How do you care for Bougainvillea in Florida?

Regular bougainvillea care involves trimming after each bloom cycle and then fertilizing to promote new growth and new flowers. Trim each branch about 6 or 8 inches from the tip. Give the plant some fertilizer with bloom booster each time you do this “haircut” to encourage the next set of blossoms.

How often do Bougainvillea bloom in Florida?

The colorful bracts outshine the plant’s true (but tiny) flower, much like a poinsettia. They appear periodically throughout most of the year, but are especially plentiful in the winter, when the splashes of color are a welcome sight. Bougainvillea blooms in fuschia, red, white, yellow, and orange.

Where does Bougainvillea grow best?

Where to plant: Bougainvillea should be planted on higher ground or hillsides, not in water-logged or low areas where water might collect. They will grow best when given enough space to spread out, and should be planted in an area that will allow them a minimum of 5-6 hours of sunlight every day.

What temperature can Bougainvillea tolerate?

Bougainvillea is a heat-loving plant that can tolerate temperatures above 100 degrees F on the high side, but it performs best when temperatures stay above 60 degrees F on the low side.

Does bougainvillea bloom all year round in Florida?

Even though bougainvilleas can bloom year round in Florida, winter is their prime time. But don’t let the thorns prevent you from planting them; just plant in a “Florida Smart” location.

How do I make my bougainvillea bushy?

Young plants need to be pruned from the base to force thicker growth. Tip pruning removes the end wood just after a bud node and will encourage a new branch to form at the cut junction. Remove dead wood as it occurs but severe pruning must wait until the plant is semi-dormant in fall or early spring.

How do you keep bougainvillea blooming?

To encourage flowering: Water and fertilize, but not heavily, during spring and summer. If a plant wilts because it is too dry, give it some water. Use a high-potash fertilizer, such as a hibiscus fertilizer, rather than a high-nitrogen fertilizer.

Does bougainvillea need full sun?

Bougainvilleas will grow beautifully in partial shade, producing lush growth with large dark green leaves — but they will not bloom. Bougainvilleas need direct sun for at least eight hours daily for them to bloom their best.

How big does a bougainvillea plant grow in Florida?

The plant can grow 20 feet, in case you want to let it grow huge. Full sun, full sun, full sun. These are cold hardy plants that do very well in both Zone 9B and Zone 10. Bougies are drought-tolerant plants once established, and are moderately salt-tolerant as well.

When to plant Bougainvillea plants in the winter?

Indoors. In colder regions subject to winter frost, you can grow a bougainvillea indoors as a houseplant, bringing it outdoors in late spring and summer when nighttime temperatures remain above 60 F. During the winter, keep the plant in a bright, sunny spot, such as near a south- or west-facing window.

Why does my bougainvillea plant not flower?

The more sun your vine gets, the more blooms it will put out. Without some direct sun, it just won’t flower. Water is another key factor. Bougainvillea is native to arid climates, so check that your irrigation system isn’t applying more water than the plant needs.

When to prune bougainvillea in South Florida?

Trim each branch about 6 or 8 inches from the tip. Give the plant some fertilizer with bloom booster each time you do this “haircut” to encourage the next set of blossoms. If you need to, do a hard prune in spring (mid-March or later) after that particular flowering cycle is finished.