Moderate Flowering Safe for pets

Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea glabra

Bougainvillea is an exuberant Mediterranean plant whose cascades of colorful bracts create a flamboyant spectacle all summer long.

The essentials at a glance

Watering

Every 5 days
Light

Full sun
Humidity

30–50 %
Temperature

5–35 °C

How to care for your Bougainvillea

Everything you need to keep your Bougainvillea healthy: watering, light, humidity, feeding, repotting and pruning.

Bougainvillea glabra originates from Brazil and has become iconic in Mediterranean and tropical landscapes with its cascades of vividly colored bracts in pink, purple, orange, or white. It is a vigorous climbing plant armed with thorns that can cover an entire wall in a few seasons. Paradoxically, it blooms better when slightly stressed: a tight pot, moderate watering, and full sun are the secrets to spectacular flowering. In cold climates, it is grown in pots and brought into a cool conservatory for winter.

Watering your Bougainvillea

Every 5 days

Water moderately and allow to dry well between waterings. Bougainvillea flowers better under moderate water stress. Reduce significantly in winter.

How to know it needs water

Compost completely dry
Leaves beginning to wilt
Coloured bracts fading

How much light a Bougainvillea needs

Full sun

Full sun essential. At least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Will not flower, or barely, in shade.

Direct sun tolerated: 6 to 12 h a day
Orientations that suit it: South, South-east, South-west, East, West

Humidity and misting

30–50 %

30–50% No misting necessary. Bougainvillea prefers dry air and heat. Excess humidity can promote disease.

Feeding and fertiliser

Every 14 days

Fertilize regularly from April to October. Nitrogen promotes foliage at the expense of flowers. Mild water stress combined with potassium encourages prolific flowering.

Recommended feed: Fertilizer high in phosphorus and potassium (NPK 6-10-10) to stimulate flowering. Avoid excess nitrogen. · 10-30-10

Repotting your Bougainvillea

Every 24 months

Use draining compost: a blend of compost, coarse sand, and perlite. Bougainvillea flowers better in a slightly tight pot. Handle carefully due to thorns and fragile roots.

When: Spring (April–May)
Potting mix: All-purpose potting mix
Mix in: perlite, coarse sand

The tell-tale signs

Roots emerging from the bottom of the pot
Reduced flowering
Plant drying very quickly

Pruning your Bougainvillea

In late winter (February–March) and after each flush of flowering. Cut back the previous year's branches to 2–3 buds. Remove dead wood and water shoots. Shorten after each flowering flush to stimulate new waves of blossom. Watch out for the thorns.

Through the year

Watering is not set once and for all: it follows the light and the growth. Allow 8 days between waterings in the depth of winter, against 4 in the growing season.

Active growth · Days between waterings

Good to know

The colorful parts of Bougainvillea are not petals but bracts (modified leaves). The real flowers are the tiny white tubes in the centre.
It owes its name to French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville who brought it back from Brazil in 1768 during his circumnavigation of the globe.

Frequently asked questions about the Bougainvillea

How do you care for a Bougainvillea?

Water it every 5 days. Give it full sun. Ideal humidity: 30–50 %. Ideal temperature: 5–35 °C. Water moderately and allow to dry well between waterings. Bougainvillea flowers better under moderate water stress. Reduce significantly in winter.

How often should you water a Bougainvillea?

Every 5 days Water moderately and allow to dry well between waterings. Bougainvillea flowers better under moderate water stress. Reduce significantly in winter. How to know it needs water : Compost completely dry ; Leaves beginning to wilt ; Coloured bracts fading.

How much light does a Bougainvillea need?

Full sun Full sun essential. At least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Will not flower, or barely, in shade. 6 to 12 h a day

Is the Bougainvillea toxic to cats and dogs?

No, the Bougainvillea is not listed as toxic to cats and dogs. That is still no reason to let your pets chew on it.

Why are my Bougainvillea leaves turning yellow?

Yellowing most often comes from too much water: the mix stays wet and the roots suffocate. Check that the pot drains, empty the saucer, and let the mix dry before watering again. Too little light or a cold draught cause the same symptom.

When should you repot a Bougainvillea?

Repot every 24 months, ideally in spring (april–may). Use draining compost: a blend of compost, coarse sand, and perlite. Bougainvillea flowers better in a slightly tight pot. Handle carefully due to thorns and fragile roots.