Bougainvillea

Tutorial
by Cordon Braswell, zooz
Gordon Braswe is a retired nursery owner who sp-
cialized in Bougainvieas. This document is intended
to provide sucient information about bougainvil-
leas that anyone interested in growing them wi
have the necessary knowledge to be successful.
Since George lived in Zone 8 (North Florida), his
knowledge about growing bougainviea was ce-
tered on growing them in pots, baskets and other co-
tainers; thus there is little information regarding
their use in landscaping.
Bougainvilleas grow and bloom in cycles. The
bloom cycle is usually about ,-6 weeks long,
then all the bracts Iall oB. The plant then goes
into a 6-8 week period when no bracts are
produced. Luring this cycle, new leaves/stems
grow. II the plant has been grown properly
(look under Bougainvillea Culture Ior more de-
tails!) then you can expect a new Bush oI
bloom aIter this vegetative" growth cycle.
However, in orth America, bougainvilleas
bloom best in Spring, Fall and \inter - long
day lengths in Summer retard bract Iormation.
In areas close to the equator where day/night
lengths are equal, bougainvilleas tend to be
everblooming.
Introduction
One oI the beauties oI bougainvilleas is the
way they show oB their blooms (actually, their
bracts). In this tutorial, I will strive to give use-
Iul inIormation about growing bougainvillea so
that you may enjoy this wonderIul Bowering
vine.
Since my expertise is in growing bougainviea
in containers and not in the landscape, the i-
formation I provide is centered around growing
in pots, baskets and other type containers.
North America Bougainvillea
Bloom Season
Bougainvilleas' natural habitat is equatorial
where day and night lengths are almost equal.
Bougainvilleas in these areas tend to bloom
year round, but in orth America, best bloom-
ing occurs when the night length and day
length are almost equal (in spring or Iall). In
winter, blooming is better than in the dog days
oI August because oI night length. Also, some
cultivars are triggered to bloom aIter a rainy
season Iollowed by a dry season.
Best Climate for Bougainvillea
Bougainvilleas are tropical and must be pro-
tected Irom Irost. In Zone 8 and cooler, you
are almost limited to growing them in some
kind oI container unless you treat them as an
Annual (plant a new plant outdoors each year)
- which works nne iI you obtain a large plant
in the Spring.
Bougainvilleas thrive in Iull sun. At least ,
hours a day oI Iull sunlight is the minimal light
required Ior good bloom. More hours oI direct
sun is better. Less than , hours and the plant
may not bloom very well. In shade or partial
shade, you will have nice vegetative growth,
but little or no bloom.
Bougainvilleas don't bloom well indoors. II
possible, keep your plant outdoors (in the
maximum sun available). II placed on a porch,
patio or balcony, where the plant receives at
least , hours oI sun each day (aIternoon sun is
best), then it should bloom okay.
A bougainvillea likes high humidity just beIore
it comes into bloom. Once bloom has been ini-
tiated, then it will tolerate less humidity.
Bougainvillea has two distinct growth cycles:
A vegetative growth period Ior several weeks
- when new leaves and stems grow.

II the plant receives enough sunlight the

plant will Iorm buds during this time. II
there is not enough sunlight, the plant
will remain in vegetative cycle.

A blooming period oI several weeks when little

or no vegetative growth occurs.

The length oI time they will bloom is de-

pendent upon the health oI the plant and
the environment they are in, the more
sun and heat, the better. However, long
days and short nights (]uly and August in
Florida) limit a bougainvillea ability to
bloom.
Use your Bougainvillea in different
ways
Many hybrid bougainvillea are suited Ior grow-
ing and being displayed in many diBerent sized
containers. Here is a year old plant in a o"
hanging basket. Try diBerent pots or contain-
ers to grow your bougainvillea. You can keep
this size Ior several years by doing a hard prune
aIter each bloom cycle.
What About the Thorns?
Bougainvilleas have thorns - the thorns are
located at the base oI each leaI and not up and
down the stem like a rose.
A Bougainvillea Flower
The Bower oI a bougainvillea is tube-like and is
insignincant - the bracts surrounding the three
tube Bowers are the prominent show stoppers.
Suitable Containers
Choosing a Container
The image Ior this page is bougainvillea in a -
gallon nursery container. I have successIully
grown bougainvillea in a -gal pot Ior years or
more, so don't rush to repot - the plant will
bloom better when pot-bound. It is important
that you don't place the pot directly on the
ground - in one summer the roots will grow
down into the soil and roots will be damaged
when you liIt the pot - all the Ieeder roots
will be leIt in the ground. I always place a con-
tainer on something other than the ground. Air
will prune the roots and they won't grow out oI
the holes in the bottom oI the pot.
Drainage is Essential
otice the saucers on the pot and also on the
hanging basket. II you use these type contain-
ers, I strongly recommend that you take the
saucer oB - you will damage bougainvillea
roots iI the plant stands in water or the water
can't drain completely Irom the pot.
Try All Kinds of Containers
Cenerally, bougainvillea can be grown in any-
thing that will hold soil and allow proper
drainage. Some oI the more traditionally used
containers include terra cotta (clay) pots, plas-
tic pots, hanging baskets, wire baskets lined
with sphagnum moss or nbrous liners, concrete
planters, planter boxes, whiskey barrels, ,-
gallon buckets, tubs, and bushel baskets. Some
oI these containers are more durable than oth-
ers are.
Lon't limit yourselI to the traditional when it
comes to choosing a container. Be creative!
Choosing a container that nts the look you are
trying to create is halI the Iun oI growing bou-
gainvillea in containers!
z
Some selI-watering containers have been
manuIactured to improve drainage and also
have built-in reservoirs Ior watering plants. It
is important to remember that a bougainvillea
does not tolerate standing in water. \hatever
container you choose, consider these tips:

Drainage: Bougainvillea must have it.

Insulation: Avoid using black containers

in Iull sun.

Large enough:The container must be

large enough to hold the minimum
amount oI soil required Ior mature plants
to grow in.

Weight: \ill it be too heavy to move:

StyroIoam peanuts can be used in the
bottom oI the container rather than nll-
ing it Iully with soil mix.
Potting Soil
Bougainvilleas will thrive in almost any soil as
long as it is well-drained and Iertile. Soils that
work Ior other plants you grow will be nne Ior
your bougainvillea.
Soil Suitable for Bougainvillea
It is important to select a growing medium
that drains well but that will also help keep
plants Irom drying out between waterings.
Keeping containers moist yet well drained is
the most important key to successIul bougain-
villea culture in containers.
To grow beautiIul bougainvilleas a number oI
cultural actions are required. Among these,
perhaps the most important is the type oI
growing medium used. Lue to the relatively
shallow depth and limited volume oI a con-
tainer, growing media must be amended to
provide the appropriate physical and chemical
properties necessary Ior plant growth.
Field soils are generally unsatisIactory Ior
growing bougainvillea in containers. This is
primarily because soils do not provide the
aeration, drainage and water holding capacity
required. To improve this situation several
soil-less" growing media have been developed.
The best growing mixture is one that is soil-
less. Soil-less media are Iree oI any disease
pathogens, insect pests, and weed seeds. They
are also generally lightweight and porous, al-
lowing Ior a well-drained yet moisture-
retentive mix. Premixed growing media are
available Irom garden centers. However, be
careIul not to use peat or peatlite mixes alone.
By themselves, these media tend to become
compacted, too lightweight, and hard to wet.
My greatest problem with peat/peatlite mixes
is when the soil dries completely, the root-ball
will pull away Irom the side oI the pot, and it is
almost impossible to completely wet the soil
again - the water simply runs down the side
oI the container and drains out the bottom. II
your plant dries out and you use this type oI
mix, to rewet it, let the pot sit in a pail oI wa-
ter until the soil ball is completely wet.
Mix Your Own Soil
You can create your own blend oI soil mix by
using peat moss, vermiculite or perlite, sterile
potting soil or composted soil mix, and coarse
builder's sand. ote: Ph oI the soil is very im-
portant. II you mix your own soil, then you
should consider the Iollowing: Bougainvillea
preIer a pH in the 6.o to 6., range.
Some commercially prepared growing mixtures
have an added wetting agent which is a great
help when it comes to planting and watering.
You may also consider adding water-absorbing
polymers or gel" that absorbs and retains up
to oo times its weight in water. Polymers are
nontoxic and last Ior a number oI years beIore
breaking down in the environment.
Here is the mix I used in my nursery Ior bou-
gainvillea:

;o% Horticultural peat moss

zo% Pine Bark (old bark) - In orth Flor-

ida, pine bark is a cheap and readily avail-
able ingredient.

o% River Sand.
The amount oI lime added was always based on
soil testing and it varies.

A commonly used soil-less mixture:

part garden soil (not clay)

part washed builder's sand, perlite, or

pumice

part horticultural peat moss

quart steamed bone-meal per bushel

(8 gallons) oI mixture

pint dolomite lime per bushel oI soil

mix
Mix all ingredients thoroughly by shoveling
them Irom one pile to another at least three
times. Pulverize any large lumps or clods as you
mix. \hen thoroughly mixed add suBcient
water to moisten the mixture and store in a
sheltered spot until you are ready to use it. A
garbage can, wastebasket, or large bucket
makes a handy storage container.
This general potting mixture provides a suit-
able growth medium Ior most container plants,
including vegetables, bedding plants, gerani-
ums, begonias, Iuchsias, and ivies. But, Ior
bougainvillea I Iound that the ;o%peat,
zo%pine bark and o%sand with the amount
oI dolomite lime always depending upon soil
testing - however, you should be able to use
the above mixture with excellent results Ior
your bougainvillea.
BeIore using your mix to repot plants, be sure
it is damp. Totally dry soil mixture is diBcult
to handle and may damage tender roots beIore
the plant is watered.
Sterilizing Soil
It is normally unnecessary or even undesirable
to sterilize potting soils. Carden soils contain
millions oI living organisms benencial to the
soil. They only rarely contain disease organ-
isms that might damage your houseplants.
Young seedlings during the nrst z to weeks oI
growth are the most susceptible to attack by
soil-borne disease organisms. To prevent
damping oB disease on seedlings, it may help
to heat treat the soil used Ior seedling produc-
tion.
The easiest method oI home soil treatment is
with oven heat. Place the container oI soil in
the oven and bake until the center oI the mix
is oF Ior o minutes. \se thermometer to
check. A microwave oven also may be used.
Table 1
Commonly Used Soil-less Mixtures
Volume /
Volume Ratio
Components
z: Peat, Perlite
z:: Peat, Perlite, Vermiculite
:: Peat, Perlite, Vermiculite
z:: Peat, Bark, Sand
z:: Peat, Bark, Perlite
:: Peat, Bark, Sand
Repotting
A pot-bound (roots ll the pot) Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea Roots are Fragile
A bougainvillea has a weak root system and will
bloom best when the roots completely nll the
pot.

Repotting Bougainvillea
A bougainvillea blooms best when pot-bound.
So, do not be tempted to repot unless you
must. I have Iound that it is best to leave the
plant in its original container until the roots
have replaced all oI the soil and you can't keep
the plant well watered. For example, it is not
unusual to grow a bougainvillea in a -gallon
pot Ior or more years.
\hen it is necessary to repot remember that a
bougainvillea has a very delicate root system
and a Iragile root to stem connection. Handle
bougainvillea with care.
I do not recommend root pruning when you
repot your bougainvillea - in Iact, disturb the
roots as little as possible because the plant
might go into shock and take weeks to recover.
For this reason, you should always pot into a
larger container than the old one. For example,
iI the plant has been growing in a 6-inch pot,
then you should report into a 8-inch pot.
\hen repotting bougainvillea remember that
it loves to be pot-bound, so pot into the small-
est container available Ior the purpose you de-
sire.
Fertilizer
Bougainvillea glabra
Fertilizer is Essential
The image Ior this section is bracts oI a bou-
gainvillea glabra. \hen bougainvillea is
healthy, all parts oI the plant - stems, leaves
and bracts will be glossy colored and show
signs oI vigor. Roots will be white. \nderIed
bougainvillea will look the opposite.
Cultivating bougainvilleas is an enjoyable and
rewarding experience. The basic culture is not
diBcult and most plants require only a Iew
minutes oI attention each week once the basic
environmental requirements are satisned. They
do, however, require this minimal care on a
regular basis. Plants are living things and must
be managed so that their liIe-support systems
are continuous.
Feeding Your Bougainvillea
You must Ieed your plant with a balanced Ier-
tilizer, either dry or water soluble. The key is
balance. zo-zo-zo with minor elements works
nne. For the last Iew years, I have used ,-,-,
ca-mg with chelated Iron as my primary Iertil-
izer, II you know the ph oI your water and the
ph oI your soil, you can tailor a specinc Iertil-
ize program. It is very important that the ni-
trogen source oI whatever Iertilize you use is
Irom calcium nitrate. (\rea and ammonium
nitrate both have caused me problems when
Ieeding Bougainvillea) ote: Peters zo-zo-zo
or Miracle-Crow will work just nne.
Plants growing in containers have a limited
volume oI soil Irom which to extract the min-
eral nutrients (Iertilizer) needed Ior growth.
The supply oI nutrients in the containers be-
comes exhausted rapidly iI the plant is actively
growing. Replenish nutrients regularly. The
easiest way is to water the plants with a solu-
tion oI soluble Iertilizer.
Many totally soluble Iertilizers are available in
most garden stores. Since they vary in strength
(percent oI Iertilizer nutrients), dilute or dis-
solve them in your watering can according to
the label directions. Mix only enough oI this
Iertilizer solution to water your container
plants once each time you Iertilize. Fertilize
your bougainvilleas regularly with a soluble Ier-
tilizer. Luring the long days oI the year (Laster
to Thanksgiving) when they are actively grow-
ing, Iertilize about every other week.
,
Feed Less in Winter
Luring the short days oI the year (Thanksgiv-
ing to Laster) Iertilize only every to 6 weeks.
II the plants are totally dormant (no leaves or
buds), do not Iertilize until new growth starts.
Fertilizer tips

Slow or timed release Iertilizers are an

acceptable and desirable way to Iertilize
bougainvillea. Follow label directions.

Plants grow best with small amounts oI

nutrients available to them constantly.

Lo not apply Iertilizers to dry soil.

Lo not over-Iertilize. More is not better.

Plants can be killed. It's better to under-
do than overdo.

Both organic and synthetic Iertilizers are

acceptable sources oI plant nutrients.
Bougainvillea Nutrient /
pH Requirements
A bougainvillea requires itrogen, Phospho-
rous, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium and
Iron plus all the minor elements. But, unless
the ph oI your soil isn't in the proper range,
then tons oI Iertilizer won't help. So when I say
the ph oI the soil is important - it is! Look at
the chart below: ph 6., is the point where most
elements are available.
pH Bar Graph
This bar graph gives the pH ranges at which
plant nutrients will be most available. The
wider the bar, the more available the nutrient.
Calcium, magnesium and potassium-the ex-
changeable bases-are most available at high
pH and unavailable at low pH. itrogen and
sulIur have similar available pH ranges. Iron,
manganese, zinc, and copper are less available
at high pH values. Phosphorus and boron are
unavailable at both low pH and high pH.
Fertilizer Elements
Packaged Iertilizers are required by law to have
the percentages oI nitrogen (), phosphorus
(P), and potassium (K) printed on the bag. You
will see o-o-o or z,-,-o, etc. The numbers
represent the percentage oI each nutrient in
the product, nrst number is Ior nitrogen, the
second Ior phosphorus and, the third Ior po-
tassium.
Many chemical Iertilizers will also contain
trace elements and minor nutrients (minerals
such as calcium, iron, magnesium, etc.), all oI
which are necessary in very small amounts Ior
good plant growth. The label will list the per-
centages oI these micro-elements as well.
For a bag oI Iertilizer with an PK oI o-o-
o, the customer knows that o% oI the bag is
actual Iertilizer, ;o% will be nllers or a car-
rier." It makes good economic sense to buy the
product with the highest total percentage but
remember you must know your plants' needs
nrst. II the percentage is higher, read the in-
structions careIully since you may need to ap-
ply LESS than the manuIacturer recom-
mends!
Nitrogen Provides Growing Power and
Makes Plant Leaves and Stems
Green
itrogen is used to Iorm basic proteins, chlo-
rophyll, and enzymes Ior the plant cells. In
short, a plant can't grow without it.
6
Your plants use the nitrate or nitric Iorm oI
nitrogen immediately because they're soluble.
But over-watering can wash them away. The
ammonium types oI nitrogen will take Irom
two weeks to three months Ior the plant to
use, but won't leach out oI the pot.
\hen using Iertilizers, check the package to
see which kind oI nitrogen you're getting. The
" number oI the -P-K" Iormula will tell
you the percentage oI nitrogen, by weight, in
the mix. A quick release" Iertilizer will con-
tain nitrates so your plant can use them right
away. Slow release" indicates the ammonium
Iorm oI nitrogen. Ammonium nitrate is actu-
ally a halI-and-halI mix oI nitric oxygen (quick
release) and ammonium nitrogen (slow release).
\hen Iertilizing, remember that too much ni-
trogen can be as bad as too little. Plants can
suBer nitrogen burn or grow so much Ioliage
that they never Bower.
Phosphorous Stimulates Budding and
Blooming
Plants need phosphorus to produce Iruits,
Bowers, and seeds. It also helps make your
plants more resistant to disease. Phosphorus
doesn't dissolve like nitrogen. The soil will
hang onto phosphorus, not releasing it into
water.
II you're looking Ior good sources oI phospho-
rus, check the ingredients oI any plant Iood
you buy. The P" number oI the -P-K" Ior-
mula will tell you the percentage oI phospho-
rus, by weight, in the mix. You should also look
Ior ingredients like bone-meal, colloidal phos-
phate, or rock phosphate.
You may also see super-phosphates, a more
soluble Iorm oI phosphorus. Be careIul with
these: OverIeeding with super-phosphates can
actually create phosphorus denciencies be-
cause they wash away too easily (the perils oI a
quick nx").
Potassium Promotes Strong Vigorous
Roots and Resistance to Disease
Potassium is a nutrient your plants need Ior
good internal chemistry. Plants use potassium
to produce the sugars, starches, proteins and
enzymes they need to grow and thrive. Potas-
sium also helps your plants regulate their water
usage, and better withstand the cold.
Other Micro-elements
Your plants need certain trace elements and
nutrients to make the best use oI soil, water,
and air. An important thing to remember
about trace minerals is that plants can't always
use the most common Iorms. II your garden
store supplies them, get the chelated Iorms oI
the trace minerals. Chelated minerals have al-
ready gone through the chemical changes that
make the minerals usable to your plants.
Magnesium (Mg) and Iron (Fe) are the chlo-
rophyll helpers." They're both important to
the plant's production oI chlorophyll. Magne-
sium, in Iact, makes up the core oI the chloro-
phyll molecule. Lolomite lime and epsom salts
are good sources oI magnesium. To supply your
plants with iron, try spraying liquid seaweed or
chelated iron.
Calcium (Ca) and boron (B) are essential Ior
proper water uptake, and both are important
Ior proper cell Iormation. Calcium is present in
gypsum, lime, and oyster shells. Boron is avail-
able in borax and a chelated boron spray.
SulIur (S), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn) are
the catalysts" that help other nutrients such as
nitrogen become usable by your plants. Cyp-
sum and Bowers oI sulIur are good sources oI
sulIur. The others are available in chelated
Iorm, usually as a spray.
Lon't worry - remember, all oI the above can
be Iound in ready made mixes such as peters or
miracle-gro.
;
Deciency Signs
Nitrogen deciency: Older leaves turn a
pale green and the veins are usually a reddish
color. ew growth will be stunted.
Phosphorus deciency: The veins will turn
red to purple and the plant as a whole will look
purplish.
Potassium deciency: Causes the edges oI
older the leaves to be a purple color and the
leaI tips will be a brownish color.
Magnesium deciency: First appears on
older leaves where they turn a spotted yellow
or tan color.
Zinc deciency (rare): \ill look almost like
magnesium but here the leaI will be twisted.
Iron deciency (always one of my great-
est problems): Young growth is stunted and
pale - you'll know its iron iI the veins on the
leaI remain green.
Calcium is another element that I always
had to supplement because oI the sweetness oI
my water... \hen it is dencient, dead areas ap-
pear in young growth and the tips soon die.
How Often to Fertilize
I preIer to Ieed each time I water, but you can
Iertilize weekly, bimonthly, or every other time
you water. II you do it each time you water, use
zoo ppm (about tablespoon oI zo-zo-zo wa-
ter soluble Iertilizer) per gallon oI water. II you
Ieed less oIten, then increase the amount to
oo ppm (z tablespoons per gallon).
\atering
Bougainvillea Eva's Variegata
The image Ior this section is Lva's Variegata -
contributed by Omvery Chong in Malaysia. A
plant this size in a container will required daily
watering. \atering schedules should be based
on several things -- below I will discuss them.
Watering Your Bougainvillea
A healthy bougainvillea in a container, espe-
cially in a hanging basket, will drink a lot oI
water during the warm times oI the year. In
cooler periods or when you bring your bou-
gainvillea indoors Ior the winter, the water re-
quirement will be much less.
I am oIten asked the question - How much wa-
ter: I always have to answer with it VARIES:

Soil type

Root system

Size oI the plant

Air temperature
Soon aIter potting up, the plant may be happy
with one soaking a week. AIter the roots have
developed, the same plant may require water
daily.
My Rule of Thumb About Watering a
Bougainvillea
o plant should be watered iI it doesn't need
it. Likewise, a plant which needs water MUST
be watered immediately. Over watering is as
harmIul as under watering.
I try to inspect my plants daily and experience
has taught me to know the sign oI a bougain-
villea when it is about to wilt. Try to learn Irom
8
the plant, and give it a good soaking just beIore
it reaches the wilt stage.
General Information About Watering
All Container Plants
\atering is the most important (and most oI-
ten abused) cultural practice. Bougainvilleas
must have a continuous and adequate supply oI
water, but they can only absorb water Irom the
soil under certain conditions. First, there must
be a supply oI water in the soil. The soil parti-
cles hold a certain amount oI water too nrmly
Ior the plants to take. The water supply avail-
able to plants is water in excess oI that re-
quired to satisIy the soil itselI.
Second, some air must be in the soil Ior the
plant roots to Iunction and absorb water.
ThereIore, the soil must not contain so much
water that no room is leIt Ior air. A good pot-
ting soil will not hold too much water iI a hole
in the bottom oI the container allows excess
water to drain away.
The diBerence between these two extremes is
called the available water supply. Proper water
management is a watering program that avoids
both extremes and maintains a supply oI avail-
able water at all times. The Iollowing guide-
lines may help you establish a satisIactory wa-
tering schedule.

\se a well-prepared potting soil Ior plant-

ing. This assures a good water-retention
capacity in the soil as well as space Ior
oxygen that plant roots must have.

Always have a drainage hole in containers

so excess water can drain away. This will
prevent over-watering.

\hen watering, use enough water to run

out the drainage hole. This usually assures
you that you have replenished" the avail-
able supply and reduces salt buildup. Lo
not allow pot to sit in excess water. Pour
it away or raise the pot on shims so it is
always above the level oI drained-out wa-
ter in the saucer.

Lo not water on a time schedule.

Allow the soil in the pots to become dry

on the surIace beIore you water again.
This maintains a good balance oI air and
water.

II some plants require Irequent watering,

move them into slightly larger pots (with
correspondingly larger water-holding ca-
pacities).

Some plants like desert cacti and succu-

lents should be watered very cautiously
during the short days oI the year. \ith
the exception oI seedlings and very young
plants, no water is necessary Irom about
mid-ovember to mid-March.

Highly organic soils are diBcult to re-wet

once they dry out. They also tend to
shrink away Irom container sides, allow-
ing water to run down and out the drain-
age holes without actually moistening the
soil. In this case submerge the entire pot
in water until the medium is Iully mois-
tened.

Flush soluble salts Irom pots on a regular

basis, say every 6 months.

Chlorine in tap water will not harm

plants.

Fluoride in tap water can damage sensi-

tive plants.
j
\inter Protection
Bougainvillea Small Leaf Purple
Bougainvillea is NOT Frost Hardy
This plant requires winter protection. A bou-
gainvillea may be killed iI the temperature re-
mains below Ireezing Ior hours. A light Irost
will not kill the plant, but within a day aIter
the Irost, all the leaves and bracts will Iall oB.
In this case, the plant will re-grow iI not sub-
jected to more Irosts Ior longer duration.
Winter Protection for Bougainvillea
It is not unusual Ior a bougainvillea to be Iull
oI bloom when it comes time to move it in-
doors Ior winter. Almost immediately aIter
bringing a plant like this (Iull oI bloom) inside,
all the bracts will Iall oB and most oI the leaves
will eventually Iall oB as well. I recommend
that you do a hard prune beIore moving it in-
doors
This is the above bougainvillea aIter doing a
hard prune. This should be done beIore mov-
ing the plant indoors Ior the winter.
\hy I recommend a Hard Prune"

Bougainvillea is a vine and new growth

(aIter a prune) starts one or two leaI-buds
below the cut and not up and down the
entire branch. By doing a hard" prune,
next spring, when the plant re-grows it
will be Iuller Irom the base up. Most reI-
erence to pruning bougainvillea I have
Iound on the web is applicable more to
non-vining plants where new branches
grow up and down the stem aIter a pinch
- vines or climbing plants tend to grow
only one or two branches Irom the leaI-
buds just below the cut aIter pruning.

II you like the shape oI your plant now,

then you may not even want to prune be-
Iore moving it indoors. ext spring it will
hold the same shape, just grow larger.
But, iI is not quiet the shape you desire or
is overgrown, then it is best to do a hard
prune.
II you have planted your bougainvillea in the
soil outdoors and want to dig it up and move it
indoors Ior the winter, expect the plant to go
into dormancy sooner than iI it had been in a
container - the root damage as a result oI
digging will be the cause rather than the cool
weather - but the plant should survive this
kind oI transplanting.
o
Where to Place Your Bougainvillea
While Indoors
Any space which doesn't Ireeze will be nne Ior
your bougainvillea while indoors. II you put
your plant in a high light area which remains
warm during the winter nights, it may not go
into dormancy and will be in better shape once
Spring comes. II the spot you have doesn't have
much light and stays cool during the day, then
expect the plant to go into dormancy.
I received an email Irom a long time bougain-
villea grower who puts his bougainvillea in the
garage just beIore the nrst Irost/Ireeze, waters
just enough to keep the roots Irom drying out
and then when the nights warm in the Spring,
moves his bougainvillea back outside.
While Indoors, Dormancy May Occur
AIter a Iew weeks indoors bougainvillea may
go into dormancy and all the leaves will Iall oB.
\hile indoors, water very little, just keep the
soil slightly damp.
When Spring Returns
AIter the nights warm in the Spring, move
your bougainvillea outside and start watering
and Iertilizing. In a Iew weeks, new growth
should appear and soon bloom should start
again.
A Greenhouse is Nice
II you have a greenhouse, then your bougainvil-
lea will reward you with bloom all winter. You
wouldn't have to prune as above - just move
the plant Irom outside into the greenhouse.
II you are interested in a hobby greenhouse,
check out the Hobby Creenhouse Association.
Propagating
Bougainvillea Surprise, Photo by Anthony Davis
The image Ior this page is Surprise. This culti-
var, like so many oI the other bougainvilleas
being cultivated today resulted in what we call
a bud" sport (a stem that is diBerent than the
other stems oI the mother plant). To reproduce
this bougainvillea - asexual propagation is re-
quired - rooting a cutting. Below I explain how
to do this.
Propagating Bougainvillea is Fun
So many oI the bougainvilleas being cultivated
today resulted in what we call a bud" sport (a
stem that is diBerent than the other stems oI
the mother plant). To reproduce this bougain-
villea - asexual propagation is required - root-
ing a cutting. Below I explain how to do this.
Ways for Propagating Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea may be propagated by seed, cut-
ting, laying or tissue culture. It is commonly
believed that bougainvillea hybrids are sterile
and only the species may be propagated by
seed. I am still researching this and will be up-
dating as required
I will only discuss propagating by cutting here.
You may root bougainvillea by either hard-
wood" soItwood" or leaI bud" cuttings. II you
would like to try rooting in late spring or early
summer (or as long as night temps remain ,,
degrees or warmer), it is best to use soItwood

cuttings. II you want to root during Iall and

winter (when night temps are cooler than
above), hardwood cuttings will probably work
best.
Bougainvillea Stem Cutting
Take a bougainvillea stem and cut into sec-
tions. This is what we call a soItwood cutting"
- the leaves remain on the cutting. A hard-
wood cutting" is one where the stem is bare
(without leaves).
Here is what a cut section looks like:
A container nlled with rooting soil with two
cuttings stuck nrmly into the soil:
Rooting Environment
Commercial growers usually use either mist or
Iog to root their bougainvillea. For home root-
ing, a or " pot nlled with sandy peat covered
with something like a plastic sandwich bag and
placed in shade should work. Keep the soil
moist during the rooting period. Your object is
to maintain a very high percent oI humidity
around the cutting until roots strike. SoItwood
cutting 'stuck' in May or early ]une should be
rooted by the end oI August. Hardwood cut-
tings will usually take or months.
Here is a good idea to try Ior home rooting
bougainvilleas:
A plastic bag alone can serve as a propagation
environment. Simply place some moist propa-
gation medium in the bottom oI the bag, insert
the cuttings, and tie the top oI the bag closed.
Special Tips
For bougainvillea, the tip cutting doesn't work
very well. The soIt leaves in the tip are subject
to various diseases and rot oIten occurs when
using this type cutting. Additionally, once
rooted, only stem will grow and pinching will
be required to initiate more stem breaks. You
may use the tips, but I always discard the tips
(throw them away).
z
Subterminal stem cutting
For bougainvillea, the sub-terminal cutting has
always worked best Ior me. This type cutting is
stronger and will ward oB disease problems.
Also, new stems will usually grow Irom each
leaI bud and less pinching is required to obtain
a nicely branched bougainvillea when using
this type cutting.
II you don't have enough stem material to root,
you may use a leaI-bud cutting l but you should
have better rooting percentages using the sub-
terminal cutting.
Leaf-bud cutting
Pruning / Pinching
Bougainvillea Seafoam
By pinching I mean, cutting oB a part oI the
plant stem(s). \ith bougainvillea, we use the
terms soIt" pinch and hard" pinch - below I
will try to explain these methods oI pruning.
Pruning Bougainvillea
\nless you stop a vine like this, it will continue
to grow outward. You must pinch in order to
promote a more bushy plant.
Soft Pinch
A soIt pinch is removing the soIt" or tender
tip oI new growth Irom a branch.
A soIt pinch is used most oIten on young ten-
der stems to promote side shoot branching.
Most bougainvillea cultivars will send out or z
new stems aIter a pinch - Irom the leaI-buds
just below the cut.
Hard Pinch
A hard pinch is removing most oI a branch
Irom the plant.
A hard pinch is taken when you want to con-
trol the growth oI stems which have gotten

out-oI-hand (to maintain the shape you desire)

or any time you want to obtain a bushy Iorm.
For hanging baskets, I always cut back hard at
least once a year (it doesn't harm the plant to
cut back hard aIter each bloom cycle)...this al-
ways helped the plant bush out wonderIully.
When to Pinch
Bougainvilleas may be pruned at any
time of the year. Bloom initiation does not
depend upon pruning - a bougainvillea has a
bloom cycle Iollowed by a rest period whether
pruned or not.
Young plants should be pinched oIten to pro-
duce a bushy large plant. Most bougainvillea
cultivars tend to grow without producing side
shoots.
I always soIt pinch out the tip oI any liner"
(baby plant) that I am potting up, then or ,
weeks later, soIt pinch out the tips oI all stems
on the plant. II the plant hasn't nlled out aIter
another or , weeks, I pinch it again. Some
cultivars will branch better than others. Lo
not be aIraid to pinch a bougainvillea - the
more you do the better the plant will branch.

II I want to grow a Standard" bougainvil-

lea, then I do not pinch (see section
about how to grow a Standard).
AIter you have a bushy plants, it is best to
prune Ior shape. For container bougainvillea, I
preIer to prune all my pots or baskets back to
the edge oI the container aIter blooming has
stopped. This keeps them compact and causes
a beautiIul basket or pot to be a spectacular
sight the next time they bloom. Prune your
bougainvillea and you'll be rewarded Ior the
eBort.
A Picture of What I Mean
Here is the idea behind how I prune aIter
blooming - \se your minds-eye and imagine
that the below images have no blooms.
Before
After
When to Hard Prune
I recommend that you should do a hard prune
when you need to contain growth or when you
are preparing to move your bougainvillea in-
doors Ior the winter . The SoIt Prune" isn't
recommended Ior bougainvillea (or any vine
type plant) \LLSS you are trying to obtain a
special Iorm, such as a espalier or you want a
bushier plant . \hen new growth appears, the
plant will be top heavy and completely out oI
Iorm.
These images do not apply to pinching" young
plants as noted above.

Hard Prune
Soft Prune
Crow a Basket
Bougainvillea in a Hanging Basket
The image Ior this section is a basket oI bou-
gainvillea taken at night.
Bougainvilleas Love to be Grown in a
Hanging Basket
To grow a basket you M\ST prune oIten.
This started as one small liner. Two years later,
it was well shaped with branches radiating
Irom the center oI the basket outward in all
directions. This is z-/z years aIter planting.
Lven a basket or winter protection indoors, I
recommend a hard prune when you move it
indoors Ior the winter. (You don't have to do
this, but it is diBcult to manage a basket like
this indoors during the winter without cutting
it back hard.)
Growing a Bougainvillea Basket
I like to start with a o-inch hanging basket
similar to this.
,
\se whatever type you have or like. A bougain-
villea grows well in this cheap plastic type. II
grown properly, the basket will be hidden and
doesn't serve a decorative Iunction when the
plant is in bloom.

For Bougainvillea, I do not recommend

using wire-Irame baskets that require lin-
ers. Bougainvilleas in baskets are long-
term and pretty rugged plants Ior this
type basket.
This is a bougainvillea liner which proIessional
growers generally use.
Most small bougainvillea on the market Ior re-
tail customers will be in " pots or even -gal
containers . Immediately on planting - I re-
move the tip (pinch out the tip). Then about
weeks later, I pinch out the tips oI the new
branches resulting Irom the initial pinch.
Again, in about weeks, I remove all the tips
Irom all the new growth resulting Irom the
second pinch. \sually, this will be enough to
get the plant branching similar the the image
below.
II you can obtain a plant in a 6-inch pot then
you gain about 6-8 months over the liner size
plant.
A basket oI Iull size may be grown in one sea-
son (May, ]une and ]uly) iI you start with a
plant such as the 6-inch.
This is assuming that you plant the 6-inch pot
plant into the basket no later than March ,th
and pinch out the tips. II you start with a small
liner then it will take at least z growing season
to reach Iull size.
6
Notes about Pinching / Pruning
A bougainvillea, like most vining type plants,
will continue to grow outward without sending
out side branches Irom each leaI-bud point un-
less the stem is pinched. II you want one long
stem, then don't pinch out the tip. But Ior
hanging baskets, the Iorm desired requires
pinching.
By pinching out the tip, this image illustrates
what I mean. From my experience, most bou-
gainvillea cultivars will send out new stems
Irom z to leaI-buds (usually only z) below the
cut. So it is important when growing a basket,
not to wait Ior the branches to grow very Iar
beyond the basket edge beIore you remove all
the tips - otherwise, the growth will be bare
in the center oI the basket and the growth will
be misshaped and not very attractive.
This image attempts to show you the break-
points Ior new growth aIter a pinch. I show
three, but don't be surprised when your bou-
gainvillea sends out just new stem (Irom the
leaI-bud nearest the cut). This is why it is im-
portant to keep pinching as new growth occurs
so that you can create the cascading basket you
desire.
;
have leaI nodes, then soIt pinch these when
each branch has two leaI nodes.
It is possible to grow a bougainvillea standard
within z- years. A good stake is needed until
the trunk is thick enough to support the crown
- this may take several years.
Crow a Standard
Bougainvilleas are Highly Suitable for
Standards
The above images show a single-stem standard
and a -stem standard. Bougainvilleas are per-
Iect Ior training either way. ote the high-
lighted area in the Barbara Karst image. Start
your multi-stem standards just above the soil
line and allow z, or even canes to grow.
Growing a Bougainvillea Standard
The most critical part oI creating a bougainvil-
lea standard is Iorming a strong, straight stem.
Line up the stake next to the stem, and push it
down into the soil to the bottom oI the pot.
Luring the growing period, most people use
twist-ties to secure the stem to the stake every
Iew inches . For display, the twist-ties may be
replaced with raBa or ribbons. Tie the stem to
the stake at several places. Lon't twist too
tightly - the stem needs space to grow. II the
stem is slightly bent, you may have to twist the
tie more nrmly to hold the stem in place until
it adapts" to its new Iorm. Make the twist on
the stake side - not on the stem side - to
avoid damaging the stem.
Bougainvilleas generally look better at or
Ieet tall.
I used to remove all Ioliage Irom the stem as
soon as I could, but this slowed plant growth-
there wasn't enough leaI surIace to photosyn-
thesize Iood Ior the plant. It is best to wait un-
til you start Iorming the head to remove Ioli-
age and thorns.
\hen the stem is within a Iew inches oI the
height you want your mature standard to be,
pinch out the growing tip (inside the rectangle
area in image). ow is the time to remove the
thorns, leaves and any lateral shoots Irom the
stem.
Keep pruning to encourage branching, \se a
soIt pinch (see Pruning/Pinching iI you don't
understand what a soIt pinch is) aIter branches
8

BRACTS are magenta to pink and

rounded. They may have some distortion
or wrinkling.

THORNS are short and Iairly straight.

FLOWERS are yellow.

HABIT is lanky with nice green leaves.

ot as vigorous as some hybrids but re-
quires pruning to promote branching.
May bloom several times a year iI allowed
to experience a dry period between
Bushes.

REMARKS: B. peruviana is the most

stable species and there is little variation
in the general shape oI bracts and leaves
Irom seeds. A representative plant oI this
species might show long branches, some-
times bare oI leaves in the juvenile stage.
The bracts will usually be small, wrinkled
and a pale pink. It is easier to distinguish
peruviana Irom the other two.
Bougainvillea spectabilis - This was the
nrst member oI the Iamily to be identined.
\illdenow is credited with this identincation
in ;j8. This species is noted Ior its hairy
leaves and stems.

LEAVES are large and mostly ovate.

They may show some rippling along the
edges and hairs can be seen underneath.

BRACTS are usually in shades oI red,

shades oI dark pink or shades oI purple.

THORNS are large and may be curved.

FLOWERS are usually cream colored.

HABIT is dense and the bracts appear

up and down the branches. The bloom
cycle is seasonal: during the dry season or
as a result oI a cool spell which will trig-
ger it to bloom.

REMARKS: Very similar to glabra ex-

cept as noted above.
Botanical
Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea species
Bougainvillea glabra - It is thought that
this climbing evergreen member oI the Iamily
was nrst identined by Choisy about 8,o.

LEAVES are elliptical in shape and usu-

ally display a glossy sheen. May be green
or variegated. Basically it is glabrous, but
you may nnd some puberulence.

BRACTS come in many diBerent sizes

and shapes. \sually they are triangular in
shape and the colors are in shades oI pur-
ple or mauve. \hite is also common. The
bracts tend to appear all along the
branches and at the tips.

THORNS are small and curved at the

tips.

FLOWERS are white to cream colored.

HABIT is usually spreading and the

green leaI types are Iairly Iast growing.
Blooms several times a year.

REMARKS: \hen grown Irom seeds,

B. glabra may show more variation in size,
bract shapes, color than the other spe-
cies, but the colors are pretty much in the
mauve-purple shades or white. It should
be noted that B. glabra and B. spectabilis
are very much alike in general appear-
ance, the main diBerences are the bloom
cycle and glabra is hairless while specta-
bilis is hairy. Both species may show wide
variations in structure when grown Irom
seed.
Bougainvillea peruviana - It is thought
that this climbing evergreen member was nrst
identined by Humbolt around 8o. This spe-
cies is noted Ior its green colored bark.

LEAVES are strongly ovate and hairless.

\sually they are long and thin.
j

FLOWERS are almost white.

HABIT is well branched and thick. The

cultivar Sanderiana" is a representative
hybrid. Repeat bloomer.
Variegated Bougainvillea
This information provided by Omvery Chong
tiger1@tm.net.my om Seremban N. Sembilan, Wes
Malaysia: I am indebted to Omvery for his help i
several areas of this web site and his wiingness to
share his knowledge with us.
Variegated cultivars can be generally catego-
rized into z groups.

The rst group of variegated culti-

vars will have their veins, thorns,
leaf stalks and stems green in color, a
representative cultivar would be Rasp-
berry Ice". This group oI variegated culti-
vars usually has uniIorm variegation Ior
example just cream along the edge oI the
green leaI. All bougainvillea species can
have this green leaIstalk variegated bud-
sport and they usually come in a series oI
colors, such as the Ratana Series" which
has red, mauve, orange, pink, yellow, pur-
ple and white or the ]amaica Series".
They are easier to look aIter and can be
easily propagated by cutting.

The other group will have gold or

yellow color veins, thorns, leaf stalks
and leaf stems. They usually take longer
time to Iorm the woody tissues and
Thimma" is the representative cultivar.
They are slower in growing, required ex-
tra attention as they are more prone to
leaI spot. However, their variegation is
more impressive, ranging Irom Iew gold
or cream spots and streaks to large irregu-
lar patches oI green and gold. They are
harder to propagate by cutting and thus
usually sold Ior higher price. Tiger",
Queen Marble", Strawberry", Red Sep-
tember" etc are some oI the representa-
tive cultivars oI this group oI cultivar in
Malaysia. Customers are always as-
tounded when looking at their leaves.
Bougainvillea Hybrid Groups -
(Inter-species)

Bougainvillea X buttiana
(glabra X peruviana)

Bougainvillea X spectoperuviana

Bougainvillea X spectoglabra
Bougainvillea X buttiana

LEAVES are large and mostly ovate.

Some slight hairs on upper and lower
sides. Sometimes may be heart shaped.

BRACTS are usually rounded in shades

oI red, shades oI dark pink or shades oI
red.

THORNS are straight and short.

FLOWERS are usually cream with

some pink tones being displayed. The
tube may be the same color as the bract.

HABIT is open and requires pruning to

promote a bushy appearance. Repeat
bloomer.

REMARKS: The original discovery oI

this hybrid was made by Mrs R. Butt in a
garden in Trinidad. In the \K it was nrst
named Mrs Butt". Later when propa-
gated in the \S it was called Crimson
Lake" and now I am sure it has a dozen
other names as well.
Bougainvillea X spectoperuviana

LEAVES are large, dark green and

ovate. These hybrids are usually hairless.

BRACTS are coppery red in the juvenile

stage turning to diBerent shades oI ma-
genta or pink as they age.

THORNS are straight.

FLOWERS are cream colored.

HABIT is large growing and spreading.

Repeat bloomer.
Bougainvillea X spectoglabra

LEAVES are small and dark green.

BRACTS are in shades oI mauve or

purple.

THORNS are numerous and curved.

zo
Chili Lelight", which has distorted bracts and
leaves. On the other hand, they are Iar less at-
tractive than the yellow-leaIstalk variegated
cultivar but easier to look aIter than them.
All species and hybrids oI bougainvillea can
give rise to such bud-sport and thus, there are
many oI them in Malaysia. From B.glabra culti-
vars such as Mrs. Lva" to the inter-specinc
hybrids such as ]uanita Hatten", there is a
wide collection oI such Lipline" cultivars but
many nurserymen do not list them as one oI
their commercial cultivar list.
New Bougainvillea from Seed
Seed oI bougainvillea is available in some parts
oI the world, namely Irom (Asia or AIrica), but
it has been reported that these seed are pri-
marily Irom the species". Although, it is
commonly thought that most Bougainvillea
hybrids are sterile", there is a lot that we must
learn beIore we can say Ior a Iact that they are
sterile":
It has been reports that the hybrid Mrs
Butt" (B. x buttiana) has produced seed in
Kenya but not in India. In like manner,
Mrs Lva" (a hybrid with the dominant
parent as B. glabra) produces seed in Ma-
laysia
Seed production in bougainvillea is primarily a
result oI the mother plant being grown in the
ideal climate and under certain environmental
situations. In Malaysia and surrounding areas,
it is easier to get certain hybrids to set seed
than in other areas oI the world. However,
even here it is not easy to get seed to set:
The Iollowing was received Irom Omvrey
Chong Irom Malaysia:
I have B. glabra plants grown Irom seeds
oI natural pollination. However, I must
admit that the natural pollination Ior B.
glabra is very low in hot countries espe-
cially with similar climate as Malaysia. B.
glabra cultivars such as 'Mrs. Lva', which
has long lasting mauve bracts can set seed
and is used Ior cross breeding purpose as
seed parent.
However, this group oI cultivar usually
have limited color range, Ior example
some variegated plants would only have
red color bracts.
There is another group oI variegated cultivar
called Lipline" in Malaysia which we have
stopped planting. They are bud-sports of
the green-leafstalk variegated cultivars,
hence we can take it Ior granted that whenever
we see such cultivar, there will be a true varie-
gated variety oI that cultivar.
I am not sure whether they ought to be
grouped as variegated cultivars because though
they have leaves with z shades oI green (a
lighter yellow green patch in the centre oI the
dark green leaI blade), they are not prominent
at all (they give just a slightly variegated look).
It is only by close examination that such slight
variegation can be noticed, as the variegation
will become less distinct when leaves age.
Thence, by looking Irom Iar, this group oI
bougainvillea is all green-leaI type.
They are slower to develop because they have
yellow veins, yellow thorns, yellow leaI stalks
and yellow leaI stems. Lespite the Iact that
they are mutant, they do not have high aes-
thetic value. They are actually in between the
green-leaIstalk variegated cultivar and the
yellow-leaIstalk variegated cultivar.
\hen a green-leaIstalk variegated cultivar
produces the Lipline" bud-sport, the Li-
pline" bud-sport can mutate Iurther to become
a yellow-leaIstalk variegated cultivar. \hen
this happens, the new mutated Lipline" will
usually have more attractive variegation such
as distorted leaI with striking splotches. OI
course, it is very time consuming to reach such
evolution and even when the Lipline" has
evolved, there is big possibility Ior it to revert
back to the Lipline" type.
The Lipline" bud-sports are harder to grow
than the green-leaIstalk variegated cultivar but
produce more bracts than them. They usually
come in a series oI color just like the true
variegated green-leaIstalk cultivars. However,
they do not come in distorted shape except
z
arise. This is why there are many variegated
bud-sports oI 'Llizabeth Angus' and 'Mrs.
Lva'. These two cultivars are the most oI-
ten grown varieties by our local nursery-
men. Pollution is also another Iactor that
gives rise to variegated bud-sport. Various
Iorm oI pollution especially chemical pollu-
tion cause the genetics oI the plant to be-
come unstable and hence mutate. Most oI
these bud-sports are discovered acciden-
tally by nurserymen."
Bougainvillea Writing Lists
There is little 'in-depth' resources on the web
Ior Bougainvillea. A bougainvillea bibliography
has been compiled by:
Lr. ]eB orcini, Mr. ]udd Butler, and Ms.
Lucy Rogers
\niversity oI Florida/IFAS
orth Florida Research and Lducation
Center
Rt. , Box ojz
Monticello, Florida z
http://nIrec.iIas.uB.edu/
However, out oI in-numerous times oI ex-
periments, there was only one hybrid pro-
duced in Malaysia, which has mauve bicol-
ored bracts, named 'Lva's Ice-cream'. I
tried to breed them several times but not
succeeded, I guess good luck is needed be-
side determination ..."
II you are lucky enough to get a bougainvillea
hybrid to set seed, it should take about o days
Ior the pod to ripen and then germination is
Iairly quick and easy. Seed are reported to be
viable Ior up to a year or more.
New Bougainvillea from Mutations
All species and hybrids oI bougainvillea can
give rise to mutations or bud-sports and give us
an entirely new cultivar.
It appears that in countries where bougainvil-
lea are native, mutations occur more readily
than in the temperate zones. For example my
Iriend in Malaysia provided this inIormation
about mutations:
\herever large numbers oI plants are
propagated, variegated bud-sports will
zz
Bougainvillea Cultivars
- A Comprehensive List
Red Shades
Name Description
Barbara Karst Large bright red bracts. A most popular standby that always perIorms
well. Almost constant bloomer.
Cinderella Louble red . Leaves are edged in white-yellow variegation. Repeat
bloomer.
Crimson Rich red. Low spreading bush type. Very slow growing.
Louble Red Leep red. Cluster oI BuBy bracts over nice green leaves.
Helen ]ohnson A dwarI red . Compact and bushy grower. Branches Ireely.
]uanita Hatten Red . Foliage may be slightly variegated in shades oI green. Branches
Ireely.
]amaica Red Purple-red bracts. Hugh grower.
La ]olla Red bracts. Compact. Very much like Barbara Karst.
Laidlaw Red to peach bracts. This is a spectabilis cultivar. ormally only sea-
sonal bloom.
Mrs L. \. Bick Bright red. This is a spectabilis cultivar. ormally only seasonal
bloom.
Kayata Red. This is small plant may be grown as a dwarI. Repeat bloomer.
Killie Campbell Red. Large bracts, excellent trailing growth. Repeat bloomer.
Mrs Butt Red to peach bracts. This is a buttiana cultivar. Large repeat bloomer.
Poulton Red. This is a dwarI type. Repeat bloomer.
Raspberry Ice Red. Varigated Ioliage. Slow grower. Repeat bloomer.
Scarlet O'Hara Purple-red bracts. Hugh grower. eeds large container to do well.
Temple Fire Brick red bracts. Cood branching habit. May be grown as a dwarI.
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Name Description
Thomasi Bright red. This is a spectabilis cultivar. ormally only seasonal
bloom.
Turley's Special Bright red. This is a spectabilis cultivar. ormally only seasonal
bloom.
Pink Shades
Name Description
Louble Pink Hugh clusters oI bright pink. Repeat bloomer.
]ames \alker Large pink to reddish orange. Very nice tri-colored eBect. Large
plant.
Mary Palmer Pink and white bracts on same plant. Tends to revert to all pink.
Miami Pink Lark pink bracts. Loes best in the landscape.
Pink Pixie True miniature. Small pink bracts. Cood Ior small pots.
Singapore Pink Pinkish lavender. This is a glabra cultivar. Repeat bloomer.
Surprise Free blooming pink which may sport white Bowers.
Tango Pink to red to orange. Pictrure oI this one reminds me oI ]ames
\alker. Repeat bloomer.
Tropical Bouquet Orange but quickly becomes pink.
Vicky Pink bracts. LeaI centers creamy yellow - some white bracts may be
sported.
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Orange Shades
Name Description
Alabama Sunset Orange-gold Bowers, older bracts light pink
CaliIornia Cold Large gold bracts. Can be considered as yellow in some environ-
ments.
Coral Opens with coral orange bracts maturing to pink. Vigorous growth
habit.
Louble Orange Orange to pink bracts, sometimes speckled with touches oI red.
FreckleIace Coral orange. Variegated Foliage speckled with yellow. Repeat
bloomer.
Cwyneth Portland Coppery orange. May be grown as a dwarI. Repeat bloomer.
Hawaiian Cold Cold to gold-pink. This is a buttiana cultivar. Repeat bloomer.
Hugh Lvans Pale orange bracts, Iading to pale pink. Compact habit.
Isobel Creensmith Pink to orange bracts. Loose growth habit, responses well to prun-
ing.
]amaica Orange Orange bracts. Occasionally, leaves will show golden blotches but
mostly the leaves will remain green.
Mrs. McClean Coppery Orange. This is a buttiana cultivar. Repeat bloomer. Sport
oI Mrs Butt
Rainbow Cold Pastel orange bracts, good orange bloomer.
Rosenka ew bracts orangish gold maturing to pink. Can be classed as
dwarI because oI slow compact growth.
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White Shades
Name Description
Alba \hite. This is a glabra cultivar. Repeat bloomer. Responds well to
pruning.
Apple Blossom \hite with pink edge. This is a buttiana cultivar. I've read where
it is slow to bloom.
Louble \hite Large clusters oI white bracts, sometimes edged with pink.
Penelope \hite. This may be called Mary Palmer's Lnchantment. Repeat
bloomer. \nder some environmental conditions bracts show some
pink.
Colden Summer \hite. Variegated yellow-gold Ioliage. Repeat bloomer.
]amaica \hite \hite bracts. Vigorous grower. Requires age to bloom well.
SeaIoam \hite bracts. Rapid grower but can be used in containers.
Summer Snow Pure white and excellent Ior wedding situations.
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Purple Shades
Name Description
Brasiliensis Lavender purple bracts. Compact and well branched growth
habit.
Lr. Lavid Barry Large lavender bracts. Fine Ior containers.
Llizabeth Angus Leep purple bracts. Can suBer leaI problems iI allowed to remain
in wet humid situations.
Formosa Light purple. This is a glabra cultivar. Repeat bloomer. Bracts
tend to Iade to brown and remain on the plant. Old bracts should
be removed Ior best show.
]ohn Lattin Lavender. This is a glabra cultivar. Repeat bloomer. Requires
pruning to shape.
Mrs Lva Mauve. Compact, prolinc bloomer with long lasting bracts. Re-
peat bloomer.
Magninca Purple. This is a glabra cultivar. Repeat bloomer. In Latin America
know as 'Bor de verano'.
Pride oI Zimbabwe Light purple bracts. This is a spectabilis cultivar. ormally only
seasonal bloom.
Royal Purple Lark purple bracts. Cood replacement Ior Llizabeth Angus in
humid areas.
Sanderiana Purple bracts. Small dark green leaves. Cood repeat bloomer.
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Varigated Bougainvillea Irom Malaysia
The Iollowing impressive list oI varigated bougainvillea was received Irom my Iriend, Omvrey
Chong in Malaysia and I am very glad to put them on this page, verbatium. (Omvrey Chong may be
contacted at tigerCtm.net.my).
B.spectabilis cultivars
Name Description
Queen Margaret BeautiIul variegated Iorm oI Rosa Catalina". Variegations
in diBerent sizes and shades splashed cream and green on
the leaves. However, this cultivar is rather shy Bowering in
Malaysia.
B.glabra cultivars
Name Description
Hati Cadis Large bright purple bracts with green and white variega-
tion. A bud sport oI Llizabeth Angus".
Hati Cadis II Another bud-sport oI Llizabeth Angus" with green and
yellow leaves. It is much prettier than the green and white
Hati Cadis".
Malaysia Indah Another bud-sport oI Llizabeth Angus" with gold and
green splashed leaves. A terrinc cultivar because it gives
contrasting colors in the garden.
Purple Cem A small variegated variety with small bright purple bracts.
Though this is a B.glabra cultivar, it is rather shy Bowering.
Langer Ivy A variegated cultivar with beautiIul cream and green leaves.
Bracts are pink and will only bloom during extreme dry sea-
son. It has a very vigorous growth habit but not very popu-
lar in Malaysia because this cultivar hardly bloom.
Senjakala A variegated B.glabra cultivar with purple bracts. The Bow-
ering period seems to be seasonal.
]arum Another bud sport oI Llizabeth Angus" but with yellow
leaves splashed with green markings. Leaves and bracts are
distorted. Thorn small but very close.
Proton Saga Leaves gold but splashed with green dots. Bracts hang in
drooping panicles, palest lavender-pink. Lrect growth con-
ditions. A bud-sport oI Singapore Beauty".
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Name Description
\hite Proton Saga A bud-sport oI Proton Saga" with splashed leaves and pure
white bracts.
Magnincent Barry Bud-sport oI Variegated Singapore Beauty with green and
yellow variegated leaves.
Ms. Alice's Coat A bud sport oI Singapore \hite" with green and yellow
variegation and pure white bracts.
Colden Lady Bud-sport oI Magnincent Barry" but with all gold colored
leaves.
Mrs. Lva Variegata A light mauve bracts with white and green leaves. Very Iree
Bowering.
Mrs. Lva Variegata- \hite A bud-sport oI variegated Mrs. Lva" but with white bracts.
Mrs. Lva Variegata- Purple A bud sport oI variegated Mrs. Lva" but with purple
bracts.
Lva's Ice-cream Variegated Iorm oI Mrs. Lva's" . Bracts are bi-colored with
light mauve and white. Very Iree Bowering also.
Lva's Ice-cream Highlight A variegated bud-sport oI Lva's Ice-cream" but leaves are
cupped up and much smaller than Lva's Ice-cream". The
bi-colored bracts are oI a darker mauve shade with white
color and are much smaller than the original cultivar.
Lva's \onder Same characteristics as Mrs. Lva" but bracts are purple in
color. Leaves are green and yellow in variegation. Old leaves
are sometimes all green.
Mrs. Lva II Same Ieatures like Mrs. Lva Variegata" but with green and
yellow variegation.
Mrs. Lva Variegata- \hite II Same Ieatures as Mrs. Lva Variegata- \hite" but with
green and yellow variegation.
Mrs. Lva's Ice-cream Highlight II Another bud sport oI Mrs. Lva's Ice cream Highlight". The
leaves are green but the edges is yellow.
Ratana Mauve" (Mauve ButterBy) Leaves are greyish in color and distorted. Bracts are mauve
and also distorted in hanging manner. Very Iree Bowering.
Bud-sport oI Mrs. Lva".
Ratana \hite (\hite ButterBy) A pure white distorted bract variety with distorted greyish
leaves.
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Name Description
Ratana Purple (Purple ButterBy) Leaves are distorted with many wrinkles. Bracts are purple
in colored. It should be a bud-sport oI Llizabeth Angus".
Angus Supreme Creen leaves edged with gold. Bracts are purple and some-
how sticking together. A bud-sport oI Llizabeth Angus".
Sweet Lream A bud sport oI Sanderiana". Leaves are all gold in color,
bracts are pale lavender. A thornless variety.
Snow \hite Another bud sport oI Mrs. Lva- \hite" with cream leaves
splashed with green marking. Free Bowering variety.
Mini \hite Leaves are small and variegated. Bracts are longer but small
and are white in colored. A shy Bowering variety.
Lva's Heart BeautiIul variegated cultivar with white bracts that blended
with pink shade.
B. x buttiana cultivars
Name Description
Batik Yellow Variegated leaves. Yellow bracts.
Cautama's Red Leaves are gold splashed with green, thick texture and
cupped up. Bracts are nery red. Very beautiIul. Bud-sport
oI Mrs.Butt".
Cautama Batik A green and white variegated variety oI Mrs.Butt".
Hujan Panas- Pink (Pink Fantasy) A pink variety oI Hujan Panas". Bud-sport oI Texas
Lawn".
Hujan Panas II- Pink Pink bracts but leaves are decorated with gold dots that
gathered in the central oI leaves.
o
Spectoperuviana hybrids
Name Description
Thimma (Vicky) Bracts are bicolored and leaves have a large splash oI gold
in the centre oI each. Bracts are pink and white. Bud-sport
oI Mary Palmer".
Makris" (Ice-cream) Bud-sport oI Mary Palmer" with bi-colored bracts. \hen
bracts are pink, it shows some white pigmentation and
vice versa.
Magic Makris (Magic Ice-cream Bud sport oI Makris" with leaves has gold splash in cen-
tral. Bracts are oI soIter pink and white
Inter- specic hybrids
Name Description
inja Turtle (Sirih ]unjung Batik) Variegated plant with small leathery leaves. Internodes
very short and leaves crowded. Thorns short, stubby and
blunt, larger on strong canes. Bracts small and densely
packed magenta- red in color.
Sakura (Flamingo Pink) Moderate grower with dark green leaves, bracts medium
with white mixed with shading oI pink on upper halI oI
bract.
Sakura Batik A bud sport oI Sakura" with green and white leaves.
Tembikai (\atermelon) A variegated Brunei variety. Bracts are soIt pink changing
to various degree oI peach. A very beautiIul but rare vari-
ety.
Ladybird Creen leaves somewhat cupped up when leaves still
young. Bracts are white but decorated with red dots. Lots
are pink at start but as weather gets more and more tor-
rid, pink dots turn to red.
Ladybird Batik A bud sport oI Ladybird" with green and white leaves but
bracts are somewhat smaller than the green leaves variety.
Batik Red A bud sport oI Mrs. Butt" with red bracts. Leaves are
green and white.
Batik Orange A bud sport oI Orange King" with variegated leaves.
Batik Pink A pink variety with variegated leaves.

Name Description
China Beauty A very soIt rosy pink with variegated leaves . Very pretty,
as weather gets hotter, rosy bracts will turn to a deeper
red.
Iguana Variegata Variegated leaves when young and green leaves when aged.
Bracts change its color Irom orange to dusty pink.
Chili Red Batik Fiery red bracts with variegated leaves.
Marietta (Cinderella) Variegated leaves with many double red bracts in a single
bloom.
Yellow \onder Yellow bract variety with variegated leaves. Matured
leaves turn green, giving the plant a graIted looking eBect
Indian Beauty (Miss India) A very beautiIul variety with leaves look shinning as iI be-
ing waxed. Bracts are red and usually it grows very tall
without much branching. \hole plant looks like an artin-
cial plastic plant.
Mona Lisa A variety looks like Indian Beauty" but is a dwarIed culti-
var. Leaves are very crisped as iI it has been rolled up
along the edges
Mona Lisa- Yellow A bud sport oI Mona Lisa" but with yellow bracts. Leaves
are not that crisp compare to the red variety.
Mini Marble (Tang Long)
(Chinese Lantern)
Leaves are green and bracts are orange. Bracts curled in-
ward Iorming a small marble shape. BeautiIul cause it
looks like many small lanterns hanging up.
Red Lotus A red colored Mini Marble" but leaves are greyish in col-
ored and sometimes variegated and cupped up.
Puteri Mahsuri Leaves are variegated and distorted and twisted in ar-
rangement. Bracts are small, distorted, and twisted in ar-
rangement. A cultivar that does not look like bougainvil-
lea.
Orange Puteri Mahsuri Bud-sport oI Puteri Mahsuri" with orange bracts.
Mahsuri ReBex Bud-sport oI Puteri Mahsuri
Mahsuri ReBex - Pink Bud-sport oI Puteri Mahsuri" but with pink bracts.
Ikan Bilis (The Ray Fish)
(Puteri Lmas)
Once mistakenly being recognized as the yellow bud-sport
oI Puteri Mahsuri". Bracts are yellow, distorted, small and
twisted.
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Name Description
Poultolni batik Variegated plant with yellow and green leaves. Bracts are
red.
Poultolni Orange Variegata Orange bracts with variegated leaves.
Hong Kong's Beauty Variegated bud sport oI ]uanita Hatten". Leaves are gold
with a green central patch. Bracts are red, stems and veins
are gold color.
Red September Leaves look like Hong Kong's Beauty" but the variega-
tion is less prominent. Bracts are bicolored, red and pink.
Lady Pink Leaves are very pretty, gold splashed with green. Bracts
are big and are pink in colored.
Queen Marble Leaves and bracts are distorted. Leaves are green but
stripped with gold lines. Bracts are orange in colored.
Queen Marble- Red Stripped leaves cultivar with red bracts.
Tiger A very rare variety. Leaves and bracts are medium in size.
Leaves are gold marked with diBerent shade oI green
splashed and bracts are red.
Strawberry A very beautiIul variety. Bud sport oI Queen Marble"
with multicolored leaves. ew leaves are yellow edged by
green pigment. Bracts are red and very well contrast with
the multicolored leaves.
Strawberry Lelight A beautiIul bud sport oI Strawberry". Leaves are dis-
torted so does the red bracts.
Blue Moon A dark red gets to maroon variety. Leaves are variegated.
ew Pink A pink colored variety with the same leaves as above.
Orange Batik An orange variety with less prominent variegated leaves.
Yellow Batik A yellow variety with less prominent variegated leaves.
Red Batik A red variety with less prominent variegated leaves.
Ratana Red (Red ButterBy) A bud sport oI Red Batik" with leaves and bracts dis-
torted. Bracts are red in colored as iI many small butter-
Bies resting above the leaves.
Ratana Yellow (Yellow ButterBy) A yellow butterBy.

Name Description
Ratana Orange (Orange Butter-
By)
An orange butterBy.
Ratana Pink (Pink ButterBy) A pink butterBy.
Ratana Rainbow Bud sport oI Sakura" with distorted bracts showing white
colored tipped with pink. Leaves also distorted.
Ratana ButterBy A variety which looks very much like Ratana Rainbow'
Hujan Panas" (Red Fantasy) A bud sport oI ]uanita Hatten" with red bracts against
gold dotted leaves.
Hujan Panas - Orange Orange bracts variety which leaves same with Hujan
PanasII- Pink"
Red Ribbons A variegated variety with leaves distorted and bracts also
distorted. Bracts are red, very nne.
Chili Lelight Creen but distorted leaves. Bracts are orange in colored,
distorted and twisted in arrangement.
Baby Rose Bracts are white but company by many mauve dots.
Leaves are dark green.
Muar's ButterBy Bracts and leaves size same as Ratana Rainbow". Bracts
are red.

Photo Callery
Bougainvilleas blooms are not true Bowers, but
rather are three large papery bracts that encir-
cle small, white, tubular inconspicuous Bowers
much like the poinsettia. Some oI the most
popular bougainvilleas are:
California Gold
The golden yellow CaliIornia Cold is a vigor-
ous grower that produces vines zo to o Ieet
long. Its bracts vary in color with various
shades oI true yellowish gold, bronzy gold and
pinkish gold. In cool weather, its tones inten-
siIy and splotches oI pink appear.
California Gold, Credit: Peter A. Hogg
Juanita Hatten
The ]uanita Hatten has lush Ioliage subtly
variegated with light and dark green leaves
spatter painted with gold.
Juanita Hatten
Its dark pink / rich magenta Bowers are borne
in proIusion. It has a compact, spreading habit
making it ideal Ior hanging baskets.
Barbara Karst
The Barbara Karst is a vigorous, showy vine
with bright red to bluish crimson bract. It
grows Iast, with vines up to zo to o Ieet long.
Barbara Karst
It is the most Irequently sold variety oI bou-
gainvillea due to its thick, Iull growth, disease
resistance, and moderate growth. It will bloom
almost continually between October and ]une.
Texas Dawn
Texas Lawn contains huge clusters oI small,
pink Bowers. It is a vigorous plant with long,
arching branches that hold sprays oI delicate
rose-pink bracts, growing zo to o Ieet long. It
can be used as a summer annual in patio con-
tainers, hanging basket and likes Iull sun.
,
Texas Dawn, Photo: Peter A. Hogg
Double Pink
Louble Pink is a double-Bowered, bushy vari-
ety having pure pink bracts. Spent Bowers
should be cut oB since these Bowers are not
shed in typical Iashion.
Double Pink, Photo: Lake Area Nursery
Surprise
'Surprise' large, clear pink-white bi-color
Bowers, easy bloomer.
A most appropriate name Ior this plant that,
like B. 'Vickie', produces an unpredictable
combination oI both bright pink and pure
white bracts, sometimes all pink Ior several
weeks and then all white Ior a time or, even
more astonishingly, clusters oI both pink and
white blooming simultaneously! (\atch your
Iriends try to nnd where it was graIted-it's
not!) Medium sized plants with solid green Io-
liage.
Royal Purple
Royal Purple is a bushy plant with large bracts
borne proIusely, and rich, deep green Ioliage. It
is Irequently used in hanging baskets and con-
tainers.
Royal Purple
Vicki
Vicki has rich cream and gold variegated green
Ioliage with pink and white bracts. Some
bracts are pure white, some are pure pink, and
others are white with pink tips.
6
Vicki
It does best in containers and blooms year
around but exhibits the best blossoms Irom
October through ]une.
Sundown
Sundown's apricot colored bracts open as a
deep burnt orange and mature to a light pink.
It has a moderate growth rate with bushy, dark
green Ioliage.
Sundown
It is similar to Barbara Karst and Bowers year
around but most heavily Irom October
through ]uly.
Jamaica White
]amaica \hite is an evergreen shrubby vine
that produces vibrant colored papery, petal-like
big, white bracts veined in light green. It
blooms young and is moderately vigorous.
Jamaica White, Photo: Kelley MacDonald, 2006
It needs to be tied to a Ience or wall as it is
growing, since it not able to attach by itselI
when young. Its vines grow to , to o Ieet in
length.
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