Question
What type soil, Ph,&fertilizer

Answer
Do you mean bougainvillea (paper flower) ?

This plant prefers rich loamy, well-drained soils, but it has shown to adopt to most conditions. It does best if given regular applications of 10-10-10 or similar balanced fertilizer 4-5 times annually. If you have very sandy soils, try to buy flowering plant fertilizers with are coated for slow release, such as Osmocote 14-14-14 for example.

If your soil is very sandy, you can also mix in some garden loam, or 1 part compost for 2 parts (sandy) garden soil. Heavy clay should be amended 1 part garden (clay) soil with 1 part compost to ensure aeration. Good aeration is key to this plant.

Bougainvillea prefers slightly acidic soil between pH 6.0 and pH 6.5, but even up to pH 7.0 will do ok.

If you find that the plant stops flowering, you can try to withold water to induce a mild draught stress (not extreme draught). This will often "program" it to flower. While it prefers regular waterings during flowering periods, it can withstand occational draught periods, but it may stop flowering if it was flowering prior to the draught.

If you grow it as a container plant, you can also withhold water in winter and reduce fertilizer for best result. Do not give it too much room (slightly root bound) will give more flowers and less green stuff.

This plant can only be grown outdoors in you are located in an area with very little frost. Mild frost may kill it back to the ground, but if mulched well it should spring back. In parts of the country with heavy freezes and long cold winter, it will not survive outdoors (hardy to zone 9 & 10. USDA zone 8 in protected area with winter mulch)
If you are in areas with cold winters, bring the pot indoors for the winter and keep it just above freezing until next spring; barely keeping the soil moist. Only fertilize in summer in cold areas.


Good luck
-- Kenneth