These showy evergreen climbers are lovely to grow as houseplants and add to your garden design during the summer months. Find out how to grow Bougainvillea at home.
Plant Biography
BOTANICAL NAME
Bougainvillea
COMMON NAME
Bougainvillea
NATIVE TO
Most varieties of this plant can be traced back to South America
DESCRIPTION
These colourful evergreens have vibramt bracts that appear like flowers, particularly during the summer. They are climbers, which allows colour to grow and create a warming and cheerful atmosphere.
What type of plant is it?
Bougainvillea is an evergreen climber which are typically sold as houseplants in the UK.
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What colours do Bougainvillea come in?
A large variety of bract shades are available, including bright pink, purple, mauve, apricot, white, red and yellow.
When do these plants flower?
Their ‘flowers’ can be enjoyed year-round from March through to January.
Where does it like to grow?
These lovely climbers are best grown indoors in a window or conservatory which gets full sun. Heated greenhouses are also great. They can also be moved outdoors during the summer to get access to more sunlight, provided it is in a sheltered location.
Where does it dislike to grow?
Bougainvillea does not like the cold, so should be kept somewhere that, particularly over winter, does not get colder than 2 degrees Celsius. They don’t like their containers being too small, and typically are sold in quite small containers, so should be repotted quite soon after purchasing.
These plants will also not grow well in shady spots, so choose a windowsill or conservatory that gets plenty of light.
Is this plant drought-tolerant?
Yes, bougainvillea is drought tolerant.
How to grow Bougainvillea successfully
Make sure you position them in a sunny position, out of direct sunlight. In the summer they can be moved outdoors, but they need to be kept clear of frost.
If you do decide to plant them in the garden over the summer, make sure they are planted into soil that is enriched with well-rotted compost and balanced granular fertiliser. And if you are keeping it in a container, John Innes 3 is perfect, being loam-based.
In spring and summer, ensure you increase watering alongside the increasing sunlight to encourage new growth. Humidity will help the buds to develop and open. In mid-April, water more freely, and weekly provide your plant with a high nitrogen liquid fertiliser until mid-autumn.
Do they require supports?
As a climber, yes, bougainvillea does need support in the way of a trellis or pillar to keep it growing upwards. You can do this early in the season by tying young laterals to stimulate the development of bracts.
Is it good for pollinators?
Yes it is, it is particularly good for bees and butterflies.
Is it good for wildlife?
Besides pollinators, no, bougainvillea has no known benefits to UK wildlife.
How to choose the right variety for your garden
All bougainvillea are climbers, so are suitable for any area you can allow them to climb and add some lovely colour.
Some varieties are much taller, with the hybrid type Bougainvillea x buttiana being able to grow to 12 metres tall. Bougainvillea glabra, on the other hand, grows closer to 5 or 6 metres tall. So make sure you choose a variety which reaches an ultimate height which works for your garden or home.
How big will it get
The tallest you can anticipate any variety of bougainvillea to reach is 12 metres in warm climates or 40 feet. Other varieties have considerably lower ultimate heights and can be controlled by pruning and training.
How to plant Bougainvillea
When bringing your bougainvillea home from the garden centre, you will likely find it is in quite a small container. The best option is to replant it into a larger container to give it ample room to grow.
First, give your plant a few weeks to acclimatise to your home, before moving them on to their larger container. Once your plant has fully acclimatised, part fill the container with peat-free multipurpose potting compost and place your bougainvillea plant on top. Make sure there are a couple of centimetres between the top of the plant’s compost and the rim of the container. Firm it in gently and water thoroughly.
How to care for Bougainvillea
Adjust how much water you give your bougainvillea based on the season. For example, only water around once a fortnight during the winter, once you have checked the dampness of the soil.
From spring, much more frequently, in the realm of 2 to 3 times a week is appropriate, and reducing this again in autumn as the weather cools and growth slows.
Feed weekly from mid-spring to mid-autumn with a nitrogen-rich liquid fertiliser.
Do they spread?
No, bougainvillea is unlikely to spread further than its natural spread limit, particularly if grown in containers.
How to keep it looking good
Pinch off any faded or dead flowers/bracts to where they joined the stem. This will encourage new flowers to come through. Make sure they have the right amount of water and nutrition to keep them healthy.
Does Bougainvillea need deadheading?
Pinching off any faded flowers/bracts will help the bougainvillea to develop some new flowers.
Does it need pruning, and when should they be pruned?
Yes, bougainvillea benefits from pruning once the bracts have fallen – cut the long growth back by half. This will encourage a second flush of flowers/bracts during the summer.
If your plant is older and doesn’t respond well to hard pruning, it may be time to replace it with a younger plant.
How to propagate these plants
You can do this via semi-ripe cuttings in the summer. These should root within 4 to 6 weeks.
What problems can Bougainvillea have?
There are a few pests you should be aware of, including whitefly, aphids, and red spider mites.
Whitefly is often found on houseplants, and are sap-sucking bugs. You will tend to be able to identify them easily by disturbing the plant, as a cloud of insects will fly up. Keep an eye on your bougainvillea from spring onwards, and make sure there aren’t too many susceptible plants within the same area, as this can encourage them. This will typically be a problem only if you grow your plant in a glasshouse.
Aphid colonies can often be seen with the naked eye and can cause stunted growth and distorted leaves. Tolerate them where you can, although you are only likely to see them if you bring your plant outdoors for the summer months. They will only very rarely cause enough damage to kill the plant. Just ensure your garden encourages natural aphid predators like parasitoid wasps.
Again, another pest likely to be found in glass houses is the red glasshouse spider, which can also affect houseplants. You may notice a fine, pale mottling on the surface of the leaves, and in heavy infestations, silk webbing. Keep the humidity high for this plant and remove severely infested plants. Clear out any plant debris to avoid reinfection the following year.
Varieties of Bougainvillea to have
For lovely brick red bracts and fewer thorns, and only growing to a height of 1.5 metres, Bougainvillea ‘Pedro’ is a lovely option. This variety is lovely as a houseplant thanks to its compact nature, grown in a conservatory where it is nice and warm.
If you would prefer a subtly purple bract which grows up to 5 metres tall, Bougainvillea ‘Snow Purple’, which does well in large containers.
Alternatively, variegated almost ivy-like leaves are a lovely feature of Bougainvillea x buttiana ‘Raspberry Ice’. Growing up to 5 metres tall, their cream and green leaves have a lovely dappled and delicate appearance to add to your home or garden.
Best time of year to buy this plant
Being evergreens, you can typically buy bougainvillea year-round, but particularly in the spring or early summer to make the most of their flowers for that year.
The best garden design style for this plant
These climbers are typically grown as houseplants, so work well when pairing the colours of their lovely bracts with your interior designs.
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David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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