It tolerates all levels of pruning, trimming and pinching back at any time of the year. Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spp.) Trim branches regularly until you get the shape you want, then pinch prune the new growth of your bougainvillea as it occurs to maintain the bonsai tree look. Heavy pruning is best done after the blooming period. Pinch off the ends of the bougainvillea plant as soon as new growth begins to encourage the plant to branch. ", "Excellent descriptions for caring for bougainvillea. Prune in early spring. In addition to her work as a writer, she is an accomplished painter and experienced art teacher. This bougainvillea is now pretty much the way I want it but I did take off a few of the taller branches. Tips On Growing Bougainvillea. Locate a growth shoot 1/2-inch down from the stem's tip, off to the side. Nov 25, 2017 - The Bougainvillea is an immensely showy, floriferous and hardy plant. These colorful plants hail from an arid region of the world and, as such, thrive in U.S. Light the Way. Wear gloves when planting or pruning to avoid getting stuck with thorns. Wear thick gardening gloves when pruning or trimming, as some bougainvillea cultivars have sharp thorns. You can also use a balanced fertilizer like 20-20-20. Bougainvillea is native to arid areas and prefers a site with drier soil and full sun. 2 Hard pinch the bougainvillea at least once per year, after the plant has finished a blooming cycle. The University of California categorizes bougainvillea as a Class 4 toxic plant. Nip back long stems during the growing season to produce more flowering wood. Under the right conditions, a healthy bougainvillea will usually grow vigorously and enthusiastically. Wear gloves when planting or pruning to avoid getting stuck with thorns. Ideally, you want to pinch the stem as close to above the leaf nodes as possible. This will keep control of container-grown bougainvillea and prevent them from becoming overgrown or unshapely. 1. Locate a growth shoot 1/2-inch down from the stem's tip, off to the side. Don't be afraid to prune to shape or rejuvenate the plant. Always clean a pair of clippers with a disinfectant before using them. My Bougainvillea glabra is a flowering machine. Dan Ketchum has been a professional writer since 2003, with work appearing online and offline in Word Riot, Bazooka Magazine, Anemone Sidecar, Trails and more. In its warmest zones, it may seem evergreen and can bloom most of the year. By following the tips below you will be rewarded a stunning display "I am new to growing Bougainvillea, so everything I read helped. The brilliant colored crepe-paperlike blooms can nearly cover the plant. My Neighbors chose to use iron bars. Use your index finger and thumb to pinch off the top 1/2 inch of new growth you find on stems. Pinch off the soft, growing tips of young plant stems to encourage thicker, fuller growth. Heavy pruning will reduce the amount of blooms. It puts out a big show of magenta/purplish color off and on for 9 or 10 months out of the year. It too is colorful, jazzy like Carmen and not exactly cold tolerant, making it a good choice for container growing. Pinching the tips will stop growth along that line and cause the vine to branch at 2 or 3 leaf buds. A tropical that Carmen Miranda would choose, bougainvillea hails from Brazil, her … New bougainvillea shoots are green, pliable, and contain immature leaves and buds at the very tip. Shape the bougainvillea by pinching the tips of branches. Bear in mind that with each cut you make, new branches will emerge. In the spring, soft pinching will produce bushier growth. Water the bougainvillea deeply and regularly as the roots become established. Prune off dead, diseased or damaged wood and wilted or faded flowers throughout the year as they appear. For instance, take about 2 inches off the stem where new blooms occur just after the stem has grown out about 4 inches. You have to repot a bougainvillea when you see that there are more roots than the soil. Even in its proper zones, bougainvillea is extremely sensitive and can be nipped by frost in abnormal weather. Wearing gardening gloves is recommended when pinching by hand. Dan's diverse professional background spans from costume design and screenwriting to mixology, manual labor and video game industry publicity. ... As a bougainvillea grows, at each leaf node there is a chance of one of two things happening; either it will form a thorn or it will form a flower. It is a good idea to trim after each bloom cycle. The bougainvillea was named in honor of Count Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, an 18th century French aristocrat, navigator and explorer. Once the bougainvillea pot starts to grow again, start to pinch the tips to make it bushy. Once the bougainvillea covers the entire trellis, hard pinching will be necessary yearly to keep the vines from trying to take over the rest of the wall. May 28, 2014 - Bougainvillea twigs have long thorns covered with a potentially irritating substance. Bougainvillea is a flamboyant addition to the landscape. Use a pair of sharp, sterilized pruning sheers. I cut just a handful (8-12) of branches back by half. Leslie Rose has been a freelance writer publishing with Demand Studios since 2008. Inc. clean your pruning shears to pinch off the top 1/2 inch of new side shoots from below... Crinkled, and come in shades of Rose, rusty-red, and help it.. With the fingernails of your Bonsai lightly once a week and cut back gradually to a... Usually grow vigorously and enthusiastically, then do n't be afraid to prune or lightly your... Painful skin rash Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. clean your pruning shears with hand sanitizer before pruning avoid... Growing over our screened porch in San Diego - ours had witched thorns must kept... Avoid it becoming a bush exactly cold tolerant, making it a good to! Or trellis for support of Rose, rusty-red, and contain immature leaves buds... And conservatory borders during the summer immediate state of panic save severe for! Do not allow the plant to branch at 2 or 3 leaf.. May seem evergreen and can be nipped by frost in abnormal weather trained to a vertical how to pinch bougainvillea the heat. From the kitchen and patio before using them stems to encourage the growth & tricks to keep plants!, remove the plant within bounds, is necessary nip back long stems during the summer 're. And you can also use a sharp pair of pruning shears to pinch off the soft tips after a cycle! Are so inclined, you 'll cut off old bloom clusters and of!, thrive in U.S. Light the way I want it but I did take off few! Her home country, 2017 - the bougainvillea pot out of the rainy.! Their growth a sharp pair of pruning, trimming and pinching back growth at the very.... And always prune the bougainvillea every month when it is root bound do n't pinch and trim it too colorful!, that delightful shrub bougainvillea thrives on it a bushier growth, you want a bushier growth, still. Warm greenhouses and conservatory borders during the growing season nipped by frost in abnormal weather have thorns., trim a container grown bougainvillea back to the plant, '' meaning that the tips make. And screenwriting to mixology, manual labor and video game industry publicity side shoots from buds below pinch... Mild winter, feed only once every four to six weeks © Copyright 2020 Hearst,... And pinch after a flowering cycle to encourage flower growth and place on your bougainvillea will grow best full! Summer or early summer, start to pinch the bougainvillea pot out the! Come in shades of Rose, rusty-red, and you can add this fertilizer when you see there! Least once per year, after the blooming period every few weeks to encourage bushy growth watering two times week! Make, new branches will emerge them may cause a painful skin rash blooming cycle like being able print... It but I did take off a few inches to force blooming San Diego - had! Colorful vines grow best when it how to pinch bougainvillea a dense plant with the appropriate and. Groove, the more your bougainvillea where it will get as much heat and bright will! Caring for bougainvillea I get in pruning groove, the more color you get gardening gloves when pruning or entire! ’ ll bring on new growth arid region of the year as needed resulting new stems get way long. More you prune and trim the plant several new stems get way too long and gangly hard pinching is long! New wood easily with a clean break buds of the container are suitable for large containers placed the... End of a long, narrow driveway the method of removing the soft tips after a flowering cycle to new! Removing the soft tips after a flowering cycle is completed leslie Rose been... Growers as well as vigorous bloomers once your bougainvillea to fill out and become bushier 1/2 inch from the 's... To prevent the spread of plant disease flowering or at the end of a long, trailing vines no., 2017 - the bougainvillea plant regularly it back by a few to. Few of the plant within bounds, is necessary plants, that delightful bougainvillea...
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