Growing bougainvilleas is so easy!

Bougainvilleas come in dozens of different colors,

and some varieties even change color as they mature, or as the flowers mature!

Bougainvilleas, a climbing plant,reach for the sky with their strong canes, and sometimes they just don’t want to stop climbing, as the one of the pictures below shows!

They also attract wildlife. One authority claims that in the US, red cardinals, goldfinches, mockingbirds and larks regularly use bougainvilleas. In Africa, sunbirds, starlings, finches, thrushes and flycatchers use the plant for nesting and feeding. In Australia, mistletoe birds, sunbirds, honeyeaters and willie wagtails are all known to inhabit bougainvillea. They also attract butterflies and native bees.

Bougainvillea’s are native to South America, but are now well aclimatised in warm countries around the world. There are many cultivars, and many hybrids, all of which add to an amazing variety of forms and colors. The colors will even vary depending on soil, or climatic factors. There are several variegated varieties.

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The plants are grown in many forms, in pots, as standards (like formal roses), espaliered along walls and fences, used as hedges, and even used for bonsai! They are great for covering pagodas, carports, and fences.

There are four secrets to growing bougainvilleas. Water, mulch, sunlight, and fertilise well with organic manures. That’s it! While they will grow in very poor soil, they never do well. To get the best from them you must see that the four essentials are met.

If growing bougainvilleas inside (and they do very well inside!) they must be placed in a sunny spot, close to a sunny window is fine. They don’t like wet feet, but they are prodigious water users, and will not do well without it. That’s why mulch is so important when growing them outdoors.

When choosing your plant from the nursery, pick a variety that will suit where you want to grow it. Some bougainvillea varieties are better for pruning into shape, some will grow rampant and natural looking, and some varieties are perfect for hanging baskets. There are some that will only grow to a certain size, and are good for fitting into gaps. Water well when planting, and ensure the plant is well watered for a considerable period after, to ensure the roots take.

With great care, bougainvilleas can be grown in cooler climates. In winter though, they should be placed into a glasshouse, or brought inside to a warm light spot.

As we mentioned earlier, they make great pot plants. They should be repotted every three years, with a loose friable potting mix. In patios they will grow up posts or trellises. Fertilise regularly with well-composted organic manure, and keep the pots well mulched.

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They can be heavily pruned into shrubs and hedges. They are relatively pest free, but leaf spot and fungus can be bit of a problem in very humid areas. In some parts of the US, insects can be a problem.

Bougainvilleas are easy to propagate. Cuttings strike easily, and stems can be air-layered or pinned to the ground for several weeks, where they will develop roots. Air-layering is simply lightly scoring the bark into the stem, dust with a rooting powder, and wrap it with moist peat moss. The whole thing is then wrapped in plastic, and left for several weeks. When roots are visible through the plastic, cut off at the plant side of the layering, carefully remove the plastic, then plant and water well! This is a good method of ensuring that a particularly good variety endures.

Happy bougainvillea growing, Patrick

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