How to Grow and Care for Bougainvillea in Northern Regions

The Chinese name for bougainvillea is "leaf flower" (yezi hua), so called because its flowers are formed from three petal-like bracts that resemble leaves. So what exactly are the growing methods and precautions for bougainvillea in northern regions?

1. Growth Habits of Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea is a plant in the Nyctaginaceae family and the Bougainvillea genus. It is a vine-like shrub that prefers a warm, humid climate and an environment with plenty of sunlight.

Bougainvillea is not cold-tolerant. It likes water but hates waterlogging. It requires ample light. In the Yangtze River basin and areas to the north, it is grown in pots. It is not strict about soil either, but it grows vigorously in fertile, loose, well-drained sandy loam. Insufficient light will affect the flowering of the leaf flower; the suitable growing temperature is 20-30°C.

2. Growing Methods and Precautions for Bougainvillea in Northern Regions

1. Growing methods

Place the bougainvillea in a spot with plenty of diffused light. Apply fertilizer appropriately during the growing season. Water according to soil moisture, following the principle of not watering until the soil is dry, and watering thoroughly when you do.

The leaf flower likes water but hates waterlogging. After planting or repotting each year, water once thoroughly. During the peak growing season, spray water once every morning and water once in the afternoon (after 4 p.m.).

Bougainvillea likes fertilizer. During the growing season, apply nitrogen fertilizer once a week, and apply phosphorus fertilizer 2-3 times during the flowering period. Insufficient water supply in summer or excessive watering in winter can easily cause the plant to drop its leaves, so watering must be done at the right time and in the right amount. Watering should be reduced after flowering.

2. Precautions

During the growing process of bougainvillea, attention should be paid to pest and disease control. In summer, when the weather is hot, pay attention to cooling, and in winter, pay attention to keeping it warm.

The leaf flower also grows quite vigorously, so it needs to be pruned every year. Cut off overly dense branches, dry branches, diseased and weak branches, crossing branches, etc. This can encourage the bougainvillea to grow new branches. Bougainvillea also has a climbing nature, so this characteristic can be used for tying and shaping it into forms such as flower rings, flower baskets, and flower balls.