How to Grow Bougainvilleas With a Companion Plant

Bougainvilleas are thorny flowering vines that are native to South America. Prized for their colorful flowers, which are technically modified leaves called bracts, bougainvilleas can grow up to 40 feet. Bougainvilleas look especially lovely when planted alongside companion plants like nemesia. Bougainvillea and nemesia can be grown together in USDA plant hardiness zones 9 to 11, in climates where the average annual minimum temperature is at least 20 degrees F.

Things You'll Need

• Bougainvillea plants
• Nemesia plants
• Shovel
• Spade
• Aged manure
• Perlite or vermiculite
• Small pruning knife
• Drip, soaker or bubbler hose
• General fertilizer

Instructions

1. Choose a planting location for your bougainvillea vine and nemesia companion plant. Bougainvillea and nemesia are warm climate, full-sun plants that grow best when planted in a location that receives at least six, but preferably eight, hours of direct sunlight per day. While bougainvillea and nemesia prefer to be grown in loamy soils, they can tolerate a variety of soil types as long as the soil allows excess water to drain freely.

2. Clear any existing grass or weeds at the planting location you choose for your bougainvillea and nemesia. After pulling the weeds, use a hand spade or small shovel to dig up their entire root systems. If you do not remove the entire root system, the weeds may reappear.

3. Spread aged manure over the soil at your chosen planting location. Sprinkle a mineral planting medium like perlite or vermiculite over the layer of manure. Till the aged manure and perlite or vermiculite into the top 6 inches of soil at your planting location. The aged manure will provide the soil with nutrients while the perlite or vermiculite will help promote healthy soil drainage.

4. Dig planting holes for your bougainvillea and nemesia that are twice as wide as their root balls. The holes should only be dug deep enough to allow your plants to be planted at the same level they were planted in the nursery. Space the planting holes for your bougainvillea and nemesia at least 2 feet apart.

5. Cut the bottoms out of the nursery containers your bougainvillea and nemesia are planted in. Place the nursery containers in the prepared planting holes and gently lift to remove. Once the plants are out of the nursery containers, fill in their planting holes using the displaced amended soil. Pack down the surface of the soil to secure your bougainvillea and nemesia plants in the ground.

6. Water your bougainvillea and nemesia immediately after planting. Use a drip, soaker or bubble hose to slow-water your flowers to ensure that the water can reach deep beneath the soil's surface. Continue to water your flowers as necessary to keep their soil just slightly moist. For best results, allow the top 1/2-inch of soil to dry to the touch between waterings.

7. Fertilize your bougainvillea and nemesia every three months with a half-strength application of a fertilizer like Miracle-Gro, Grow More, or a hibiscus fertilizer. Plants like bougainvillea and nemesia will produce healthier growth when given regular feedings.

Tips & Warnings

• Bougainvillea can be purchased in dwarf varieties that grow up 30 inches tall. Dwarf varieties of bougainvillea are an excellent choice of plant for small or container gardens.

• Bougainvillea and nemesia are susceptible to the occasional attack by aphids or leaf-chewing worms.

References

• Texas Cooperative Extension: Bougainvillea
• University of Florida: Bougainvillea
• University of Florida: Nemesia

Resources

• USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
• Floridata: Bougainvillea
• NC State University: Nemesia strumosa