I just bought this tonight and need some advice on caring for it, it's currently in bloom in a 4inch pot. I put it in a south window where it will get tons of light, but I need to know about pruning and watering, if I pot it up what kind of soil should I use ect.?? Any help would be great.
Thanks,
Steven
Bougainvillea brasiliensis 'Raspberry Ice'
Have you grown Bougainvillea before? If so it shouldn't be any different than others you've had. If you're new to them, I've found that they like things a bit on the drier side, so definitely don't water it too much. And they like lots of heat and sun to bloom, so it maybe happiest if you put it outside during the summer months, I'm not sure if indoors gives it enough light to really bloom well or not. When I've grown them in pots I just use regular Miracle Gro potting mix, same as I use for all my other plants, but any well draining mix ought to be fine. I also wouldn't pot it up unless it needs it, having the plant in a pot that's a little too big makes it easier to overwater and that's definitely something bougies won't like.
This is my first time growing a Bougainvillea so I want to make sure I get it right :) Thanks for all the tips, I'll be sure to follow them. Theres a couple roots starting to come out of the bottom of the pot, should I still wait a bit before repotting? I've got some MG potting soil so when I do pot up I'll be sure to use that.
Thanks Ecrane!
Steven
I have had bougie raspberry ice for over a year now, in a container in zone 5b/6a. It thrives outdoors in a hot, sunny location, and doesn't like wet conditions. I bring it out after the last chance of frost and bring it in before the first frost in the fall. I water it lightly every few days during the summer when it's out.
In the winter it lives quietly down in the basement under fluourescents, and I water it very sparingly. It bloomed massively for me in February (I think there's a pic in the plant files.) It is starting to show coloring again on its leaves, so I suspect I may get a mid-summer flourish too. :)
I haven't fed it heavily, just a slow release pearlized fertilizer every three or four months, and fish emulsion once or twice a season.
It's a great plant for me.
-Joe
Hi Joe, I saw you picture in the plantfiles, your plant looks really healthy! Do you prune yours? I noticed some of the leaves on mine are turning pinkish and starting to colour so does that mean it's going to make more blooms? It has a bunch of new shoots at the base and looks really healthy, I love this plant!
Steven
That was my experience, Steven. First it blushed, then it bloomed. I have pruned mine a bit last year, but not much. I just shaped it, then tried to take some cuttings for someone. I don't know if the display comes from new wood or old wood, so I wouldn't get too overzealous giving it a haircut.
It bloomed downstairs in the basement under fluourescents. Its flowers were bright enough I think they could have glowed on their own. :) They actually DID glow under plant lights. :)
As for the new shoots, it sounds like your plant really likes its current soil and growing conditions. :)
-Joe
I hope he likes it where he is, she's my only blooming plant down here so she really stands out amongst the others. Were you sucessful with your cuttings? Oh, and if you don't mind me asking yet another question, how long did you wait before repotting? Did you pot one size at a time or straight into the pot he's in now?
I still can't get over the colour of the blooms, you're right, I think they could glow on their own!
Steven
If you've got roots coming out the bottom of the pot, it's probably time to pot it up one size. I wouldn't go up more than one size at a time particularly with a plant like bougainvillea that doesn't like wet feet.
Ok, thanks again ecrane, I've got a clay pot thats a little bigger I'll pot it up into, and I've got the MG soil as well. Thanks for all your help!
Steven
Also be a little careful when you move it--bougies have a reputation for not liking their roots disturbed. However, I've disturbed their roots and I've seen posts from others who have too, so they may not be as picky as they're supposed to be. Never hurts to be careful though! If the plant is really rootbound and the roots are all circling round each other you definitely ought to try and tease them apart a bit.
Ok, thanks for the 'heads-up', I'll get on repotting it tomorrow!
Thanks again, my plants wouldn't look way as good if I didn't get all this great advice from everyone!
Steven
I just finished repotting her! I accidently pulled up a bit on her so she got a little root disturbance..........so I hope she does ok :) I'll get a pic later, she looks great in her new pot!
Steven
Great find Steven!!
I had a Bougie for years, I let it go dormant in a cold, bright closet over the winter though...never thought of keeping it under lights...might have to get me another one.
Thanks 3G, she is a real beauty, I took a picture of her just a minute ago out in the sun...............I hope she just keeps looking like she does now!
Steven
She really is a beauty!!
I don't see any thorns either, mine had thorns :(
I'm not sure if you just took it out in the sun for a pic, but if you were planning on leaving it outside, I'd keep it somewhere cool and shady until it gets over any little bit of transplant shock from moving to the new pot. Especially if you've had it indoors up until now, it'll need to get adjusted gradually to brighter light and different temperatures outside, and it's probably best to hold off on that adjustment process until it's recovered from repotting.
I think the thorns grow over time. Mine had no thorns last year when I bought it, but proceeded to develop some over the winter. :)
-Joe
Aloha,
I wanted to say that I have learned by error and agree that you should water only lightly when you do water. I soaked mine all last summer and it didn't bloom. Went online to search what to do and found out AFTER to let it get stressed to bloom.
When I bought all of my bougies, they were blooming profusely and what a disapointment when they were nurtured by me. HAHA Just like kids.... don't take too good of care of them by over nurturing them or they won't flourish either.
I would trim it to make many fresh ends because they bloom on new wood. If you let them go tall or long, you will only have blooms on the ends. Think about vacationing in Hawaii or pictures of Hawaii and all the bouggie hedges you see, lots of new fresh ends to bloom.
Best of luck to you with your raspberry ice, ;>
Sun and dry soil gets the best flowers. They prefer cooler temps, but, not cold (55-80*) year round for best results.
They are best as a container plant anywhere, pot them up slowly. They flower best when pot bound. Use Osmocote (or a generic) for best results.
I do not care to work on them, they have thorns. In ground plants have 2" thorns and carry something on them that adds to pain when stuck.
SW, this is a tropical plant, so if you want to keep it for next year, you will have to bring it in the winter time. All or most of the leaves will fall off, and the plant may look like it's dead but they will come back in the spring. However, I do water them occasionally in the winter.
Ecrane, I actualy just took her outside for the photo as she looked best without a flash from the camera. She's inside in a slightly cool basement next to south facing patio doors so she gets plenty of light.
Joe, Mine currenty has one thorn, but thanks for the warning...I'll keep on the lookout for them as I don't want to get stabbed by one.
Tropicrazy, Thanks for the pruning advice, I'll keep her on the smaller side for sure so that she makes lots of blooms!
Dale, thanks for the info, and that photo is gorgeous!!!!!!!
LiliMerci, thanks for letting me know that they can go dormant, I'll try to keep her growing through the winter as my plants that did go dormant are taking forever to leaf out.
Steven
Mine kept her leaves all winter and bloomed like mad in February. Temp was a constant sixty two F, humidity was in the twenty to thirty percent range, lighting was 15 (7 AM to 10 PM) hours per day (four forty watt fluourescents), watered maybe once a month when her weeds got wilty. :)
-Joe
OOOooo, I hope mine blooms through the winter, that would be so nice to see.
I recently bought a mandevilla and she is making some buds as well, maybe her and the bougie will bloom at the same time!
Steven