The Bougainvillea is a tropical flower found in many varieties, such as pink, red, white, orange, and purple. These flowers are often used for decoration due to their bright colors and long-lasting blooms. Bougainvillea Trellis is a flowering vine that can grow up to 30 feet tall. It is native to South America, but it can be found in many other parts of the world… like at our nursery!
Today, it’s a popular choice to brighten a garden or have potted around your home for an added splash of color. Bougainville is a beautiful choice and great for first-time gardeners. Every plant must be tended to, and it’s essential to know proper bougainvillea trellis care.
In this article, you’ll learn the appropriate bougainvillea care tips and what it takes for them to bloom, gardening and pruning maintenance, and potential toxicity.
How to Grow Bougainvillea
- Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil in the garden. Find a location with rich soil and no obstructions. Always fertilize the soil well to encourage healthy growth and blooms.
- Dig a hole twice the pot size the plant is in. You want to leave enough room in the ground to secure the Bougainvillea once you have planted it properly.
- Remove the plant from the pot and loosen the roots. If the roots are too congested, this can cause rotting.
- Place the plant in the hole and fill it with soil.
- Water well and wait for blooms to appear!
How to Grow Bougainvillea In a Pot
- Choose an appropriate size pot for the size of plant or seed that you have. Troy’s Tropicals has a wide variety of vibrant pottery. We have various sizes and can help arrange delivery and staging services. Visit our nursery, and one of our fantastic team members will help you choose the best pot for you.
- Fill the pot halfway with high-quality soil. Mix in an appropriate fertilizer; this will help keep your plant healthy.
- Place the seeds or plants on top of the soil. Fill the remaining portion of the pot with soil and fertilizer.
- Gently pat down the soil to securely place the plant or seeds. Be mindful not to pack the soil down too deep, as this can make it difficult for water to drain through properly.
- Water your Bougainvillea, making sure enough that water can escape from the bottom of the pot.
Place the pot in an area of your yard, deck, or indoors, where it will receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.
How to Make Bougainvillea Bloom
For Bougainvillea to bloom, it needs full sun exposure and well-drained soil. If the soil remains damp for too long, the roots will mold, and the flower will lose its vibrancy and structure. Warm, hot, sunny days can also be a culprit for slow blooming bougainvilleas.
They will produce a full sun bloom, but extremely long sun exposure can damage the plant. Bougainvilleas require 6 hours of full sun each day and should be considered while planting them in your yard. Keeping these flowers near an area that will provide shade throughout a portion of the day will help protect the plant from over-exposure.
The best time to plant Bougainvillea is in the spring or summer to ensure that they are planted during the right temperatures.
How Fast Do Bougainvillea Grow
Many wonder how fast Bougainvillea grows. Because they are a vine, they grow rather quickly than other flowers. Vines can grow over 30 inches per year. How you plant your Bougainvillea, whether draped as a vine across your fence or home or a vibrant addition to your flowerbed, will dictate how wide it will grow.
Bougainvilleas can be kept to grow within a few feet, or you can allow them to grow much larger.
Because it takes little time for bougainvilleas to grow, upkeep and maintenance shouldn’t be neglected when caring for this plant. Follow proper bougainvillea trellis care tips to ensure that your plant will receive what it needs to thrive.
How to Prune Bougainvillea
Next, let’s learn how to prune Bougainvillea flowers. Whether your Bougainvillea is a beautiful flowering plant in the garden, or a bush or vine, you must adequately prune your plant to keep it healthy and vibrant. Pruning is necessary to keep the flowers looking their best, and it also helps to promote new growth. Taking care of your plants doesn’t take as much time as you may think.
Here are the steps for pruning a bougainvillea plant:
- Remove any dead or damaged stems with clean cuts. Also, remove any weeds that have intertwined with your plant. If you have a store-bought plant, sometimes seeds from the nursery where it was grown can be embedded within the soil and cause growth from another plant species.
- Cut back long, leggy branches to encourage new growth and a fuller plant. If you don’t prune, your plant won’t be able to grow and eventually lose its flowers.
- Prune off any flowers that have faded or been damaged. This will help promote new blooms.
- Trim off any excess foliage blocking the view of the flowers. Without proper exposure to sunlight, your Bougainvillea won’t be able to photosynthesize properly.
- If the plant is growing out of control, cut it back by one-third to one-half its size.
Is Bougainvillea Toxic?
Bougainvillea is a tropical plant that is generally considered non-toxic. However, the plant can cause skin and eye irritation in some people. The plant’s sap can cause skin irritation, and its pollen can cause eye irritation. If you are allergic to plants in the daisy family, you may also be allergic to Bougainvillea.
Always wash your hands thoroughly after tending to your plant or garden. Not only can certain plants be irritatant, the chemicals in the soil and fertilizers can be as well.
This vibrant flower is also not considered toxic to most household pets, but you should be mindful of your pets not eating the flowers or soil, as the fertilizer can cause adverse effects.
Bougainville Plants Are For Everyone
Bougainville trellis care is simple and easy, making this vigorous flowering vine a must-have for your garden and home. Whether you want white, blue, purple, or yellow flowers, there’s a Bougainville flower for you. These beautiful flowers will brighten your day and make gardening more fun.
When you’re ready to add some Bougainville plants to your home or garden, come by our nursery at 5212 Proctor Rd, Sarasota to check them out in person. Plus, we have TONS of other plants that you’ll love.
