Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea spp.
Also known as: Paper flower
Climber with colourful bracts for covering walls and pergolas. It needs plenty of sun, little feeding and soil that doesn't get waterlogged.
- Type
- Climber
- Where
- Outdoor
- Light
- Sun
- Water
- Moderate water
- Cold
- Doesn't withstand hard frost; if the top gets frosted, it usually regrows
Where to plant it
In full sun: it needs plenty of light to flower well. It tolerates almost any soil except heavy clay, as long as it drains well, because it can’t stand waterlogging. It’s good for covering walls, pergolas, arches and fences, but it needs a sturdy structure and you’ll have to tie in the branches as it grows. Its roots are delicate and plants several years old don’t transplant well, so plant it straight into its permanent spot.
Watering
In summer, regular watering without waterlogging; in winter, much less. Once established it copes well with drought. Be careful not to overwater or overfeed: too much water and nitrogen means fewer flowers. If it isn’t flowering, stop watering and feeding for a while.
Pruning
In winter, cut the side shoots back to about 5 cm from the main branches, leaving alone the ones you want to keep extending the framework. After each flowering, trim the shoots that have finished flowering back to a side shoot without flowers, and remove overly vigorous branches that grow beyond their space. Wear gloves: it has thorns.
Feeding
An organic fertiliser in autumn or winter and a mineral one in spring. In a pot, every 15 days, add half the dose shown on the pack of a liquid feed to the watering can. Without overdoing the nitrogen.
In our climate
If it freezes in your area some winters, plant it against a south-facing wall sheltered from the wind. If a frost burns the top, it will usually regrow from the base in spring. If you’d like to cover a pergola or a wall with it, we can design it and then take care of the pruning.
Common problems
Bougainvillea mealybug
Phenacoccus peruvianus
How to spot it
Small, soft insects covered in white wax, clustered on leaves and shoots. They release a sticky honeydew on which a black fungus (sooty mould) grows and, if there are many, the plant weakens and loses leaves.
What to do
It's a South American mealybug that reached Spain in the late nineties and has been found on bougainvillea in the Valencian Community. It has natural enemies, such as tiny parasitoid wasps, which are worth protecting by avoiding broad-spectrum treatments. Keep ants away, as they protect it, and prune the worst-affected parts. If the infestation is heavy, ask us about an approved treatment.
Leaf spot
Cercosporidium bougainvilleae
How to spot it
Roughly round spots on the leaves, light brown with a dark edge and often in concentric rings. Badly affected leaves end up drying out.
What to do
It's a fungus that only attacks bougainvillea and is present across much of Spain. If you see these spots, ask us.