How to Care for a Purple Queen Bougainvillea

Purple queen bougainvillea (Nyctaginaceae bougainvillea) grows as a tropical perennial plant, native to Brazil. The bright purple flower you see is actually a modified leaf that surrounds the true flower, a small white and yellow bloom. With dense green foliage, purple queen bougainvillea can be used as a climber or as groundcover. Care for a purple queen bougainvillea with regular watering and pruning to control its size.

Things You'll Need

• Soaker hose or drip irrigation
• Gardening gloves
• Fertilizer
• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Plant purple queen bougainvillea in the sun. Bougainvilleas need full sun exposure.

2. Water purple queen bougainvillea regularly. A bougainvillea does not need much water and can go for periods without supplemental water. Learn2Grow.com suggests, when possible and particularly in arid climates, using water-efficient soaker hoses or drip irrigation. Water two or three times a week to keep soil moist, but do not over-water. Root problems such as disease and shallow root formation may result from over-watering.

3. Prune purple queen bougainvillea with pruning shears early in the growing season. Remove only what is necessary to keep the size of your purple queen bougainvillea in check. Also remove dead or diseased parts of the plant. Leave some stems alone for a more organic shape.

4. Fertilize for the first time early in the growing cycle, and continue fertilizing throughout growth season on a bi-weekly schedule with a balanced soluble fertilizer.

Tips & Warnings

• Purple queen bougainvillea has spines and sharp edges. Wear gardening gloves and practice caution when handling to avoid injury.

References

• Learn2Grow: Plant - Bougainvillea 'Moneth'
• Daves Garden: Plant Files - Bougainvillea
• Jennys Garden: Bougainvillea Purple Queen