Bougainvillea Plants
Caring for Bougainvillea Plants
Bougainvillea plants are thorny vines that produce beautiful brightly colored flowers. This plant is rising in popularity, especially in areas that have a warmer climate. Bougainvillea should definitely be considered by anyone seeking a pretty climbing plant that is also fairly easy to maintain. We are going to take a look at the basic care involved in maintaining bougainvillea plants so that you can have a long-lived and gorgeous bougainvillea to show off.
Let’s start by getting to know a little of the history behind the bougainvillea so that you can understand the type of environment it is accustomed to. Philibert Commercon and Louis Antoine de Bougainville are credited with the discovery of the bougainvillea plant in 1768 during a voyage of circumnavigation. The plant was discovered in Brazil, however it is natively found in Brazil, all the way over to Peru and down through Argentina. The sap of this plant is quite toxic and can produce a skin rash similar to that of poison ivy or poison oak. When handling this plant, it is important that protective gear is worn, such as gloves and long-sleeved clothing.
As you likely realize, this plant’s native areas are warm, dry, and sunny, which is exactly the type of environment you will need to provide for your bougainvillea plants. In order for the bougainvillea to bloom, it must have a temperature above 60 degrees F, which is why gardeners in colder climates can’t reap as much of this plant’s beauty as those in a warmer climate would be able to. It is a pretty hardy plant when it comes to temperature, but the foliage will start to suffer if exposed to temperatures below 40 degrees F. If you are located in a climate where the temperature frequently drops below this point during the winter, it may be worthwhile to consider housing the bougainvillea in a greenhouse or to keep it as a decorative indoor plant.
This plant particularly thrives in full sunlight, so try to put it in a place that receives a bulk of the daily sunlight in your garden—a minimum of five hours should produce good blooming. If you cannot find a sufficient spot that receives this much daily sunlight, you can alternatively plant your bougainvillea in a shady or partially shady area and your plant will still grow well, however it will not bloom.
As far as the bougainvillea’s soil requirements go, it can thrive well in almost any type of soil as long as it has been fertilized and has good drainage. As with any plant, soil that retains too much water could result in the plant’s roots rotting. Fertilizer should be added to moist soil on a regular basis during the spring and summer, particularly if the plants begin to wilt. Bougainvillea plants are quite avid eaters, so you may find yourself topping up with fertilizer quite often during the warmer months. The frequency of which you add fertilizer to the plant should be cut in half during the autumn and winter seasons, when blooming and growth slows.
Surprisingly enough, bougainvillea plants are highly drought-resistant and do not require constant watering. They tend to produce the best blooms when the soil is allowed to become visibly dry between watering. Keep an eye on the bougainvillea—when it begins to wilt, it is ready to be watered. Constant moisture in the bougainvillea’s soil can weaken the already fragile roots of this plant, hence the importance that you allow the soil to become visibly dry before watering it. Also pay attention to the vines and make sure that they are not allowed to become “bone dry”, as this can easily cause the bracts to droop and even break off entirely.
By providing the proper environment for your bougainvillea, you can ensure your garden or house displays this beautiful vine plant for years to come!