Learn growing Bougainvillea Bonsai Trees these Bonsai grow quickly, so they will keep thriving and adding beauty to your space.
A Bougainvillea Bonsai adds bright color to your patio or indoor space. This evergreen plant can grow as a shrub, bonsai, or thorny vine. Its small, trumpet-shaped flowers bloom in clusters of three, surrounded by colorful, papery bracts in shades of red, pink, orange, yellow, white, or even double layers. The leaves are eye-catching and look like flower petals. Its vine-like branches can be pruned into beautiful shapes, making it a unique decoration for your home.
Bougainvillea Bonsai tree
Some types of bougainvillea have red, pink, orange, yellow, white, or double-layered bracts. The flowers grow in clusters at the tips of branches or where leaves meet the stem, blooming from summer to autumn if the plant gets plenty of light and warmth. The leaves are oval or long and narrow, growing in an alternating pattern along the stem. The bark starts off beige-gray and becomes rough and twisted as the plant ages.
Bougainvillea comes from South America and is named after the French sailor and writer Louis-Antoine de Bougainville (1729–1811). In 1767, his ship’s doctor and botanist found the plant in Tahiti and named it after their captain. Bougainvilleas grow quickly, respond well to pruning, and work well for many bonsai styles. Since they are subtropical plants, they can’t survive frost and need winter temperatures between 50–59°F (10–15°C).
Propagation
You can grow new bougainvillea plants from cuttings. The best time to do this is in spring or summer using semi-hardwood or root cuttings. Another method is air-layering.
Requirements for Growing Bougainvillea Bonsai
Location
Bougainvillea needs plenty of sun and warm temperatures to bloom, so it should be kept outside in a sunny spot during the growing season. In autumn, move it to a cool room with good light (or use grow lights). The temperature should stay between 50°F (10°C) and 59°F (15°C), but this can be hard to maintain in many homes.
Water
Water the Bougainvillea Bonsai Tree well when the soil feels dry, but don’t keep it constantly wet. Too much water can cause root rot, fungus, pests, and even kill the plant. It grows best in soil with a pH of 6 to 6.5, so avoid using very hard water.
Repotting
Repot small Bougainvillea Bonsai Trees every 2–3 years and larger ones every 3–5 years. Use well-draining soil, as regular potting mix works fine. Bougainvillea roots are yellow, thin, and delicate, so be gentle when taking the plant out of its pot. Carefully loosen the roots without pulling too hard or using a root rake roughly. The plant can handle some root pruning.
Fertilizer
During the growing season, use solid organic fertilizer once a month or liquid fertilizer every week. In winter, use a liquid fertilizer every two weeks.
Pruning and Wiring
After the Bougainvillea Bonsai Tree flowers, cut the shoots back, leaving two leaves on each. In autumn or winter, trim twigs and branches. The plant can grow new buds from old wood after heavy pruning. To encourage flowers, avoid too much trimming in summer. Use cut paste on large cuts, as they take a long time to heal. You can shape young shoots and twigs with wires, but older branches are stiff and break easily. Be careful of the thorns when wiring.
Pests and Diseases
Bougainvilleas usually resist pests if they stay healthy, with good light and dry (but not too dry) soil. If the plant is weak, it might get powdery mildew, aphids, scales, mealybugs, whiteflies, or caterpillars. If that happens, use the right pesticide and improve the plant’s care. Trim off wilted flowers to stop the rot.
