Bougainvillea is a native of Brazil. This plant may look like a liana or a shrub with wide branches, in some cases it may look more like a miniature tree. Around small, rather nondescript, flowers that have a yellowish-white color, there are three fairly long bracts. They can be of various colors and shapes. Many people, by mistake, consider bracts to be the flowers of a plant and admire their “flowering”.
Bougainvillea at home is quite malleable. Since it has a flexible trunk, this plant is very easy to shape with a secateurs. You can grow a creeper or bonsai tree at home.
Bougainvillea. Care
This plant is planted mainly in large tubs or directly into the ground. This is very convenient if you plan to grow bougainvillea in a conservatory or a greenhouse. Trees of various varieties planted in one container or grafted onto one trunk look very nice.
Temperature and lighting
When growing plants, it is preferable to choose a warm, sunny place. During flowering, the temperature should be above 22 degrees Celsius. In winter, the temperature is usually reduced to +10, +12 degrees. Lowering the temperature in the future will have a good effect on the flowering of the plant. If you do not provide coolness in winter, then bougainvillea will not grow. Care in this case will become problematic, since the plant will not go into a dormant period. As a result, bougainvillea will get tired, it will not have the strength for flowering.
Watering
Watering should be moderate so that there is no excessive humidity or, conversely, dryness. If the water remains in the pan, then it must be poured. Rarely watered in winter, especially if the air temperature is lowered to +10 ... + 12 degrees. High humidity prefers bougainvillea. Home care will also consist in the fact that when spraying the plant, water does not fall on the bracts. In winter (at rest) it is permissible for her to have a light shower from the spray gun, since at that time the air is very dry in the rooms, and this adversely affects the state of bougainvillea. But do not get carried away, as excess moisture can lead to a number of fungal diseases.
Soil and transplant
Growing bougainvillea, you need to ensure that it is planted in a nutritious, fertile soil mixed with coarse sand. Transplantation occurs in young plants every two years, and in adults - once every three to five years. The capacity for this is chosen a little more than before. Transplanting plants, the old lump is not destroyed, but together with the lump they are planted in the new land. In order not to rot the roots, drainage from expanded clay or broken brick is placed at the bottom of the pot. It was noticed that in very spacious pots bougainvillea does not bloom so abundantly.
Care: about pruning and breeding
After flowering, young branches are pruned, leaving several buds for the active growth of new shoots. Branches, whose age is more than 3 years, do not touch. Spring and summer - the period of
propagation of the plant by cuttings of green shoots. Having cut the cuttings under the kidney, they process it with a growth stimulator. Break off the leaves and plant in a mixture of sand and peat. You can plant it in a greenhouse, or you can simply cover it with a jar on top. Cuttings should stand in a bright place. The plant takes root for about a month.
Plants are propagated by layering. In the apartment, this method gives the greatest guarantee of rooting. They take a flexible, still young, but already ripe stalk, first make incisions on the bark in several places and pin it to the ground. After rooting, cut it off from the mother's escape.
A magnificent plant, the beauty of which can be admired from year to year, is bougainvillea. Caring for her will be a joy if you follow some rules of her maintenance in the apartment.