How do you grow bougainvillea (Bougainvillea glabra) so it blooms easily, and how much does one plant cost?

Bougainvillea is also called Bougainvillea glabra, and it is a fairly common ornamental potted plant. It can bloom continuously all year round and easily fills out its pot, so many people like to keep one at home. So how do you grow bougainvillea so it blooms easily? How much does one plant cost?

1. Basic information about bougainvillea

Aliases: Bougainvillea glabra, also known as small-leaf paperflower, lesser bougainvillea, bougainvillea, Buginvillaea, paperflower, purple bougainvillea, purple acalypha, triangle flower, etc. It gets its name because its leaf-like bracts are 3 in number and are fused and arranged in a triangle. It is a species under the genus Bougainvillea in the Nyctaginaceae family, and it is the city flower of Shenzhen and Xiamen.

Family and genus: Nyctaginaceae, genus Bougainvillea.

Origin and distribution: native to Brazil; in China it is distributed in Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, and Yunnan. In southern China it is planted in courtyards and parks, while in the north it is cultivated in greenhouses.

Morphological characteristics: the stem is thick and strong, and the branches droop and are hairless or sparsely covered with soft hairs; the thorns are axillary and 5-15 millimeters long; the leaves are papery, ovate or ovate-lanceolate. The flowers of bougainvillea are borne inside the 3 bracts at the tips of the branches, with one flower on each bract. There are 3 bracts, leaf-like, purple or magenta, oblong or elliptical. In fact, the “stamens” inside the bracts are the true flowers, while the eye-catching “petals” are its bracts.

Main value: the flowers of bougainvillea can be used as medicine and have a certain supportive effect in regulating qi and blood, and in treating leukorrhea and regulating menstruation; secondly, its ornamental value is also very high, making it suitable for keeping and viewing at home and in green belts.

Growth habits: bougainvillea prefers a warm and humid climate, likes light, is not cold-tolerant, tolerates high temperatures, and is afraid of dryness.

2. How much does one bougainvillea plant cost?

On the market, the price of a pot of bougainvillea is determined by the plant's crown width, height, and ground diameter. Among them, bougainvillea with a crown width under 50 cm costs about 3-15 yuan per plant; those with a crown width of about 50 cm-1 m cost 20-150 yuan per plant; those with a crown width of 1 m-2 m cost 200-1500 yuan per plant; those with a crown width above 2 m cost about 2000 yuan per plant. The specific price depends on the local market conditions, and when buying bougainvillea it is better to choose it on site.

3. How do you grow bougainvillea so it blooms easily?

If you want the bougainvillea at home to bloom continuously and have lush branches and leaves, you must master its growth habits and start with several aspects: potting soil, temperature, light, watering, fertilizing, and pruning. The specific cultivation methods are as follows:

1. Choose potting soil

Bougainvillea does not have high soil requirements, but if conditions allow, it is best to choose loose soil with good air permeability, fast drainage, and slight acidity. For pot cultivation, you can use humus soil or leaf mold plus coarse sand or perlite.

2. Suitable temperature

Bougainvillea likes a warm environment, is not cold-tolerant, and tolerates high temperatures. The suitable growth temperature is 15-25°C, and the optimum temperature during the flowering period is 15-30°C. In winter, the temperature must not be lower than 7°C, otherwise it will suffer cold damage or even die, so good care and warmth protection are needed.

3. Plenty of light

Bougainvillea likes light and needs sufficient light during the growing season. If it does not receive light for a long time or gets insufficient light, the plant will weaken or only grow vegetatively without blooming. In winter it should be placed at a south-facing window, with at least 8 hours of light, otherwise it easily drops leaves. Except for young seedlings that are adjusting to the pot and need appropriate shading, it needs sufficient light at all other stages.

4. Water correctly

For ordinary watering of bougainvillea, follow the principle of “do not water until dry, and water thoroughly when you do.” In the hot summer and the dry spring and autumn seasons, water according to whether the potting soil is dry or wet. In winter, when bougainvillea is in the dormant stage, watering should be reduced. Secondly, after bougainvillea sprouts flower buds, you should also begin water control. During the water control period, do not fertilize.

5. Fertilize regularly

To make bougainvillea bloom more, sufficient nutrients must be ensured, and fertilizing must be timely and appropriate. Light fertilizer applied frequently is the key. During the vigorous growth period from April to July, apply liquid fertilizer once every 7-10 days to promote robust plant growth. Fertilizers can include 10% to 20% decomposed soybean cake or rapeseed cake water, or human manure water, etc. When bougainvillea enters the flower bud stage in August, phosphorus fertilizer should be the main type to promote flower bud formation, fertilizing once every 10 days, with an appropriate addition of decomposed animal manure. During the flowering period, apply diluted phosphorus fertilizer once every half month. After flowering ends, apply fertilizer once more to ensure the leaves' nutrient supply.

6. Prune appropriately

Bougainvillea should be pruned appropriately so that it looks attractive and blooms more. As long as the temperature is suitable, it can be pruned in all four seasons, generally 1-3 times a year. After each flowering, promptly remove the spent flowers and prune weak branches, crooked branches, dead branches, diseased branches, denser branches, and branches that only grow vegetation without blooming, so as to benefit the plant's nutrient supply.

7. Loosen the soil and repot

After long-term watering and fertilizing, the potting soil of bougainvillea easily becomes compacted, so the soil must be loosened regularly, and the pot should be changed once a year. When repotting, note that it is best to wait until the potting soil is completely dry before repotting. Dry potting soil makes it easy to pull the plant out with the roots, so as to avoid damaging the roots. In the first 1-2 weeks after repotting, it should be placed in a cool place, and afterward moved to a place with sufficient light.

8. Pest and disease control

The common pests of bougainvillea are mainly leaf beetles and aphids, and the common diseases are mainly tip blight. At ordinary times, strengthen soil loosening and weeding, promptly remove dead branches and diseased leaves, and take preventive measures in advance.

Conclusion: The above are the cultivation methods for bougainvillea. Bougainvillea is a highly ornamental plant and comes in many colors. If you are interested, you might as well buy a pot and try it. When caring for it, you must be careful and not be lazy.