Bougies and Fukien Tea

acrouse

I am located about 30 mi N of Tampa so our weather differs somewhat. Our winter here can dip into the 20's occasionally and it has no effect on Bougainvillea ...flowering or not. Actually making a Bougainvillea flower is relatively easy. Start where the plant cycle is in full leaf and vigorous health. Then let it get very dry, and do not feed it. The leaves will begin to fall, water it LIGHTLY. The blooms will begin. Once the bloom buds begin to show (before they bust open now) you can water as needed but let it dry out between waterings. This plant/bush/tree is a weed actually and thrives under abusive conditions.

I have one in a grow box (read kitty litter tray 4" deep) that was actually a 2" dia branch cut from a huge bush, found it laying in the brushpile alongside the road 3 days after being cut. I recut the base, coated it with rootone and stuck it in a big pot for two years keeping it moist. It was rootbound when we repotted this spring. We trimmed off 2/3 of the roots and put it in the grow box in reg potting soil mixed with about 30% perlite and a few handfuls of humus. One month later it flowered and has retained all it's leaves. The leaves initially dropped and sagged and I was ready for complete leaf loss but it didn't happen which did amaze me.

That's the long way around saying ...this is one tough plant. But hey it is only a bonsai pot to grab and bring inside overnight if you are concerned ...so why not? Temperature has nothing to do with blooming as far as I have ever seen with this plant/bush/tree.

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