How to Get Cuttings From a Bougainvillea Plant
Prized for its dazzling display of iridescent paper-like bracts and tiny white flowers, this Brazilian native vine isn't too fussy when it comes to growing conditions. Plenty of sun and an occasional feeding with a balanced fertilizer is all that it needs to enliven your garden. Propagating by taking cuttings can be a little more challenging, but with patience and care, you can get bougainvillea cuttings to thrive just like the parent plant. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Garden pruners
- Rooting hormone
- 3-inch plastic pot
- Plastic ziplock bag
- Potting mix
- Balanced fertilizer
Instructions
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Using pruners, cut into a stem and remove a 4- to 6-inch cutting, removing any blooms and leaves from the stem. This will allow the cutting to expend all of its energy developing roots instead of unnecessary leaf and flower production. If nighttime temperatures are warm (above 55 degrees), aim for semi-ripe growth for your cuttings; if cooler, hardwood cuttings are the better choice for root development.
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Moisten one end of the cutting and coat it with rooting hormone. This usually comes in powder form and is readily available at most garden centers. Then, insert the treated end of the cutting into a 3-inch pot filled with a mix of potting soil, peat, sand and perlite. Bougainvillea aren't keen on permanently wet soil, so make sure that the pot has adequate drainage holes.
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Place the pot and cutting inside a sealed plastic bag and place in a location that receives bright light. Indirect sunlight is best; direct sun will likely be too intense and burning may occur. The plastic bag will act as a little greenhouse, increasing the humidity around the plant which will encourage root growth.
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Wait patiently and keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged. It may take as long as 12 weeks for root growth to be strong enough to transplant the cutting into a new pot. When you do this, it's best to simply cut open the bottom of the pot and plant the whole thing into a slightly larger container. This will help you avoid damaging the new roots, which are very tender and easily damaged.
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Place the transplanted bougainvillea in a spot with the same growing conditions as before, to lessen the shock to the young plant. Don't overwater, but water whenever it starts to wilt. As the plant becomes established and shows signs of growth, you can gradually move it to a sunnier location, allowing it to spend more and more time in full sunlight until it adapts to its new home.
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Fertilize the bougainvillea regularly with a balanced fertilizer, say a 20-20-20 every 2 or 3 weeks or so. Whenever the plant goes into dormancy, wait for the growing season and the first flush of new growth before restarting your fertilizing regimen. Make sure that you don't overwater, since wet feet will inhibit blooming, but give it a little fertilizer and plenty of sunshine and you should have a thriving and eye-catching tropical focal point in your garden.
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Tips & Warnings
Since bougainvillea cuttings can be a little temperamental, try taking 4 or 5 cuttings at one time to increase the chances of successful propagation.
Bougainvillea doesn't mind a crowded root system. In fact, it often blooms more proficiently that way, so when your plant outgrows its container, transplant it into a pot that's only slightly bigger than the old one.
Be extra careful when taking cuttings from a mature bougainvillea plant. The thorns on the stems are very sharp and can easily puncture the skin. As well as being painful, it can irritate the skin.
