Question
I have desperately wanted a bougainvillea since visiting the Reptile Gardens just south of Rapid City on vacation last year... wow what a beautiful tropical indoor garden!  There is a huge tree in the center that just has to be seen to be appreciated.  I asked the staff & they told me it was a bougainvillea, about 30 years old.  Well, I finally found a young bougainvillea, a plant that is extremely rare in this part of the country!  It took me a year to find it, and so I really want to pamper and nurture it.  Do you have any particular advice?  Thank you so much for any assistance you can provide.
Sandy


Answer
Hi Sandra,

Bougainvillea can be purchased mailorder from many large nurseries. The first thing you need to know is that too much "pampering and nuturing" will kill a bougainvillea in no time flat. When grown under the right conditions bougainvillea are fairly tough. Bougainvillea MUST have full sun for a minimum of 4 or 5 hours a day. Without sun they will languish and die. Bougainvillea do not take kindly to overwatering either so if you have a heavy hand with the water, bougainvillea are not for you. Ideally, the soil surface shoul dry slightly in between waterings. During the coldest and darkest winter months bougainvillea will likely go into a semi-dormant state which will mean it will drop a significant amount of leaves, you need to water even less during this time. Fertilize during the warmer months with any fertilizer formulated for flowering plants. Don't go overboard with the fertilzer either or you will have lush growth at the expense of flowers.

Hope this helps.

Vito