bourgonvillea help

My mum has just bought me a 4' bourgonvilla. It's gorgeous but it has no care instructions.
The man at the plant centre told her it is hardy to -2, but it looks pretty tender to me.
I have put it in my unheated greenhouse overnight.
Does anyone know anything about these plants please?

 

Hello Slimar ....

Bougainvillea are slightly frost hardy to tender ... I say frost hardy meaning very little for a short period of time.

I aave six climbing and one shrub and it can be touch and go here ... but that's with newly established ones ... and they can take years to establish in the ground here and success is not guaranteed!

I took one back to the UK quite some years ago to a friend who looked after my house and cats and she still has it .... the common purple one which is the most difficult to find and establish ... in her conservatory in Oxon and it dominates the place and blooms yearly.

I am sure there are several folk here from there who will give you excellent advice on how to care for yours .... and enjoy .... as I do here ....

 

It is gorgeous Victoria. It has flame coloured bracts ( I think they're bracts anyway, correct me if I'm wrong )

 

I have a flame-coloured one but it's not blooming at the moment and is one of mine establishing itself. They actually bloom at different times of the year, the colours that is amd some are hardier than others. I actually have none blooming at the moment.

 

Silmar, if its in flower now I would not put it in an unheated greenhouse.

Its been forced to flower out of season and will be very tender.

They may take slight frost but not while in flower.

 

Bougies can take -2/3c just but will possibly defoliate, I have found -5c is their limit and normally results in their demise.

the hardiest variety is Buttiana/Glabra with small shiny leaves and usually pink or mauve flowers (bracts) the larger matt leaved large bracted varieties are more tender and do not flower very well outside.

Yours definitely needs warmth to keep it flowering and an unheated greenhouse this time of year might cause leaf drop. As Pete has said it has been forced.

 

oh no!!!! :(

I dont have a conservatory. Will I need to bring it indoors until the better weather?
Just been to bring it inside. How much light will it need indoors?

 

As much light as you can give it, direct sunlight if possible.

And my guess would be no lower than 10C minimum rising during the day.

 

Thanks guys :thmb:

 

I have had one success with bougainvillea and have researched a bit. The one I have is in the conservatory and loses it's leaves usually in January. They turn deciduous in the cold. It leafs up again. Some are more tender than others. If you can bring it into the house during the winter do. They don't really need much care during winter. No feed and very very little water. Start feeding in March. Do not over water. Let it dry out between waterings. They prefer to be pot bound as they flower better. They have very delicate roots so be careful if re potting. I have lost a few because they were just too tender. The war horse i have now just keeps on trucking. Prune them about February/march. Depends on the vigour of the one you have. If it is the bog standard purple one they are very vigorous growers. The one I have is a cerise pink and is bonny. It's in too big a pot at the moment so is not flowering too well.

 

I lost my leaves as well its sitting nconservatory it was ayoung plant last year .Mine is just a wee plant out of Morrisons last year.

I so hope it perks up.

 

I used the purple one in my garden "Spana's courtyard Refuge" at Chelsea last year and was given lots of advice by visitors. Although they are not hardy, you can grow them outside if they are in a sheltered courtyard and you are prepared to swaddle them and the pot, in fleece, over winter. I think Rhyleysgranny has given the best advice in this thread.

 

I bought a beautifulpink one for £30 - a bit steep, but it was soooooooo pretty..... anyway - we had a mild winter - just a couple of light frosts, but I lost it. If you do keep it outside, make sure it is wrapped up plenty in the winter, like others have said.

 

Well so far so good. It seems to be coping fine ( breathes a sigh of relief)
Thank you for all the advice