Bougainvillea Beauty

When Admiral Louis de Bougainvillea landed in Brazil in 1768 he discovered the botanical highlight of his journey. Yes, the beautiful vine that bears his name! A tropical member of the Four-O'Clock family (Nyctaginaceae), the bougainvillea is an outstanding yet frustrating plant to grow in our area. While it is a reliable and hardy bloomer along the Texas coast and tropical areas around the world, our winters are sometimes too cold for the bougainvillea to survive. We can, however, use this plant in our area if we do it properly. You can grow this vine in containers and in some instances in the ground in our zone that is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness Zone Map.

We need to first understand what the needs are of this fine bloomer when in containers. In it's native habitat it can be a continuous bloomer. In our area it tends to go through bloom cycles. It is not usually a continuous bloomer. Stress is what forces the bougainvillea into its bloom cycle. We can stress this plant by keeping it root-bound and by letting it dry-out between watering. Usually, the blooms will continue for a month or longer. After the bloom cycle is over you need to let the plant rest for 3-4 weeks. This would be a good time to prune each branch by six inches or so. Bougainvillea's bloom on new wood so the flush of new growth after pruning is good. During this rest period water as you would at any other time, that being one of thorough watering and then a period to let the plant dry. After the rest period, let the plant really become very wilted and dry. This 'very dry' period will vary according to the container size that the plant is in. When you are satisfied that the plant has been very dry for a day or two begin the regular watering schedule with a solution of one gallon of water with some Epsom salt dissolved in it. For a hanging basket, use one tablespoon of salt per gallon. Increase the dosage of Epsom salt to one tablespoon per gallon of container the plant is in. Resume the wet-dry watering. The dry period will stress the plant. The Epsom salt contains magnesium that helps blooms develop.

In our zone, the bougainvillea has some special requirements when planted in the ground. Hardy to 30 to 40 degrees, the bougainvillea will sometimes freeze and die in cold winters when not given some protection. You can increase the odds by planting on a south-facing wall of a structure. The hotter and dryer the better. Plant in the ground as soon as possible in early spring to give it time to become established by the following winter. There are also microclimates in your landscape that stay warmer in the winter. Search out these places for the ideal place to plant a bougainvillea. When given too much moisture, this plant will grow much foliage and not flower. Again, to force flowering let it dry to the point of wilting. Since you cannot "root-bound" the plant when in the ground, the only way to stress the plant is by letting it dry between watering.

You can fertilize, if needed, with a hibiscus fertilizer. I have a three-year-old bougainvillea that I repot in a little bigger container each year. I use half compost and half well-drained potting soil. It is currently in a ten-gallon container and is five feet out of the pot! And I never have to fertilize due to use of the compost. When over-wintering in a container, you can cut the branches back or let them remain long. If in the ground, prune the branches the following spring when you can tell which are still producing and which are dead. Bougainvillea's need full sun. If you wish to keep it in the same container then gently remove with a sharp knife an inch of root-ball and repot. Double bloomers are available also, but you have to remove the blooms, as they do not freely drop as the single bloomers do. Available in many different colors, you are sure to find one that suits you.