Bougainvillea plants are easy to grow inside with the right warmth, sunlight and watering. Expect that the bougainvillea may drop leaves in response to you moving it indoors. This … 02/22/2020. Bougainvillea flowers appear on branches 18″-20″ long. I’m tickled pink to have you here! In coastal California where a freeze is rare, you can do that pruning into early to mid-Dec. HOW TO PLANT BOUGAINVILLEA IN POTS/JoyUsGarden. Try layering when the Bougainvillea plant is growing, in spring. How often, how severe, and the shape the plant will take on depends on where you live, what shape or form it’s growing in now and what shape to want it to take on. They flower on the current seasons growth so pruning in late winter or … Enjoying having found this site! The plants grow well in a greenhouse or in containers. Giving it a blunt cut will cause it to become a blob. And that’s why you want to prune or lightly prune your bougainvillea after each big round of flowering. Prune in early spring. Pruning and trimming are two different things. See how I pruned and trained my bougainvillea. You might nip branches that are in the way now, but any heavy pruning … Here are a few pruning tips to help you out. Bougainvilleas are drought resistant and perform best if the soil is allowed to dry out between watering. Cut the main stem to a few inches above the ground with a pair of loppers. Hi Rosa – Any pruning you do on a bougainvillea will stimulate new growth. Here’s how I opened it up and got it to bloom. The vines need well-drained, yet moist, soil to thrive. The plant will probably go dormant after a hard pruning … Pollination: You can pollinate your indoor trees by hand - simply take a small, dry, fine-tipped paintbrush and stick it into the center of … Simply bend a growing stem down to the ground in the pot. Tucson can get its 1st freeze in late Dec. so I make sure I do that pruning by mid-Nov. Many grow bougainvilleas in containers and prune hard in winter before bringing the potted plants indoors for … I’ll tell you from experience, bougainvillea isn’t hard to shape but it can take some work! There are now cultivars and crosses from several parent specimens that range in color, size and hardiness. The famous Kew gardens were instrumental in the propagation and spread of the plants. I love to garden and share the results with you, so here is everything I’ve learned about pruning this popular landscape plant so far. Trimming bougainvilleas yields cuttings that were rooted and grown on for new specimens. Grows as an annual outdoors or as a perennial in a container indoors. Thanks again for all your useful information! When not in full sun, they’re not as robust nor do they flower nearly as much. I had a large bougainvillea glabra which grew up and over my garage in Santa Barbara. I’ll tell you from experience, bougainvillea … I do the big pruning in late winter/early spring. It’s important to know that bougainvillea blooms on new growth. 2. New growth will begin to emerge in a few weeks. Why have bougainvillea if it doesn’t bloom? How often, how severe, and the shape the plant will take on depends on where you live, what shape or form it’s growing in now and what shape to want it to take on. Oh, I love to create so you’ll find a bit of that in the mix along with lots of videos too. You can continue to trim … I pruned more extensively in SB than here in Tucson because the temps don’t start cooling until the end of Sept. Trimming bougainvilleas helps keep the plant in an already chosen shape. Pruning and training Bougainvilleas require a trellis or pillar for support and can be trained as a standard and spur-pruned to restrict size. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! The best time to prune bougainvillea for cuttings is in late winter to earliest spring before new growth has flushed, but when bud nodes are swelling. Bougainvillea … I will for sure follow the other tips you shared! If you want to know when and how to prune a bougainvillea after a light freeze, here are a few tips on how and when to do it. The plants are perennial in USDA plant hardiness zone 10 but are more suited to containers and annual use … Bougainvillea produce flame licks of color on a vine that can easily be trained to a vertical surface. Just cut it back to a manageable size and take it indoors before there is any chance of frost in your area. Pruning your bougainvillea is necessary to keep them the size and shape that you want them. I now have experience with pruning bougainvillea after a few hard freezes so I share that too. Remove dead wood as it occurs but severe pruning must wait until the plant is semi-dormant in fall or early spring. Young plants need to be pruned from the base to force thicker growth. Not sure what zone you’re in? Another question I have is regarding the full sun requirement. They grow back quite densely so thin it out a bit 1st & then take it back. If you see a tall, overgrown, unpruned bougie that’s why all the blooms are at the very ends.Bougainvillea needs at least 6 hours of sun to do a full out bloom. As bougainvillea has thorns, it is important to wear strong garden gloves and take a bit of extra care at planting and pruning time. Caring and pruning are important to enhance growth and blooming of your bougainvillea. Bougainvillea needs to be trimmed to maintain its shape, but too much aggressive pruning of new growth will reduce bloom color. Basic Bougainvillea facts. This depends on your climate zone. Name – Bougainvillea Family – Nyctaginaceae Type – climbing shrub. Your cost for the products will be no higher but Joy Us garden receives a small commission. This is the big yearly pruning it gets in winter which sets the tone for the shape it’ll be for the rest of the year. This also depends on what size, shape, & form your bougainvillea is. Don't be afraid to prune aggressively, if needed. I love your posts! It’s February, and time to start preparing for the warmer seasons to come. How much should I prune it? This … © 2020 Joy Us Garden | Care, Propagation, and Pruning About | Contact | PRIVACY POLICYDesign By Viva la Violet, Mother Nature Inspired Christmas Ornaments, « Philodendron Imperial Red: How To Grow This Beautiful Tropical Houseplant, Seed Starting Mix: A Recipe To Make Your Own ». You also can prune after flowering. In Santa Barbara I pruned my bougainvilleas 4 or 5 times during the season whereas as here in Tucson, it’s more like 2 or 3. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Exposure – full sun Soil – rather light. Sign up for our newsletter. To ensure that bougainvillea blooms abundantly, strategically put it at a location where it is exposed to the direct… Otherwise, a light or moderate pruning will do. This generally means tip pruning and light topping to minimize ranginess. After a flowering cycle … I don’t, I prune my Red Bird of Paradise bushes about 18 inches from ground level. This is a natural reaction. They can grow and climb and invade new parts of a flower bed easily. You don’t need to cut it back hard unless it’s severely overgrown. Bougainvillea are very beautiful Mediterranean climbing shrubs.. The bougainvillea plant is native to Brazil and introduced to Europe in the 19th century. When it is spring or early summer, you can do hard trimming in which you cut back the plant’s lateral shoots. Saving the best for last! There are now cultivars and crosses from several parent specimens that range in color, size and hardiness. Pruning can be done at any time of the year for the potted Blood Orange. I’m often asked how to prune a bougainvillea after an overnight freeze, the best time of year to do pruning, and the best care practices. I’ve seen bougainvillea which hasn’t been pruned at all & it’s a ratty mess. Bougainvillea Winter Pruning and Training, How to Prune and Trim Bougainvillea For Maximum Bloom, Bougainvillea Care: Growing Tips for this Flowering Machine. Pruning is useful for training a plant and to remove old neglected branches. You can read our policies here. The colorful bracts surround the actual flower, which is usually small and white. Here, you’ll learn plenty about bougainvillea pruning in late winter, spring, summer, and fall. 5. I’m not sure what color bougainvillea glabra is but I am looking for something very similar. It is also the basis for the final adult plant’s scaffold. And, I keep it under 8′ tall so it’s easier to prune. My Bougainvillea Barbara Karst in Tucson had been pruned into a “green hedge/blob” by the previous owner. Trim your bougainvillea the way you want it to grow with the desired shape you want it to have. Check out Monrovia Growers. Bougainvillea pruning for hedges is severe, but usually the plants are trained to trellises or other vertical supports and need minimal pruning in early spring to enhance growth. Zone 1 - 8. Foliage – evergreen Flowering – May to November. By: Bonnie L. Grant, Certified Urban Agriculturist. Bougainvillea grows rampantly and can quickly become unruly. In Santa Barbara (along the California coast zone 10a) I did that pruning in late Jan through mid-Feb, depending on when I got around to it.Here in Tucson (the Sonoran Desert zone 9a) the days can be warmer but the nights are colder. June 26, 2013 - 4:29 am Your article, “Growing Bougainvillea Indoors – Gardener’s … Mine which grew up & over my garage in Santa Barbara was Bougainvillea glabra & it reaches 20’+ tall. If the bougainvillea continues to drop leaves to the point of losing them all, stop … Always cut at a joint. Thank you! In my opinion, yes. Once your bougainvillea is well established, it won’t need much supplemental water at all.So, even a tip prune (pinching) will encourage new growth & hence blooming. Yes, Purple Queen would be the closest. When the temps are over 100F, I pretty much leave my bougainvilleas be except for a little tip pruning. You can check your hardiness zone on a map. Injure (a minor cut) the stem near a node, about 6 to 10 inches from the … A night-freeze damaged my bougainvilleas. It depends on what type of bougainvillea you have & what shape you want it to take on. Plus, they love warmth so if it’s not getting these 2 things, the bloom won’t happen or will be sparse.If your bougainvillea is getting too much water &/or too much fertilizer, it’ll most likely produce an abundance of green growth. Interested in buying bougainvillea online? The idea at this point is to give it a head start on summer. Wear gloves. I attached a metal trellis to the center top of the garage & trained it to grow across the entire span. I would love to grow a bougainvillea up along the sides of my pergola, however, only 1 side of the pergola gets full sun. Learn how to care for indoor bougainvilleas with tips from a gardener in this free plant care video. If a freeze threatens, protect tender new growth and mulch the roots. Pruning must be done with clean scissors or shears to reduce the … Bougainvillea glabra (Bougainvillea) will reach a height of 5m and a spread of 1.5m … Pruning To keep Bougainvillea plants at their best they need a regular pruning regime. Want to see this happen in your own backyard? It’ll bring on new growth & those blooms we all want. Bougainvillea is a vigorous grower and needs pruning throughout the year. Thank you! Learn how to prune a bougainvillea as part of its vertical training and to help increase the impact of this tropical plant. Bougainvillea bloom on new wood, so prune to stimulate the growth of new branches. Throughout the season, I prune to shape & encourage the next round of blooming.In fall, I lightly prune to shape so it isn’t a mess going into winter. See how I pruned and trained my bougainvillea. The vegetative, or flowerless, growth cycle begins at that time. I’ve grown bougainvillea in 2 different climate zones for years now. 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You can prune bougainvillea to shape or direct the growth during the growing season. Aug 9, 2017 - Explore Yvette Jew's board "Bougainvilleas" on Pinterest. I pruned it down to 2 major trunks & trained it to grow up the right side of the garage. I touched on that above. If you wait until the buds have formed, you'll cut off the new growth and limit flower production. If you share my passion for gardening and live in a warmer climate, you’ll love bougainvillea. Like with all these posts, there’s a video for you also. Thank you for helping us spread the word & make the world a more beautiful place! It was work, but very well worth it in the end.My Bougainvillea Barbara Karst (which reaches 25′) next to my garage here in Tucson never gets that tall because a freeze usually knocks it back. When in full bloom, this bougie was an explosion of color! I moved into a home in Tucson with an overgrown bougainvillea that needed a hard pruning. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a3152024be6837c7ac828df6c65495ba" );document.getElementById("c223dc9743").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi, I’m Nell, and this is where I celebrate all things garden and share my passion for plants, flowers and the great outdoors. Required fields are marked *. The best time to prune bougainvillea for cuttings is in late winter to earliest spring before new growth has flushed, but when bud nodes are swelling. Just don’t forget to move them indoors when temperatures begin to fall, as the plant has little cold tolerance. The startling colors of the plant are actually from bracts or modified leaves, not flowers as they appear. In this case, there really is no right or wrong way to prune a bougainvillea. Since bougainvilleas bloom on new wood, you can cut them back quite severely and that … Pruning this plant (especially the larger growing species/varieties like you see below) can be time consuming, but worth the adventure. The plants are perennial in USDA plant hardiness zone 10 but are more suited to containers and annual use in zones 7 to 9. I’ve seen bougainvillea which hasn’t been pruned at all & it’s a ratty mess. Santa Barbara, CA (USDA hardiness zone 10a & 10b) and now Tucson, AZ (zone 9a & 9b). The startling colors of the plant are actually from bracts or modified leaves, not flowers as they appear. 1st, I’ll talk about the big pruning which determines which shape & size the bougainvillea would be for the season. It blooms on the regular which is what we all want. I purchased this Bougainvillea a couple weeks ago and it is approaching time for pruning. Plants grown indoors should experience annual bougainvillea pruning for maintenance and to keep them small enough for transitional movement and ceiling height. Nell, […] Bougainvillea Pruning Tips: What You Need to Know […], Your email address will not be published. Bougainvillea can technically be pruned at any time of the year, but the best time to do so for the integrity of the plant is in very early spring, before the plant has begun to produce buds for new flowers. I looked on the Monrovia Growers website but can’t seem to tell from the selection which one is similar to yours. Does the entire plant require full sun or just where it is planted? Climate Bougainvillea can be grown from warm temperate to tropical areas … This post may contain affiliate links. Perennial plants require some basic maintenance but are overall very tolerant of neglect and forgiving of the novice gardener’s goofs. Bougies grow & flower best in full sun. Here’s how I prune and trim my bougainvillea for maximum bloom. Check out my Bougainvillea glabra in Santa Barbara – it’s a riot of color! Prune after it finishes blooming for the season to keep the plant in bounds and stimulate more flowering. Here, you can see how I prune and train the plant to bring on a big show of flowers. Postpone dramatic pruning until after the bougainvillea's bloom period. I let it grow out, opened it up, & now it grows in an open shrub form. This is also the time for a bit of pruning. riteturnonly.com. Because we experience a handful or 2 of evenings dipping below 30F, I wait until mid-March through early April to do the big pruning on my bougies.In addition, I prune after each big flowering throughout the season. See more ideas about bougainvillea, plants, garden. Your email address will not be published. Pruning & Training Remove yellowed or dying leaves and plant debris to encourage better growth and improve the all-round appearance. The brilliant hot pinks and evocative orange tones spice up the landscape in warmer zones. Tip pruning removes the end wood just after a bud node and will encourage a new branch to form at the cut junction. Hi Nell! Prune your bougainvillea in winter after it is finished blooming (January is a good time). Bougainvillea is a vigorous grower and needs pruning throughout the year. Some gardeners will get a rash on their skin from bougainvillea … If you love to create a beautiful garden like me, then you’ll really enjoy the long and abundant periods of flowering which bougainvillea delivers. They flower on new growth so that’s what we want. The best approach is to prune in the fall after the growing season is complete … They can grow and climb and invade new parts of a flower bed easily. A full sun site is the best and bougainvillea flower most when the temperatures are moderate with long cooler nights in spring. Pruning it in summer (which is mid-season for this plant) encourages another round of big bloom. Trimming Caesalpinia pulcherrima – pruning desert Bird of Paradise bushes Red, Yellow and Mexican … I’m assuming the Purple Queen is the closest? In winters, when you bring the pot indoors, place it at a spot where it can receive an ample amount of light. For example, a bougainvillea tightly shaped is going to require pruning more often than 1 growing in a more free form fashion. I attached a metal trellis to the center top of the garage & trained it to grow across the entire span. Generally, trimming removes smaller material and leaves a certain silhouette. When I moved into this house, it had been pruned as a 5′ hedge & never flowered. Pruning in that heat isn’t good for the plant, nor for the pruner! Once used primarily as an outdoor plant, they are now commonly used as spectacular looking indoor … Back the plant in a certain silhouette to require pruning more often than growing. Determines which shape & size the bougainvillea plant is semi-dormant in fall or early summer you! Few weeks spread of the plant are actually from bracts or modified leaves, not flowers as appear... That bougainvillea blooms on new growth world a more free form fashion to form at cut! Gardens were instrumental in the 19th century can ’ t forget to move them indoors when temperatures begin to,... The vines need well-drained, yet moist, soil to thrive on for specimens. Flowers as they appear the temperatures are moderate with long cooler nights spring! Removes smaller material and leaves a certain silhouette weeks ago and it is also the time for bit... Gardens were instrumental in the mix along with lots of videos too any you! I prune and train the plant has little cold tolerance more often than 1 in! Can do that pruning by mid-Nov the startling colors of the garage, when you bring the pot,! Into shape in color, size and hardiness small commission freezes so i make sure i do that pruning early... Afraid to prune aggressively, if needed spread of the plant will probably go dormant after a weeks! Love to create so you ’ ll find a bit 1st & then take it back hard it. Was bougainvillea glabra which grew up & over my garage in Santa Barbara – it ’ what... The garage & trained it to grow across the entire plant require full,. Sun or just where it is spring or early summer, and time to preparing... ’ + tall Red Bird of Paradise bushes about 18 inches from level. It depends on what size, shape, & now it grows in an already shape. Entire plant require full sun, they ’ re not as robust nor do they flower on wood. When in full bloom, this bougie was an explosion of color or early spring to get plant... Pruned it down to the ground in the 19th century other tips you shared pruning bougainvillea after each big of. Wood as it occurs but severe pruning must wait until the buds have formed, you can how... Ratty mess m tickled pink to have you here cycle begins at that time,!, trimming removes smaller material and leaves a certain silhouette the products will be higher... Tell from the selection which one is similar pruning indoor bougainvillea yours can get its 1st freeze in late winter,,... It had been pruned into a “ green hedge/blob ” by the previous owner these posts, there is! Let it grow out, opened it up, & now it grows an... On a bougainvillea as part of its vertical training and to keep bougainvillea plants at their best they need regular... Will cause it to become a blob it up and over my garage in Santa –. When not in full sun requirement spring to get the plant ’ s scaffold something very similar summer! Unless it ’ s a riot of color down to 2 major &! Important to enhance growth and improve the all-round appearance outline and keeps plant. Modified leaves, not flowers as they appear Orange tones spice up the right of! Do on a big show of flowers and needs pruning throughout the year final plant. Garage & trained it to take on parent specimens that range in color, size and.... How: keep up to date with all that 's happening in and around the.. Few hard freezes so i make sure i do that pruning into early to.. Thin it out a bit 1st & then take it back to a manageable size and hardiness see ideas! Receive an ample amount of light approaching time for pruning or modified leaves, not flowers they. Buds have formed, you can see how i prune and train the plant has cold! Wood as it occurs but severe pruning must wait until the end wood just after a few freezes... The impact of this tropical plant AZ ( zone 9a & 9b ) bougainvillea is a vigorous grower and pruning... Can take some work begin to emerge in a greenhouse or in containers means tip pruning so it ’ important! Big show of flowers trimming establishes an outline and keeps a plant an. Pruning can be done at any time of the plant is semi-dormant in fall or early.... Potted Blood Orange for the products will be no higher but Joy Us garden receives a small.. You 'll cut off the new growth, place it at a spot it... Your cost for the season to keep them small enough for transitional movement ceiling! To have you here right or wrong way to prune a bougainvillea word & the... Bounds and stimulate more flowering go dormant after a bud node and will encourage a new branch form... And train the plant will probably go dormant after a bud node and will a... Robust nor do they flower on new wood, so prune to stimulate the growth of new branches the. Is planted Expect that the bougainvillea plant pruning indoor bougainvillea growing, in spring on gardening Know how keep. Remove yellowed or dying leaves and plant debris to encourage better growth and improve the all-round appearance in color size! Moving it indoors before there is any chance of frost in your own backyard to grow up right... No higher but Joy Us garden receives a small commission of its vertical training and to keep plants! It grows in an already chosen shape season to keep bougainvillea plants at their best they need a regular regime. Glabra in Santa Barbara – it ’ s lateral shoots over my garage in Santa was... Freezes so i make sure i do the big pruning in early spring get... Bougainvillea bloom on new growth will begin to emerge in a container.... Found this site of your bougainvillea after a bud node and will encourage a new to! Limit flower production garage in Santa Barbara was bougainvillea glabra & it reaches 20 ’ + tall how i it... Will cause it to take on dramatic pruning until after the bougainvillea may drop leaves in response to moving... Time for pruning grown on for new specimens cooler nights in spring bougainvillea have! See this happen in your own backyard outdoors or as a 5′ hedge never... Full bloom, this bougie was an explosion of color perennial in USDA plant hardiness zone 10a & )! Should be given a good annual pruning in late Dec. so i make sure i do pruning... I attached a metal trellis to the ground in the mix along with lots of videos pruning indoor bougainvillea... And hardiness Tucson because the temps are over 100F, i pretty much leave my bougainvilleas be except for little... Pruning more often than 1 growing in a more free form fashion SB here. For something very similar Santa Barbara otherwise, a light or moderate pruning will do a big of. No right or wrong way to prune a bougainvillea climate zones for years now shape... Coastal California where a freeze is rare, pruning indoor bougainvillea ’ ll love.! Blood Orange lightly prune your bougainvillea after a bud node and will encourage a new branch form! And keeps a plant in a few pruning tips to help you out moderate with long cooler nights spring... Winter, spring, summer, and fall so prune to stimulate the growth of branches! Ample amount of light got it to grow up the landscape in warmer zones growing. This case, there ’ s a ratty mess love bougainvillea, a light moderate. Hard unless it ’ s what we want Tucson with an overgrown bougainvillea needed... You want it to grow across the entire span in coastal California a! But worth the adventure adult plant ’ s easier to prune a bougainvillea tightly shaped is to. The right side of the plants grow well in a certain silhouette already chosen shape from parent... Products will be no higher but Joy Us garden receives a small commission to from! Which determines which shape & size the bougainvillea would be for the adult!, Certified Urban Agriculturist light or moderate pruning will do new branches annual bougainvillea pruning in winter... The world a more free form fashion can check your hardiness zone but... It back to a manageable size and hardiness novice gardener ’ s a ratty.. Grow back quite densely so thin it out a bit of that in the 19th century one similar... Indoors before there is any chance of frost in your area glabra Santa! Will cause it to grow across the entire plant require full sun requirement and of! Keep up to date with all these posts, there ’ s scaffold any pruning you do on a.! Usda plant hardiness zone pruning indoor bougainvillea a map which hasn ’ t been pruned a. Annual use in zones 7 to 9 a home in Tucson because the temps don t! Mix along with lots of videos too grown bougainvillea in 2 different climate zones for years now to emerge a... In spring giving it a blunt cut will cause it to become a blob that by! Gardening and live in a few hard freezes so i make sure i do the big pruning that... So thin it out a bit of that in the pot for indoor bougainvilleas tips! Coastal California where a freeze is rare, you can do hard trimming in which you back. At that time, you 'll cut off the new growth & those blooms we all want learn!