Growing Bougainvillea?

[Uptown Girl]

I've searched the gardening forum, but haven't found anything about your experiences growing Bougainvillea.
In doing research, I've found there are cultivars that are dwarf and thornless. Also, varieties that can be maintained easily as standards, i.e. kept well within bounds. My research indicates that (except for freeze) they would be a decent candidate for a (dreaming of the future) CYV patio area, either in the ground or potted.
Anyone have personal experience you are willing to share?
I know they need 6hours+ of sun, won't bloom in July-August, but perhaps choosing a variety with a variegated leaf will make up the difference when they are not in bloom.
What say you, experienced TV gardeners? Educate me!:bowdown:

[graciegirl]

The very first thing I plan to do when I return is attend a free seminar frequently given by county agriculture extension people on subjects just like yours.

I love to garden but all my experience is from Ohio plants.

[Ohiogirl]

Well, I had Jeff at Sunscape (another story) plant a large one a year and half ago, in April before the really really bad weather. It had about about 6 months to develop a good root system, but the really cold weather last year got it. Completely dead when I came back in April this past spring.

It was a regular bougainvillea, with thorns. Should never have planted it as I have grandchildren and while I was cutting it down I realized how dangerous it was to little kids that might be running around. Am actually glad it died.

I think there were bougainvilleas galore in the square at Spanish Springs, which I think also died this past winter. Really large ones twining around the pergola/arbor columns or whatever it is there. Remember seeing the cut ends by the time we came in April.

Didn't know there were dwarf/thornless varieties. If so, depending on what they say at the plant seminars, I might try it again in a pot and move it into the garage for freezes. I think they're beautiful.

[starflyte1]

Helen Johnson is a dwarf type of Bougainvillea. It doesn't have as strong or as long as thorns as does the regular Bougainvillea. It also rarely needs trimming. We had many in South Florida and they were beautiful, but I don't know how cold they can stand.

[jmitchell]

I am so happy :) to read this post. I want so much to have a least one bougainvillea in our yard and thank you for the information on the dwarf/thornless varieties.

I wonder if the ones in Spanish Springs will come back - or are they completely dead? I never saw them but it sounds like they were beautiful. I am from California and I have always dreamed of having a bougainvillea in my yard. I didn't realize the frost would kill them so easily.

I guess I will have to do a lot more research.

Thanks again for the information.

[redwitch]

The frost did a number and a half on the bougainvilla. It killed many hibiscus, but just as many came back. Very few of the BV did. While I love the look of the plant, the ones I've worked grow entirely too fast and those thorns are deadly. Talk about a mean-tempered plant!! Here's hoping the dwarf or thornless are a lot kinder. Regardless, if you're going to grow one, I'd definitely look into the pot variety -- there's no way they'll survive the winters we've been getting the past two years.

[jmitchell]

The frost did a number and a half on the bougainvilla. It killed many hibiscus, but just as many came back. Very few of the BV did. While I love the look of the plant, the ones I've worked grow entirely too fast and those thorns are deadly. Talk about a mean-tempered plant!! Here's hoping the dwarf or thornless are a lot kinder. Regardless, if you're going to grow one, I'd definitely look into the pot variety -- there's no way they'll survive the winters we've been getting the past two years.

Do you think bringing it into the lanai would be enough to protect it or would it have to be completely indoors?

[Mikeod]

My mom had a bougainvillea on the side of her home in Sabal Chase. It was killed to the ground in the winter of 2008, or so I thought. In the spring, we noted a sprout when we were cutting it apart. It recovered and grew well until the winter of 2009-2010 when the cold again knocked it to the ground, but it came back this spring.

My own bougainvillea was damaged in 2007, but recovered well. Last winter, I cut it back severely and covered it with a blanket during the freezes. It came back very well this year and looks nice. I plan on cutting it back and covering it if the temps are scheduled to get into the low 30's.

I have a great many tropical plants in my birdcage that I move under the lanai roof, enclose with Plankets, and use light bulbs underneath for warmth. They do very well with this technique. I would think a potted bougainvillea would do as well.

[redwitch]

I'd say mikeod's method should work pretty well. If you cover, use lights under the cover (Xmas lights work well), you can pretty much save most plants in Florida's freezes. Without cover and/or putting under a roof, they don't do well. Sometimes you get lucky and they will come back, but I found that last year even drastic cutting didn't help many of the BVs -- they just couldn't take two weeks of freezing. It also helps to be sure your sprinklers are off during freezes -- notbing like frozen water on tropical plants to totally shock them.

[jmitchell]

mikeod, redwitch,

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I happy to hear that there are ways to help them survive.

I was reading on the web how an established BV's tap root grows very deep and that even when you try to kill it, it can sometimes grow back. I assume "established" is the key word meaning 10 -15 years!

I think I will try a potted one first. My only concern with potted plants is keeping them well watered, but from what I read BVs like neglect -- I think I can do that :laugh:

[jmitchell]

The very first thing I plan to do when I return is attend a free seminar frequently given by county agriculture extension people on subjects just like yours.

I love to garden but all my experience is from Ohio plants.

graciegirl,

can you tell us where we can find out about such seminars? Which county or all? It sounds like they would be very interesting and helpful.

Thanks.

[batman911]

BVs are heavy feeders and like deep watering. They can take long dry spells fairly well. Best to keep them in pots or the standard variety will get out of control fast. Be aware the root system will break a concrete pot if it out grows it. I have one in the back yard that still has the broken pot partially around the trunk. The root got into the ground and broke the pot.

[Ohiogirl]

There's a plant clinic on the 1st Monday of the month at Truman Rec Center, run by Master Gardeners, I think. You can bring problem plant pieces and probably questions. I haven't been yet, but have it on my calendar for November, our 1st full month down here.

You can also google Sumter County Extension service (or whichever you live in probably) for other programs. Occasionally there's a special seminar - I went to one in June at SeaBreeze.

Also try this link http://floridayards.org/

But be careful - I put in Central Florida for palms and it still gave me ones that are not hardy in this zone - check the page carefully.

[CSilvestrucci]

I fell in love with these plants in Italy a few years back. I could never get them grow up north. I put a small one in the ground here back in March. I haven't done any watering or feeding to it and it is huge. I tried to put a trellis in to hold and it has pulled the trellis down. I love the plant and it has bloomed off and on since March but sometimes you just have to be careful what you wish for.:oops:

[islandgal]

My bougainvillea plant died, I thought, during the last freeze even though I had covered it with several sheets.
However, next time I will definitely use blankets with Christmas lights (thank you, Red). It was about
7 feet tall and spread across by courtyard will back wall.
I left it, did not trim it, and it soon began to recover and then I trimmed it. It grew with vengeance. It is in full sun all day.

Here is a series of helpful videos on bougainvilleas:

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-care-for-bougainvillea-plants-229729/

[Ohiogirl]

I agreee with CSilvestrucci - be careful what you wish for. I do think a villa wall is a perfect place for it, especially if you can enjoy the view from your lanai. Don't plant one, though, if you have young grandchildren, or expect to. I'm serious - those thorns are huge and could put eyes out.

I had planted a small (cheap from Walmart) one on my lamppost the year before. It was really taking off when I decided that was a really dumb place to plant it (it gets too big), and pulled, cut and dug it out when it was still pretty small - huge tap root as someone else said.

I have really sandy soil and was able to get it all out - at least it hasn't come back in about a year (although maybe I should check again).

I forgot to say that the Recreation News has info on the plant seminars - that's where I got it. On page 1 of the current issue. There's a link to Recreation News on TheVillages.com or Thevillagesdailysun.com

[lm01]

The plant stays under control that way

[another Linda]

If anything is going to destroy my marriage it is the #$@% BV (with thorns!) in our courtyard! My husband loves it and I just can't kill it. It has "died" twice and been cut back to the ground, and twice resurrected. The Thing is truly evil -- beautiful, but evil. :swear:

[starflyte1]

I have noticed some bougainvillea growing in large pots on wheels. It looks like they roll them inside when it gets really cold.

[Mikeod]

I have noticed some bougainvillea growing in large pots on wheels. It looks like they roll them inside when it gets really cold.
I grow plumeria in pots on my lanai. They are also on wheels. If we get temps below 40, I roll them up against the house wall, cover them with frost blankets, and put a light bulb on under the cover. I protects them overnight and I can run them back out into the sun the next day.

BTW, my avatar is a bloom from one of my plants. Princess Victoria is the name.

[lovebirds]

I saw last week in one backyard the most gorgeous bouganvillea. I am having my landscaping done next month and I've learned that they will die in winter but will come back in spring. So I am having a pair in front of my house.