If you happen to’re as obsessed with gardening as I’m and stay in a hotter local weather, bougainvillea is a must have to your backyard. Its vibrant colours through the rising season are unmatched, bringing an explosion of coloration to any house. Correct pruning is crucial to maintain your bougainvillea thriving and bursting with blooms. On this information, you’ll uncover the most effective methods for bougainvillea pruning in late winter, spring, summer season, and fall, making certain your crops keep wholesome, vigorous, and filled with coloration.
In late winter or early spring, it’s time to start out making ready for the hotter seasons to come back. Bougainvillea is a vigorous grower and desires pruning all year long. When, how typically, and the way extreme is determined by the place you reside, what form or type it’s rising in now, and what form you need it to tackle.
I’ve grown bougainvillea in two totally different local weather zones for years now: Santa Barbara, CA (USDA hardiness zones 10a & 10b) and Tucson, AZ (zones 9a & 9b). Unsure what zone you’re in? You’ll be able to verify your hardiness zone on a map. I’ll let you know from expertise: bougainvillea isn’t onerous to form, however it might probably take some work.
Notice: This submit was revealed on 2/22/2020. It was up to date on 8/17/2024.
Bougainvillea Pruning Guides
There are totally different types of bougainvillea, and the lower-growing ones don’t require as a lot pruning because the tall climbing/vine varieties. The underside line is that pruning results in a wholesome plant. Bougainvillea blooms on new development, and pruning stimulates new development, which, in flip, stimulates flowering. A very good purpose to prune!
I’m typically requested easy methods to prune a bougainvillea after an in a single day freeze, the most effective time of yr to do pruning, and the most effective pruning practices. All the things I share is from expertise. It is a round-up of our hottest posts on pruning this beloved panorama plant. Click on on the title, and it’ll take you to the submit.
Pruning Bougainvillea After a Freeze
Bougainvillea grows in heat climates. One night time, a freeze broken my bougainvillea crops. Listed here are a couple of tips about pruning bougainvillea after a lightweight freeze. I now have expertise pruning bougainvillea after a couple of onerous freezes, so I share that, too.
The way to Prune an Overgrown Bougainvillea
I moved into a house in Tucson with an overgrown bougainvillea that wanted onerous pruning. Right here, you’ll be able to see how I prune and prepare the plant to have a greater form and convey on an enormous present of flowers. The plant grew into an attractive form and supplied a lot of rosy-red coloration to the eating patio off the kitchen.
Bougainvillea Winter Pruning and Coaching
I had a bougainvillea glabra that grew up and throughout the highest of my storage in Santa Barbara. See how I pruned and skilled this massive bougainvillea. I gave it an enormous yearly pruning in winter, which set the tone for the form it will be for the remainder of the yr. When in full bloom, this bougie was an attention grabbing explosion of coloration!
Bougainvillea Summer season Pruning (Mid-Season)
Why have bougainvillea if it doesn’t bloom? Pruning it in summer season (mid-season for this plant) encourages one other spherical or two of huge bloom. Listed here are a couple of pruning ideas that will help you get probably the most out of your bougainvillea for the remainder of the season and into fall.
The way to Get Bougainvillea to Bloom.
Pruning this plant (particularly the bigger rising species/varieties such as you see under) will be time-consuming however definitely worth the journey. My Bougainvillea Barbara Karst in Tucson had been pruned right into a “inexperienced hedge/blob” by the earlier proprietor. Right here’s how I opened it up and acquired it to bloom for months.
The way to Prune and Trim Bougainvillea For Most Bloom
Take a look at my Bougainvillea glabra in Santa Barbara – it’s a riot of coloration! Wish to see this occur in your individual backyard? Right here’s how I prune and trim my bougainvillea for max bloom. Like with all these posts, there’s a video for you additionally.
Seeking to grasp the artwork of rising bougainvillea? We’ve acquired you lined! Discover our Bougainvillea Tutorial package deal, full with movies and PDFs, plus our concise book, Rising Bougainvillea Efficiently. These assets provide all the things that you must domesticate beautiful, vibrant crops simply.
Bougainvillea Pruning FAQs
First, I’ll talk about the large pruning, which determines the form and measurement of the bougainvillea for the season. This is determined by your local weather zone. In Santa Barbara (alongside the California coast zone 10a), I did that pruning in late January by means of mid-February, relying on what was happening weather-wise.
Right here in Tucson (the Sonoran Desert zone 9a), the times will be hotter, however the nights are colder. As a result of we expertise a handful or two evenings dipping under 30F, I wait till mid-March by means of early April to do the large pruning on my bougies.
As well as, I prune after every large flowering all through the rising season. I pruned extra extensively in Santa Barbara than in Tucson due to its reasonable local weather. When the temperatures are over 95 F within the desert, I just about go away my bougainvilleas be, aside from somewhat tip pruning. Pruning in that warmth isn’t good for the plant or the pruner!
In Santa Barbara, I pruned my bougainvilleas 4 or 5 instances through the season, whereas right here in Tucson, it’s extra like two or three.
This additionally is determined by your bougainvillea’s kind, measurement, form, and type. For instance, a tightly formed bougainvillea would require extra frequent pruning than one which grows extra free-form.
It is determined by the kind of bougainvillea you’ve got and what form you need it to tackle.
One in all mine, Bougainvillea glabra, grew up and over the storage in Santa Barbara and reached 20’+ tall. I pruned it right down to 2 main trunks and skilled it to develop up the best aspect of the storage. I hooked up a metallic trellis to the middle high of the storage and skilled it to develop throughout your complete span. It required work however was very effectively price it ultimately!
My Bougainvillea Barbara Karst (which reaches 25′) subsequent to my storage right here in Tucson by no means will get that tall as a result of a freeze normally knocks it again. After I moved into this home, it had been saved pruned as a 5′ hedge and by no means flowered.
I let it develop out, opened it up, and now it grows as an open shrub. It blooms recurrently, which is what all of us need. I maintain it beneath 8′ tall, so it’s simpler to prune as a result of not a lot ladder work is required.
A phrase of warning: bougainvillea has thorns that get bigger as they age. When pruning, sporting gloves and a shirt with lengthy sleeves is a good suggestion.
I do the large pruning in late winter/early spring. All through the season, I prune to form and encourage the following spherical of blooming.
I do gentle pruning to form within the fall, so my bougainvilleas aren’t a large number going into winter. Tucson can get its 1st freeze in late December, so I be certain that mid-November wraps up pruning. Within the coastal areas of California, the place a freeze is uncommon, you’ll be able to prune into early to mid-December.
In my view, sure. I’ve seen bougainvillea that hasn’t been pruned in any respect, and it’s a ratty mess filled with lifeless wooden and naked stems. You don’t want to chop it again onerous except it’s severely overgrown. In any other case, a lightweight or reasonable pruning will do. For greatest outcomes, you prune to encourage wholesome development, improve flowering, and set the plant’s form.
Saving the most effective for final! It’s vital to know that bougainvillea blooms on new development. Due to this fact, new flowers type on new development. If you happen to see a tall, overgrown, unpruned older bougainvillea, that’s why all of the blooms are on the very ends.
Bougainvillea wants a minimum of six hours of full solar to provide an enormous bloom. It additionally loves heat, so if it doesn’t get these two issues, it’ll produce fewer flowers or not bloom in any respect. Bougainvillea has a relaxation interval between every bloom cycle, so there’s no fixed bloom.
In case your bougainvillea will get an excessive amount of water and/or an excessive amount of fertilizer, it’ll almost certainly produce considerable inexperienced development. As soon as your bougainvillea is effectively established, it received’t want a lot supplemental water; simply what falls from the sky.
Conclusion:
So, even a easy tip prune can encourage new development and extra blooms. That’s why it’s vital to prune or do a lightweight trimming of your bougainvillea after every main flowering cycle. This observe promotes recent development and brings on the colourful blooms all of us love. If you happen to’re obsessed with creating an attractive backyard, you’ll really respect the lengthy, considerable flowering durations that bougainvillea gives.
All in favour of shopping for bougainvillea on-line? Take a look at Monrovia Growers.
Glad Gardening!
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Nell, the founding father of Pleasure Us backyard, was born right into a gardening household and grew up in Connecticut’s countryside. After dwelling in Boston, New York, San Francisco, & Santa Barbara, she now calls the Arizona desert residence. She studied horticulture & backyard design, working within the area all her life. Nell is a gardener, designer, blogger, Youtube creator, & creator. She’s been gardening for a really very long time & desires to share what she’s discovered with you.