| Houseplant
Cultural
information: If you have a greenhouse, sunroom or
atrium in your home... a Bougainvillea is a great plant to place
in your sunniest location. A large Bougainvillea will help shade the
room and reward you with an impressive shower of flowers.
An established
plant will bloom profusely during the spring and summer months. A
common misconception regarding Bougainvillea is its flowers. The
hot pink flowers you see above are actually modified leaves bracts
which surround a small inconspicuous flower. These brightly
colored modified leaf bracts help attract pollinators to the
Bougainvillea plant. Bougainvillea was named by Louis XV in
honor of an early navigator named Louis Antoine de Bougainville.
During the spring and summer keep the soil of your
Bougainvillea moist. Check for water frequently until you become familiar
with your Bougainvilleas watering requirements. Its leaves will
become droopy when in need of water. In a hot sunny area a mature
Bougainvillea like the pictured plant may need watered daily. During the fall and winter cut back on watering
allowing the potting medium to dry down just below the surface of
the soil.
If your Bougainvillea eventually becomes unruly you may cut the
stems back to any length you wish. Cut stem right above where a
leaf emerges from the stem with sharp pruners.
During the spring and summer when your Bougainvillea is
actively growing feed weekly with Peter's Blossom Booster
fertilizer. Come fall and throughout the winter months
Bougainvillea that are grown indoors are somewhat deciduous and
may look like the plant is in decline. Don't worry this is normal,
so discontinue feeding until spring. Don't forget to cut back on
water too!
There is another excellent Bougainvillea food on the market
called "Bougain Bloom Boost". Do a Google search using
those keywords and you'll find it.
Common houseplant pests can include: Aphids, Foliar Mealy bug
or Spider mites.
Bougainvilleas are available in 6" containers thru
14" specimens along with several sizes of hanging baskets
in both solid green and variegated foliage types.
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