Bougainvillea Bonsai

Help!!!

A good friend sent me a Bougainvillea Bonsai from California for my birthday. It so beautfiul, with its magenta bracts. I am already killing it. I see signs of definite chlorosis. How much water and sun do they need? I followed the instructions and have been bringing it in at night but I think I might be over watering. It is a really hot weekend....

Any advice would be appreciated. I am a first year landscape architecture student who has a black thumb....If I kill this guy, my confidence will be shot...


Thanks,
Gaby

Gaby,

You will love your bougainvillea. They are really easy care for plants. They deffinately like it on the dry side with lots of sun. I don't even fertilize mine until I see it getting ready to put out a flush of flowers. I have a few larger plants but I keep most (6 or so) in hanging baskets since they don't mind drying out.

Dott

I have had one hanging below a south facing skylight for 15 years, the same one.
Some times it is loaded with flowers, other times it looks almost dead.
Maximum sun, water only when dry, little fertilizer, prune as needed.
Andy P

pictures please -

Rox, I'd be too embarrassed to post a pic of how mine looks today. It just finished a long blooming spell and is 'resting' LOL.
It spends more time being ugly than pretty, but it's part of the family now.
I will have to search, maybe I have a pic somewhere.
Andy P

does it look like a big one in bloom only little? That would be awesome - they dont grow here naturally - not frost hardy I imagine

Andy, I only hope to keep mine for 15 yrs. When anyone ever ask's me what plant should they buy for hanging baskets, I always tell the get a Bougie. Great color and easy care for the non gardener.

Rox, I have a few pics from last year.

Here is one I bought last year and absolutely love. The tag is still here but I can't remember it's name off hand. The blooms are pink and an sherbert orange color. Digital cameras never give me good color representation on such floresent blooms.

I think this one is California gold (tag is somewhere)

Orange Ice with not many blooms but I love the varigation.

Here is one of the taller ones I have growing in a container and is maybe over 4 ft.

Barbara Kurst

The last one is like mine, only better looking.
I'm forced to keep mine in a relatively small pot, maybe 10 inches. Occasionally I chop some roots off and add new soil. I hardly ever feed it so it doesn't grow too large. The ceiling fan keeps it trimmed, LOL.
I'm such a brute.
Andy P

dottnmd: How do you overwinter your bougainvilleas?

I lived in Florida for 21 years, Daytona Beach. The big ones practically grew wild.
I now live in Va. and brought 4 back with me, I lost two over the winter even tho I brought
them in side. The 2 that survived have not bloomed for me this summer, even with food.
But they for sure do not like wet feet.

Happy, Usually I bring my bougie's in right before a frost and put them anywhere I have room for the winter. I had them in a spare bedroom last year. I just water sparingly which is maybe once a month and I used very little water when I watered them. They make a big mess and drop all their leaves for me. I usually get a little dieback at the tip but with a little pruning in the spring they perk up real fast. One more thing, the room they were is was blocked off from getting much heat.


Goodluckdragon it's the same here with blooming. Last year I had plants loaded with blooms on and off all summer. I am getting barely any blooms at all this year from any of mine. I think it is this crazy weather we are having. Hopefully the weather is getting back to normal with the temps but we still need rain. Everything is so dry here.

Dott

Wow...such beautiful colors everyone!! Very nice!!

Nice, Dott. I didn't know they came in all those colors. And you make it sound easy wintering them over, something I'm not very good at. Maybe I'll give one a try sometime.

Chris

How do you over winter that beautiful one in Hagerstown? I tried in Arlington, VA and failed.

Mary Nell

Had great success with a Barbara Kurst so am inspired for next year. I like the gold and orange Dot posted images of. There are different cultivars of the various colors. Does anyone have any recommendations for my location? Maybe the California Gold and Orange Ice are preferred but does orange come in a non-verigated leaf type and I know that there are different yellows? Also any recommendations any quality mail order sources? Also are there any that are a 'true' purple/lavendar, as the ones I've seen still have lots of magenta tones in them?
Bruce