, the colorful portions of the bougainvillea plant are actually not flowers at all. The colorful portions of foliage are bracts which are closer in form to leaves than they are to flowers. Like poinsettia plants, these bracts are much more colorful and showy than their real flowers.
The actual flowers of the bougainvillea plant are very small and tucked away inside the bracts for protection. While the bracts come in many shades of pink, purple, orange, yellow, red, and white, the actual flowers are usually white or pale yellow. While a plant may produce an abundance of colorful bracts year-round, the most prolific seasons are late spring, summer, and fall. The cooler the climate, the sparser the bracts will be in the winter.
A greater blooming season is typically preceded by a dry winter. There are other methods of increasing the occurrence of these colorful bracts, like using a low-nitrogen fertilizer or pruning the plant heavily in the early spring.
Leaves
This plant has large ovate leaves, usually smooth but sometimes with small hairs.
The leaves are large, simple, and ovate, are typically smooth, but can have small hairs on the underside of the leaves. They can be solid green to bluish-green or variegated. While bougainvillea is usually grown for its colorful bracts, a mixture of leaves and bracts creates a beautiful combination.
The ratio of bracts to leaves can be controlled by two factors: sunlight and fertilizer. More sun and less nitrogen will encourage the growth of more bracts, while less exposure and more nitrogen will encourage more green growth. However, insufficient sunlight can lead to leggy growth. This is not a good plant for a shade garden.
Propagation
Bougainvillea can be propagated by two means, with one taking a definite lead in acquiring a mature plant. Both are easy to procure, but propagation by cuttings is typically regarded as the most convenient and successful method.
Seeds
Harvest from pods inside bracts, plant in well-draining soil, and keep in sunlight.
Bougainvillea seeds are not difficult to acquire but are known for troublesome germination. It typically takes up to 30 days for bougainvillea seeds to sprout, and they don’t have an excellent germination rate. However, if you intend to grow bougainvillea for bonsai, growing from seed will yield the best results.
Seeds can be harvested from a plant quite easily. The seed pods can be found inside the bracts where a flower has bloomed and fallen. These pods each contain 3 seeds. These seeds should be planted in a well-draining potting mix and kept in a warm sunny spot until they are large enough to be transplanted.
Cuttings
The best way to propagate is through spring cuttings in well-draining soil, ideally while using a rooting hormone.
The most common and popular method of propagating bougainvillea is cuttings. Since these plants like to be pruned to produce new growth and plenty of colorful bracts, The ideal time to propagate is in the spring, after you have pruned your plant. This also gives you new cutting the most time to become established during an active growth period.
The thicker the cutting, the faster your cutting will root, achieving a bushier plant. However, any cutting the width of a pencil or greater will work. Scraping the bark from the bottom end of the cutting will encourage faster rooting. Scrape bark from the lower 2” of the cutting.
Prepare a 5” or larger pot with a coarse, well-draining potting medium. Coarse sand mixed with peat or soil and perlite is a good option for rooting these cuttings. Dip the scraped end of the cutting water, shake off any excess, then roll it in a powdered rooting hormone. Carefully place it in a hole in the soil, pressing the soil firmly around the cuttings.
For several weeks, your cutting will need consistent moisture and bright, indirect light. If you do not have a space with fairly significant humidity, you can use plastic wrap or a plastic container over the pot to maintain moisture. If your cuttings are successful, they will produce leaves in a few weeks. Pruning the tips of new branches will encourage more branching.
Planting
Plant in spring or summer, 2′-3′ apart.
Bougainvillea can be planted in spring or summer. This gives your plant ample time to set roots and become established in its new location. Take care when planting these plants; their stems have rather large, stiff, and sharp thorns. Wearing a good quality pair of gloves helps protect your hands when planting or pruning this plant.
Plants should be placed 2’-3’ apart to avoid crowding. Mostly, these plants grow long but not terribly wide, although you can encourage branching with pruning. Dig a hole that is as deep and twice as wide as your plant’s root ball. Position your plant in the hole and backfill.
How to Grow
Under the right conditions, this is a fast-growing and tough plant. With the right care, your Bougainvillea will be a substantial plant by the end of the season. The most important factors are the soil type and the amount of sunlight your plant receives. These two things comprise the greater part of the factors important in growing a large, healthy bougainvillea plant.
Containers
For cold climates, use a large, portable container with excellent drainage.
If you live in a colder climate and are growing your bougainvillea in a container, choose a fairly large but portable one, as the plant will need shelter in freezing weather. The most important factor in choosing a container for this plant is drainage. A large fabric grow bag will encourage root strength and density and allow ample drainage.
Light
It thrives in full sun, needing at least 6 hours daily for abundant colorful bracts.
Bougainvillea are sun-loving plants. While they can still live in partial shade, they tend to get leggy, and you end up with many branches, thorns, and very little foliage. This includes their colorful bracts. These plants require at least 6 hours of sun daily to produce their bracts in any significant amount.
There is almost no such thing as too much sun for these plants. They truly stand up wonderfully to heat and sun. I can’t say I’ve ever seen a sun-damaged or wilted bougainvillea.
You are far more likely to lose one of these plants to overwatering than to overexposure to the sun. The more sun your plant receives, the more color it will produce, and a lack of sunlight will result in more green growth.
Soil
Improve soil drainage to avoid root rot by adding sandy soil with compost or sand for better results.
Drainage is the key word where soil type is concerned for this plant. If your soil is very sandy, consider amending it with some well-rotted compost or manure to add nutrients.
Bougainvillea tends toward root rot if the roots are kept soggy, so soil that is too rich or dense should be amended with coarse sand or other large particles to break up the density and allow for proper drainage.
Water
Water deeply every 2-3 weeks during prolonged droughts to prevent wilting.
For the most part, bougainvillea is well suited to hot, dry weather. Once established, these plants can go for weeks without watering and are unlikely to suffer from drought except in extreme cases.
If you experience a significant, extended period of drought, water your plant deeply every 2-3 weeks. Watering infrequently but deeply will be better for your bougainvillea roots than shallow waterings more frequently. This plant is happiest when its roots dry out between waterings.
A bougainvillea can suffer from a lack of water in extreme heat and low rainfall. Your plant will let you know this is the case by wilting. If it wilts, it needs a long drink of water.
Climate and Temperature
Protect the plant from freezing below 50°F in containers, 40°F in the ground.
Bougainvillea does not tolerate freezing weather. If you are growing in a container in a cooler climate, it is best to give the pot winter protection when the temperature drops below 50°F. In the ground, bougainvillea will suffer damage to leaves and bracts when the temperature drops below 40°F and may die back in a freeze.
Periods of prolonged freezing weather are likely to damage the roots as well. Some varieties, such as San Diego Red, are considered to be more cold-tolerant than others.
In terms of heat, bougainvillea is very tolerant. However, if you live in a climate that frequently experiences temperatures of over 100°F, offer your plant some shade in the afternoon.
Fertilizer
Fertilize every 6-8 weeks from spring to late summer.
Bougainvillea plants like to be fertilized during their growing period. From early spring until late summer, you can fertilize every 6-8 weeks, and your plant will soak it up and reward you handsomely.
Something to remember is that different nutrients encourage different types of growth. Excess nitrogen can cause more green growth and less development of colorful bracts. That is not to say that the plant won’t utilize the nitrogen you give it, nitrogen will cause faster growth, but it just won’t help the plant focus on producing bracts, which most gardeners prefer.
While your plant is getting established, feed it a balanced fertilizer for ample growth and root development. A 10-10-10 formula will do the trick. Once the plant is established, switch to a fertilizer higher in potassium. This is represented by the third number in the fertilizer formula or the “K” of NPK. The additional potassium will encourage the development of bracts and flowers.
Maintenance and Care
An established plant is low-maintenance, except for occasional pruning to encourage full growth.
Bougainvillea is a no-fuss plant, particularly once it is established. It will use fertilizer if you provide it. Otherwise, it is extremely heat and drought-tolerant and doesn’t need much regular care.
The exception to this is pruning. Pruning will encourage branching and fuller, bushier growth. Pruning small amounts while the plant is young will help the plant to develop more branches, and significant pruning in the early spring will keep your plant’s foliage dense and lush.
Varieties
Several unique cultivars offer an array of colors and growth habits.
‘Formosa’
This cold-tolerant, midsized bougainvillea has abundant, colorful blooms ideal for bonsai or small trees.
 | botanical name Bougainvillea glabra ‘Formosa’ |
|---|---|
 | sun requirements Full sun |
 | height 20’ |
 | hardiness zones 9-11 |
‘Formosa’ is a midsized variety with pretty purple bracts. It is suitable for growing as a bonsai or small tree because of its size. This is a particularly cold-tolerant variety, as purple varieties tend to be, and a huge producer of colorful bracts and flowers. ‘Formosa’ has a long blooming season and is a very showy cultivar.
‘Hugh Evans’
A striking cultivar with bicolored bracts, ‘Hugh Evans’ has lovely blue-green foliage and spreading growth.
| | botanical name Bougainvillea ‘Hugh Evans’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 20’+ |
| | hardiness zones 9-11 |
‘Hugh Evans’ is a stunning cultivar with bicolored bracts. The foliage is a lovely blue-green color which beautifully complements the bubblegum pink and coral-colored bracts. This medium to large variety tends to spread, so give it space to grow, and it will reward you with its stunning foliage in the spring and summer.
‘Miami Pink’
This cultivar lives up to its name with flashy, neon pink bracts, making it a popular, vigorous, and fun vine.
| | botanical name Bougainvillea ‘Miami Pink’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 20’-30’ |
| | hardiness zones 10-11 |
Splashy, flashy, and fun, ‘Miami Pink’ lives up to its namesake. This vigorous grower produces the most fantastic, neon pink bracts en masse from spring through fall. The color of this variety is noteworthy and makes this a very popular cultivar.
‘New River’
The ‘New River’ cultivar is a dramatic, large plant with profuse, bright purple bracts from spring to fall.
| | botanical name Bougainvillea ‘New River’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 20’-40’ |
| | hardiness zones 9-11 |
If you are looking for drama, ‘New River’ is just the plant for you. This plant will have all the neighbors talking with its profusion of bright purple bracts from spring through fall. This is a large cultivar, reaching up to 40’ long, and makes a lovely espalier.
‘San Diego Red’
A particularly cold-tolerant and shade-tolerant variety, ‘San Diego Red’ shines its brightest and boldest red.
| | botanical name Bougainvillea buttiana ‘San Diego Red’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 15’-30’ |
| | hardiness zones 9-11 |
As mentioned earlier, ‘San Diego Red’ is a particularly cold-tolerant variety. It also is tolerant to a greater amount of shade than some varieties. Still, maximum sun produces maximum color, and this color will knock your socks off. ‘San Diego Red’ is the brightest, boldest red. It is also commonly called ‘Scarlett O’Hara.’
‘Java White’
An elegant cultivar, ‘Java White’ features tightly clustered, dense white bracts ideal for formal gardens.
| | botanical name Bougainvillea ‘Java White’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 20’+ |
| | hardiness zones 9-11 |
‘Java White’ is an elegant cultivar with white bracts and variegated leaves. The bracts on this variety tend to be tightly clustered and dense. This variety’s soft and subtle color combination makes it a lovely addition to a formal garden.
Pests and Diseases
A few annoying bugs and pathogens sometimes attack this plant.
Aphids
Bougainvillea faces green aphid issues, harming new growth, but there are effective solutions for treatment.
Most plants are vulnerable to at least one type of aphid. For bougainvillea, green aphids can be a real bummer.
They prefer to feed on new foliage, causing the bracts and leaves to shrivel and stunting growth by depleting nutrients. Horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps effectively deal with these pesky sap suckers.
Leafminer
The larvae target tender new growth, causing curling trails through the leaves and stunted growth.
Leafminers larvae like to feast on tender new bougainvillea growth. Mature foliage is rarely affected except during a very bad infestation.
These pests cause curling trails through the leaves and can deplete the new growth, stunting the plant. Pheromone traps are the most effective combatant against leafminers.
Bougainvillea Looper Caterpillar
This caterpillar feeds on tender leaves, causing minor damage.
The Bougainvillea Looper caterpillar is specific to this plant, as it serves as the larval food for this particular insect. The larvae are small, yellow, smooth, and about 1” long. They look and move similar to an inchworm. Individuals will feed on tender new leaves, while older larvae will move on to older leaves.
A few of these insects are unlikely to damage a mature plant severely, but you may notice leaves in a certain area have been chewed around the edges. A severe infestation can result in massive defoliation, which can stunt the plant’s growth.
Mealybugs, Scales, Thrips
Mealybugs, scales, and thrips are sap-sucking pests that cause foliage issues.
These three are common garden pests that all feed on the sap of plants and leave behind a sticky excrement called honeydew. A severe infestation of any of these can cause curling and shriveling of foliage, lack of blooms, and a general depletion of nutrients.
Neem oil can be a great solution to control pests and diseases.
The honeydew they leave behind is a perfect environment for sooty mold to grow, which can interfere with photosynthesis. Neem oil is an effective treatment for all three insects, as are horticultural oils.
Bacterial and Fungal Leaf Rot
Leaf rot occurs mostly during periods of excessive humidity or rain.
Leaf rot is usually the result of too much humidity or rain and insufficient air circulation. There are a handful of pathogens that can cause leaf rot, and most of them are waterborne. Keeping dead or damaged foliage pruned away and watering at the base of the plant rather than watering the foliage are ways to prevent these issues.
Fungal leaf rot can be treated with fungicides, but bacteria are usually untreatable. The best course of action is to remove all affected parts of the plant and take preventative measures in the future.
Root Rot
Container plants are prone to root rot due to fungal growth during overwatering, so ensure good drainage.
Root rot is more of an issue in container plants than it is in those planted in the ground. As long as your soil drains well and you don’t constantly overwater this plant, you should be able to avoid any major root issues.
However, if you are keeping your bougainvillea in a container and it doesn’t have good drainage, it will be very easy to overwater this plant and wind up with a case of fungal root rot. To treat root rot, you must dig up the root ball, trim off badly-rotten roots, and then re-pot it in new soil. Applying fungicide to the remaining roots before replanting may be beneficial as long as it’s not likely to cause damage to the sensitive tissues.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a low-maintenance, tropical plant that makes a major statement in the garden, bougainvillea fits the bill. This stunning and sturdy flowering evergreen is a vigorous grower and brings color and pizzazz to the landscape throughout the year.
