Full sun. Deciduous. A showstopping tropical vine admired for the spectacular red, purple, and fuchsia bracts around its tiny flowers. Abundant thorns make it an effective security fence when planted in the ground.
Bougainvillea is tough; in fact it blooms better under stress. It’s often kept fairly dry and root-bound, in pots, where it performs well. It appreciates moist soil, but avoid overwatering.
Bougainvillea flowers on new wood; tip pruning (back to a branch bud) helps encourage new growth. Stick to light shaping and remove dead wood to maintain a tidy form.
Hedges will die back to the ground without protection during a hard freeze. They can be severely pruned in early spring after a dieback, but the thorns and rash-inducing sap make this quite a chore.
