Full Answer
Can you grow bougainvillea in Texas?
Bougainvillea is the answer! These tropical vine-like shrubs are quite drought tolerant, love the sun, and pack a huge punch of color. They grow effortlessly in mild winter areas of California, Florida, Texas, Hawaii, and along the Gulf Coast, and can be grown in containers elsewhere.
What is a bougainvillea plant?
Bougainvillea is a tropical, shrub-like vine that bursts forth with colorful flowers for 11 months of the year if it's planted in the right climate. To grow bougainvillea, plant it in full sun, slightly acidic and well-drained soil, and a relatively hot and dry climate.
Can bougainvillea live outside in the winter?
Many growers move bougainvillea outside during the summer months. Water: Keep your plant evenly moist during the summer and nearly dry in winter. Bougainvillea blooms better with drier winter conditions. Temperature: This plant is relatively hardy.
See more
Will bougainvillea grow in Denver?
In sunny Denver, our hot summer climate is perfect for tropical bloomers like Hibiscus, Mandevilla, Bougainvillea, Jasmine, and many more. Just don't forget to feed these hungry plants plenty of bloom-boosting fertilizer!
What is the lowest temperature a bougainvillea can tolerate?
32F.What is the Lowest Temperature Bougainvillea can Tolerate? The sweet spot for bougainvillea is above 32F. Anything below that will cause light or extensive damage.
Will bougainvillea survive the winter?
Bougainvillea is hardy to United States Department of Agriculture zones 9 to 11. It can withstand a light freeze but deep freezes will kill the roots. In areas below those zones, a bougainvillea in winter should be kept in containers and moved indoors.
Will bougainvillea come back after a freeze?
Will my bougainvillea grow back after freeze? If it's only a few nights & they're not consecutive, it most likely will. The foliage & branches will get hit (like mine) but new growth will appear.
Is there a cold hardy bougainvillea?
The original discovery of Bougainvillea spectabilis, often known as B. brasilensis, remains the most vigorous, easy to grow and most cold-hardy of all varieties available. It is not damaged when temperatures dip into the 20s and can recover vigorously when they drop a few degrees more.
How far north can you grow bougainvillea?
In the U.S., they thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and above, but they also can be grown in protected areas of hardiness zone 9. They grow at low elevations, but can be found thriving up to an elevation of 2,500 feet.
Can bougainvillea survive frost?
In temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the bougainvillea leaves and bracts may wilt. In temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, damage is much more likely. The extent of the damage depends on the length of time the plant stays below 32 degrees Fahrenheit and how far temperatures drop.
Do bougainvillea come back every year?
Answer: Bougainvillea blooms twice per year: spring and fall or early winter. The colorful bracts will fade when spent, then will brown and drop to the ground.
What zones can bougainvillea grow?
' Bougainvilleas are vigorous and respond well to pruning and as a result they often are utilized as hedges in more tropical areas. They are extremely drought-resistant and thrive in almost any soil type that does not stay constantly wet. They thrive in USDA Zone 10, but will survive in Zone 9 if protected.
What kills bougainvillea?
With concerted effort, you can successfully kill bougainvillea shrubs by cutting back the growth severely and applying glyphosate herbicide to the cut stems. Due to the energetic growing tendencies of bougainvillea, be prepared to repeat this process several times to kill the bougainvillea shrub completely.
What is the lifespan of a bougainvillea?
For bud initiations and initiations to complete blooming it takes 1 and 12 days. From bud blooming to senescence the flowers longevity on plants was about 13 days. All the bracts containing the flower dropped within two days of senescence. Saifuddin (2009) reported that Bougainvillea bract longevity almost 24 days.
How do you wrap a bougainvillea in the winter?
Large bougainvilleas are hard to cover. The best thing you can do is protect the roots. Apply at least a 3″ layer of mulch (hay, leaves, compost, etc) around the base of the plant covering the area where the roots grow. Once the weather warms, just be sure to spread the mulch away from the trunk of the plant.
When can I plant Bougainvillea in Denver, CO
One of the best tools that we have as gardeners to help us determine our gardening schedule is the USDA zone info. The zone info helps tell us things like average date of last frost and lowest expected temperature for our area.
Last Frost Date
In Denver the average date of last frost happens on April 15 . It might get as low as -15°F during the coldest months of winter.
Where is Bougainvillea native to?
Bougainvillea is native to the tropical and subtropical areas of Brazil, Peru, Argentina and other South American countries. In the wild, this creeper shrub prefers acidic soil and a very bright, sunny location.
What type of soil does bougainvillea need?
Bougainvillea must have well-drained soil, and it prefers acidic soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.0. Heavy soil or any soil that holds water won't do. In fact, bougainvillea bloom better when the soil is fairly dry ,and you must let it dry out thoroughly between waterings.
What is the difference between Bougainvillea glabra and spectabilis?
The white flowers are larger than those of the spectabilis species , and the bracts are pointed and shaped like triangles. They can be white as well as lilac and purple.
What is the color of bougainvillea?
They can be white as well as lilac and purple. The third cultivated bougainvillea species is Bougainvillea peruviana, noted for its green bark and yellow true flowers. The leaves of this species are thin, and the bracts are magenta, fairly small and delicate. The shrub's branching habit is looser and more open.
What is the name of the plant that was named after Louis Antoine de Bougainville?
All species of bougainvillea are thorny shrubs in the Nyctaginaceae, the (four o'clock) family of plants. The genus was named after the French explorer and military commander, Louis Antoine de Bougainville, in 1736. Get the Best Mortgage Rate for You | SmartAsset.com. Loading.
How many types of bougainvillea are there?
Types of Cultivated Bougainvillea. Of the many species of bougainvillea in nature, only three have been widely cultivated. Each of the three species has slightly different features and degrees of hardiness. The first bougainvillea to be identified (in 1798) was given the botanical name Bougainvillea spectabilis.
When was the first bougainvillea plant discovered?
The first bougainvillea to be identified (in 1798) was given the botanical name Bougainvillea spectabilis. A large, dense shrub with hairy leaves and stems, it's also noted for its distinctive curved thorns. The tiny flowers appear up and down the branches almost year-round.
How much sun does a bougainvillea need?
Bougainvillea needs at least six hours of full sun every day to thrive. Choose a place with rich, well-drained soil. Bougainvillea won't do well in soil that retains too much water, so make sure the soil drains quite well. You may want to consider adding some sand, peat moss, perlite, or vermiculite to the soil.
How to keep Bougainvillea from getting stressed out?
On the other hand, letting the soil dry out will cause the plant to get stressed out. Find a happy medium - water enough to keep the soil damp, but not so much that you leave the plant waterlogged.
How to train bougainvillea to climb a trellis?
If you want the bougainvillea to climb a trellis or wall, be sure to plant it near the structure. As it grows, you'll need to "train" it to climb the structure by wrapping it gently around the base.
Can bougainvillea be grown indoors?
Bougainvillea thrives in places that are hot and relatively dry. If you want to keep bouga invillea outdoors all year long, it's best to be in hardiness zone 9 or higher. If you're in a colder, wetter zone, you can still grow bougainvillea if you plant it in a pot and bring it indoors for the winter.
Where can I grow Bougainvillea?
They grow effortlessly in mild winter areas of California, Florida, Texas, Hawaii, and along the Gulf Coast, and can be grown in containers elsewhere.
What color are bougainvillea flowers?
Color: The true flowers on bougainvillea are quite small, usually white, and are surrounded by colorful bracts. The bracts are the real showstoppers and come in shades of red, purple, magenta, hot pink, light pink, orange, apricot and white. The bracts, often called “false flowers,” are what attract pollinators to the true flowers hidden within ...
How big do bougainvilleas get?
Most varieties of bougainvillea grow 20 to 30 feet tall and wide with support. If grown as groundcover, they will be 1-1/2 to 2 feet tall and spread 8 to 10 feet wide. There are dwarf varieties which will generally grow to be 3-6 feet tall and wide.
Can you grow bougainvillea in a hanging basket?
Bougainvillea can be grown as bonsai or in hanging baskets. Try dwarf varieties, B. glabra, or the Bambino family for smaller more compact plants. Tip: Hanging baskets dry out quickly and should be watered (and fertilized) often. Bougainvillea’s thorny nature can prove useful if grown as a security hedge.
Is bougainvillea a disease?
Although generally quite disease resistant, bougainvillea plants may be troubled by aphids, leafminers, scale, snails & slugs, spider mites and whitefly. The best way to keep your bougainvillea healthy is to keep the foliage and area around the plant dry and allow good air flow.
Where is bougainvillea native to?
Native to South America, bougainvillea was named in honor ...
How often does bougainvillea bloom?
Despite its showy nature, bougainvillea is not a particularly high-maintenance plant. The vine-y shrub typically blooms three times a year once established, often going dormant and losing its leaves, bracts, and flowers during the cooler winter months.
How hot should bougainvillea be?
That being said, for your bougainvillea to truly thrive indoors, maintain temperatures around 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Due to its tropical origins, humidity is helpful, too—spritzing the plant with water isn't necessary, but if your home is particularly dry a small humidifier near your bougainvillea can help.
How to get rid of mealybugs on bougainvillea?
To rid your bougainvillea of mealybugs, treat it with neem oil weekly until they've died off. Read More.
Why do bougainvilleas need light?
Because of this, many growers choose to move their potted bougainvillea outdoors during the summer months in order to ensure it gets enough rays.
What color are bougainvilleas?
It's known for its green foliage and vibrant pink, purple, and orange hues that most people assume are the plant's flowers—however, they're actually petal-like bracts that hide bougainvillea's true blooms, which are typically small white or yellow buds.
Where do mealybugs appear on plants?
However, when indoors, you may want to keep an eye out for mealybugs, a common indoor pest. Mealybugs appear most often on the stems and leaves of a plant, identifiable by the fuzzy, white mass they create as they group together.
What temperature is a bougainvillea in Zone 9?
Zone 9 achieves low temperatures between 18 and 28 degrees Fahrenheit (-8 to -2 C.), well below freezing. You can opt to dig up the plant at the end of the season if it is growing in ground or simply keep it in a container. Digging up the plant will stress out the bougainvillea, so it might be best to containerize.
Can bougainvilleas be planted indoors?
That way you won’t take a chance on disturbing the roots. Plants in lower zones absolutely must come indoors. Even those in zone 9 should come indoors for the bulk of the winter unless they are in a protected location or warmer microclimate of the landscape.
Can bougainvilleas survive a freeze?
Bougainvillea is hardy to United States Department of Agriculture zones 9 to 11. It can withstand a light freeze but deep freezes will kill the roots. In areas below those zones, a bougainvillea in winter should be kept in containers and moved indoors.
