(Weeder's Digest October 2002)
Bougainvillea sp. Nyctaginaceae
| 1. SPECIES: | |||
| A. Bougainvillea spectabilis | |||
| Thorns are strong, woody, hairy, slightly curved. | |||
| Leaves are ovate to rounded, leathery and hairy underneath. | |||
| Dense plant; branches short and close together. | |||
| Inflorescences are multiple; terminal | |||
| Flowering in dry weather or cool dry weather | |||
| Bracts large, ovate; color rose, rusty red, purple | |||
| Flowers are cream, narrow tube and hairy | |||
| B. Bougainvillea glabra | |||
| Thorns are short, thin, and curved at tips | |||
| Leaves elliptical, wide in middle, hairy | |||
| Branches close together; flowers along the canes | |||
| Flowering nearly continuous | |||
| Bracts are pointed, triangular and vary in size; nearly always white or nearly so, shading to mauve and purple | |||
| C. Bougainvillea peruviana | |||
| Spines many, thin when young, later curved | |||
| Leaves thin, smooth, ovate with acute tip; leaf stems long | |||
| Branching loose and open | |||
| Flowers after new vegetative growth; responds to dry weather | |||
| Bracts are small, rounded, delicate, crinkly; pale magenta to pink | |||
| Flowers are tubular, slender, smooth; yellowish | |||
| Most of the bougainvilleas we choose for pot culture are hybrids or cultivars of these species. | |||
| 2. POT CULTURE | |||
| A. Soil Mix | |||
| Needs to be rich with peat and good compost; it should not be compacted. Good quality commercial mix is suitable with perhaps the addition of extra vermiculite to help retain moisture and some additional peat. To this add time-release fertilizer. Make sure the mix is thoroughly mixed and completely moistened before use. Staking may be desirable. The addition of a mulch is desirable as a topping to help retain the mix and moisture. | |||
| B. Fertilizer | |||
| Bougainvilleas are heavy feeders. They tolerate a monthly addition of fertilizer as a top dressing, one that is high in potash (K), with the addition of a quarter tsp. of Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate). One may also fertilize with a foliar spray every 7 to 10 days. Always water after adding fertilizer. | |||
| C. Watering | |||
| Potted bougainvilleas usually need daily watering; if it is very hot, they may need additional spraying. It is necessary to thoroughly soak the mix so that water runs out the drain holes. | |||
| D. Pruning | |||
| Shape and prune plants after flowering. Remove spent flowers. Snip branch tips back to a leaf node. Flowering is on new leaf growth. Remove twiggy growth. If the pruning of several bougainvillea pots is done on a staggered basis, there should always be a pot of bougainvillea in bloom. It is permissible to remove the roots from drainage holes. | |||
| With a regular schedule of pruning, fertilizing, and watering, a bougainvillea plant usually will bloom for six weeks. It takes four to six weeks to bloom after pruning. | |||