“Where flowers bloom so does hope.”

Bougainvillea's can grow anywhere from 1′ to 8′ to 30′, depending on the species or variety. There are actually quite a few dwarf bougainvillea's on the market now if you don’t want one the maintenance that goes along with one that grows to 25′. 

Where to plant:  In a warm and full sun location as bougainvillea needs at least 6 hours of full sun a day to flower profusely and look its best. This plant also loves the heat. Not enough sun = not enough color as they won't bloom in the shade.  Bougainvillea also prefers a rich, slightly acidic soil. Note - you can lower pH by incorporating aluminum sulfate. 

Watering needs:  Bougainvillea's are pretty drought tolerant once established. It prefers a good, deep watering every 3-4 weeks rather than frequent shallow watering's.  Be sure to give your bougainvillea regular water.  Ideally you want to keep the soil moist but not soaking wet.  Waterlogged soil can cause root rot, plus make the plants more susceptible to pest problems.  Another result of too much water – more green growth and fewer flowers.  The soil should be well-drained which will help prevent rot and in if it is in containers make sure there are hole(s) in the bottom.

Feeding: Fertilize bougainvillea at the time of planting and again as needed throughout the plant's life. A balanced, slow-release fertilizer containing nitrogen and iron keeps plants healthy and encourages blooming. Avoid overdoing it with nitrogen fertilizers, as too much nitrogen can lead to large, bushy plants that produce few flowers.    I also use a bloom flower food to increase the number of blooms. 

Pruning:  Pruning is important as Bougainvillea bloom on new growth.  I give mine a big pruning in late winter – this sets the tone for how I want them to grow and look throughout the season. I’ll do 2 or 3 lighter ones after each bloom cycle.  Ideally you will want to prune off half of the new growth on the branch.  For example, if the plants have 4 inches of new growth at the end of a blooming cycle, you can cut off the flowers along with 2 inches of stem. This will encourage the next blooming cycle to begin more quickly.   Also, if you pinch the tender ends which are about to bloom, the show of color will be denser, & not all at the ends.  Note: A word of warning: bougainvillea's have thorns so use caution when pruning. If you’re not careful, you can come out from a round of pruning looking like you’ve lost a fight with a cat.