How to Grow a Bougainvillea Tree

You can train bougainvillea into a tree form.

Bougainvillea is native to Brazil, discovered by French botanist Philiber Commerson in the 1760s. It's a colorful plant with red, orange or purple bracts. This woody perennial trains easily, including growing it into a tree form. For creating a stand, look for varieties of bougainvillea like Torch Glow, Violet, or Superstition Gold that do well in tree form. Within two to three years, the tree reaches a height of about 4 feet, unless you want to create a bonsai-style tree. As an outdoor tree, bougainvillea thrives in USDA Hardiness Zone 9 and above.

Things You'll Need

• 2- to 3-gallon planter
• Potting soil
• Peat moss
• Sand
• Stake
• String

Instructions

1. Buy an 8-inch bougainvillea plant and a 2- to 3-gallon pot along with potting soil, peat moss and sand. Place the growing pot in a sunny location. Mix together equal parts of soil, peat moss and sand. Fill the pot and gently place the roots into the soil. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Note that bougainvillea grows well in any type of fertile, well-drained soil if potting soil is not available.

2. Put a sturdy stake into the soil adjacent to the plant. Make sure the stake is long enough to reach the bottom of the planter and still have 4 feet above the soil line. Avoid any type of treated wood as a support as the chemicals can harm your plant.

3. Attach stems to the stake as they grow. Use soft string or fabric ties. When several stems grow consecutively, braid them together. These are very flexible. Tying them to the steak trains the base of your tree in the shape desired. Trim off any side stems or thorns on the main trunk.

4. Pinch back new stems once the trunk has reached the size desired. Hold 1/2 inch at the top of a growing stem between your forefinger and thumb. Pinch firmly to break off the tip. Do the same with any other new shoots. Repeat this process six weeks after the tree blossoms initially. This forces outward bushing of the bougainvillea and creates the head of the tree.

Tips & Warnings

• Move your plant into protected locations when the weather threatens high winds or frost as both damage the bougainvillea tree.

• Keep your tree in a location where it receives at least five hours of sun daily.

• Bougainvillea trees have sensitive roots. Do not transplant until the tree gets crowded in the container.

• Bring the Bougainvillea indoors if the temperature drops below 30 degrees Fahrenheit. It does not withstand cold well.

References

• University of Florida Extension: Right Plant, Right Place Florida Friendly Bougainvillea Has Everything-- Looks, Personality
• University of Florida Cooperative Extension: Hendry County Horticulture News - Bougainvillea
• University of Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service: Bougainvillea
• Texas A&M University Archives: Bougainvillea