Wednesday 8 July 2015

How To Grow And Take Care of Bougainvillea.

 The Bougainvillea is a popular plant all over the world.Bougainvillea is also known  by names as Buganvilla,Santa Rita,Napoleon,Veranera,Trinitaria and Papelillo . Named after Louis De Bougainvillea the plant was discovered by him in Brazil in the late 1800's.The compact bunches of the colorful flowers of the Bougainvillea plant give any garden a feeling of richness and beauty.Bougainvillea plants are available in an array of colors from Pinks,Reds,Oranges,Purple,Magenta and White,to Bi colored shades as well.The Bougainvillea flowers strike out against the backdrop  of its dark green leaves.




Bougainvillea is also known as paper flower,this is because its flower petals are thin and contain less water.Well maintained Bougainvillea plants keep the garden looking splendorous except for rainy months.It can be grown easily in containers or pots as small flowering shrubs.



 So hardy is the Bougainvillea plant that it can thrive in any type of soil,environmental conditions and can also do without watering.Is never effected by any sort of garden pests.It  has been observed that the Bougainvillea plant tends to give brighter colored blooms in places that experience hot and dry climate.



Regular manuring and pruning is essential to keep Bougainvillea plants thriving.Excess watering should be avoided,when watering the plant stay away from the blooms and leaves.Since new branches have the ability to flower periodically its important to prune the plant.Organic fertilizers such as cow dung powder,neem cake,groundnut cake can be added to the potting mix.    



The Bougainvillea plant can be trained as a creeper,a hedge plant,as a shrub or can be
simply grown in large sized pots or containers.Just make sure that you place the Bougainvillea in a place where it can get ample of direct open sunshine this is very important and helps in  the growth of the plant .Whatever way you decide to grow it the  Bougainvillea will reward you with lovely clusters of colorful blooms that will give your garden a tropical feel by adding color to it.



Bougainvillea likes well draining soil that is rich in phosphorous, Bougainvillea does not like water logging so make sure you dont over water and water only when the soil feels dry only then will the plant do well and bloom or else it will only grow leaves and no flowers .If not placed in direct sunlight you can provide a spot that receives at least five hours of sunlight this is perfectly fine for the growth of Bougainvillea plant since it loves the sun .Prune the Bougainvillea to keep it looking  neat and in  shape,it will also provide the plant with new and healthy growth.Train the Bougainvillea by providing it with a trellis or fence if grown as a Vine.


Generally Bougainvillea retains its flowers for a longer period.Some Hybrid varieties show color change on flowers before shedding.Removing unwanted branches after the plant has finished flowering induces new growth in the Bougainvillea plant.Hybrid bougainvillea plants bear flowers of different bi colored shades like Mary Palmer(red and white),Mrs Buck(crimson red),Lady Mary Baring(Orange),Summer Time(Magenta),Tomato(Terracotta),
Snow Queen(Pure White)etc.



The Bougainvillea is armed with thick large thorns all over hence animals or cattle's avoid eating the plants even birds tend to stay away from it.Only the butterflies and bees are attracted and hover over the colorful blossoms of the Bougainvillea. 


Bougainvillea may cause skin allergies and reactions like itching and scratches so make sure that you are not allergic to it before you go ahead and get one for yourself,cause Bougainvillea is toxic.



This Ornamental thorny vine is a gardeners delight.Low on maintenance and easy to grow.It will not only add beauty to your garden but will also bring in lots of friends of the garden like pretty butterflies and bees. 


Propagation of the Bougainvillea is generally done by cuttings.Best time to propagate the Bougainvillea by cutting method is during spring time when the plant spurts new growth.Place the cuttings in partial shade once they are sturdy and develop a good root system you can place them in full sunlight.



                                                 Happy Gardening To All !!

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