viola, fuchsia or red, but also orange and yellow: bougainvillea it is one of the symbolic flowers of the Mediterranean summer. Climbing plant, it is very cheerful and immediately gives a holiday atmosphere to any balcony or garden in which it is found. Majestic, it can reach up to 12 meters in height if grown on the ground; it is among the most colorful plants of the summer and can also be grown in pots. With some caution.
Bougainvillea, the origin of a very colorful plant
It does not give off any aroma but it certainly does not go unnoticed thanks to its bright colors: bougainvillea is a climbing plant native to Latin America and yet has rightfully entered the symbols of the Mediterranean summer. The name derives from Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, the French explorer who brought some roots to France on his return from his many trips to Brazil.
Vigorous and easy to grow, this plant loves the sun and warm temperatures, so you can get a real cascade of colorful flowers. As a true Mediterranean plant, it does not like too cold temperatures, for this reason if you grow it in areas with cold winters, it is better to keep it in pots and cover it in winter.
Bougainvillea is a plant that can be propagated by cuttings, the ideal time is spring and a maximum of 10 centimeters and about 3 weeks are enough for it to take root in the ground. The necessary one it is a mix of soil and peat, to which pebbles and compost, gravel and shards can be added so as to avoid any stagnation.
How to grow bougainvillea
To make bougainvillea thrive it is essential to start from the weather: this is a sun loving plant and hates harsh winters. Its ideal climate ranges from 15°C to 30°C.
If you decide to plant it in the garden, it is better to look for a place facing north if you live in a warm and very sunny region, and vice versa to place it on a wall facing south if you are in a cold place in winter. Both in the ground and in pots, they must be guaranteed at least 5 hours a day of full sun, so as to support a luxuriant flowering. Conversely, if it spends a lot of time in the shade, or the temperatures are too hot or too cold, it tends not to flower or to do it less. Clearly, being a climbing plant, it is better to plant it near a wall so, guided, it can cover the whole wall with flowers and leaves.
Pruning during the colder months
On average, February and March are the ideal months to prune this plantIf, on the other hand, you live in particularly harsh areas, it is better to anticipate pruning at the end of autumn. In both cases, it is essential to proceed after flowering so as to guarantee a lush renewal. To stimulate it further, you can also add fertilizer to the usual watering and that it should be based on zinc, potassium, iron, phosphorus and nitrogen.
Apart from these simple instructions, bougainvillea is not a plant that needs any other particular care, other than removing dry leaves and twigs at the end of the season.
When and how much to water bougainvillea?
Tolerant of heat and drought quite well, normally the bougainvillea must be wet, both in summer and in winter, when the soil is dry. In summer, if the temperatures are very high, it can be done more regularly while in winter watering must be sporadic, and then increased at the end of the season with the awakening of the plant.
iO Woman © REPRODUCTION RESERVED