Bougainvillea Raspberry Ice

A beautiful, low, mounded, spreading form with a profusion of raspberry-pink blossom-like bracts and contrasting variegated foliage. Perfect for containers, as a colorful shrub or ground cover in sunny spaces.

Bougainvillea will Attract Plenty of Butterflies and Hummingbirds!

Lots of beautiful butterflies and hummingbirds will flock to your yard and garden when you grow Raspberry Ice Bougainvillea. During hot weather, when other annuals and perennials struggle to bloom, you’ll want to include plants in your butterfly garden that continue to bloom through the heat of summer.

Bougainvillea plants are native to South America where they’re adapted to growing in tropical conditions, which include intensely hot weather. So plant Bougainvillea in your sunny hummingbird and butterfly garden to feed these delightful creatures when other flowers fail them!

Grows Perfectly in a Container

Bougainvillea is a stellar performer in pots. Choose patio planters, pedestal urns, or hanging baskets ’– any type of container that’s in a sunny spot. You can press a pot trellis into your container as a climbing support, or you can let long stems trail down the sides of its container. Before the stems are long enough to trail, they make a pot look exceptionally full and lush because of their horizontal branching habit.

Container potting mix tip: It’s worth the investment to choose a premium container potting mix with a loose texture and organic-based ingredients.

Let it Climb or Cascade

Do you want a flowering plant that climbs upward, or would you prefer a plant that cascades downward? Take your pick, because Bougainvillea can do either! It rapidly grows upward on structures, such as trellises, arbors, and pergolas, to create a magnificent flowering frame. And if you have a fenced yard, the fence forms a perfect support for Bougainvillea’s long stems. When they’re in full bloom, your plants will create a dramatic living fence!

Salt Tolerance

Coastal salt spray creates a challenge for many plants. But Bougainvillea is a durable plant for coastal gardens because it is salt-tolerant! This makes it a go-to choice for Florida and California gardens. And it’s why you’ll see this tropical beauty planted in masses at upscale resorts near seaside locations.

Lots of Sun for Lots of Flowers

We recommend at least 6 hours of sun each day to keep Bougainvillea healthy and to maximize its flowering potential. It’ll tolerate some shade, but it won’t produce as many flowers. If your landscape is mostly shady, find a spot on your sunny patio or balcony and grow your plant as a container specimen. It’s also lovely in poolside pots!

A Tropical Plant That Requires Little Watering

Bougainvillea is a tropical plant that’s also drought-tolerant! Newly transplanted landscape plants and container plants need more water than established landscape plants. A rule of thumb for knowing when to water potted plants is to let the soil in containers dry slightly before giving plants a deep and thorough soaking.

Your plant will bloom better when the soil is slightly on the dry side. When the soil stays wet and the roots stay waterlogged for an extended period, your plant will begin to decline.

 

Mature Size: Semi-Dwarf. Moderate growing; reaches 2 to 3 ft. tall, 3 to 4 ft. wide.
Life cycle:
Perennial for zones 9 to 11
Plant Habit:
Vine / Ground cover
Color:
Bright Pink
Bloom:
Summer
Spread:
3 to 4ft
Hardiness Zone:
9-11
Sunlight:
Full sun to partial shade
Landscape Use:
Border, Container, Ground Cover
Resistances:
salt tolerant

Water: Water deeply and regularly during the first growing season to establish an extensive root system. Reduce frequency, once established
Sun/Shade: Full Sun to partial shade
Soil Type: Fast draining soil
Soil PH: 5.5 to 6.5 which is on the acidic side. If the soil is too alkaline, the leaves may turn yellow.
Pruning: For prolific blooms, trim the tips of young plants stems to supercharge new growth after summer bloom. Pruning creates offshoots that adds attractive density.
Container Planting: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger, suitable for hanging baskets, needs excellent drainage in pots. Water container plants regularly, when top 3 in. of soil are dry.

Overwintering Potted Plants

Bougainvillea grows as a perennial only across a very narrow hardiness range ‘– USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 9 through 11. But don’t despair if you live outside this area because you can grow Bougainvillea year-round! You’ll have to grow it as a potted plant and move it indoors during cold-weather months. But the minimal care it needs indoors is certainly worth the breathtaking show it provides during its active growing season.

When you remove Bougainvillea Raspberry Ice from its full-sun location into a low-light environment indoors, it may react by dropping its leaves during this transition; This is okay. Continue to water it at a reduced rate ‘– don’t overdo the watering ‘– to keep its roots alive and don’t fertilize it, regardless of whether it looks dead because of its lost leaves. Set your potted plant back outside when temperatures warm in spring when there’s no more threat of frost and get ready to enjoy another year of its riot of color!

A winter bonus: If you have a sunroom, solarium, or heated greenhouse, your Bougainvillea may continue to thrive indoors during winter without losing its leaves. And it may even bloom sporadically!

Fertilizer Promotes Abundant Flowers

Every two weeks during your plant’s growing season, fertilize with a water-soluble fertilizer. You can also use a slow-release fertilizer that you scatter around your plant in spring when Bougainvillea begins actively growing. A slow-release product will gradually release nutrients into the soil over the entire growing season, which is a good option for busy gardeners who may forget to use a water-soluble product every two weeks!

A Preference for Acidic Soil

As long as the soil drains well, bougainvillea is not too fussy about the type of soil it’s growing on. But it does adversely react if the pH of the soil is too alkaline. An optimal soil pH for this plant is between 5.5 and 6.5, which is on the acidic side. If the soil is too alkaline, the leaves may turn yellow. If you don’t know the pH of your soil, make a quick trip to your local Cooperative Extension Office and take a 2-cup soil sample with you. Extension staff will analyze the soil for you to determine not only the soil pH but also any nutrient needs.

Hardy from zone 9 to 11