I love bougainvilleas. The Juanita Hatten Bougainvillea I have was one of the first plants I bought. First it was the Corkscrew Vine and then the Dwarf Weeping Crape Myrtle "Sacramento" and then my Bougainvillea. I originally bought it because I wanted to make a bonsai from it. I just didn't have the heart to cut it down to a smaller size.
I've had the curse of transplant shock with whatever grown plant I buy. When I got Juanita Hatten I left her in her pot to get her used to the new light conditions. Juanita came in bloom, but in a few days lost all her flowers because of the intense light on my balcony. Soon after her initial shock she busted out some flowers. I trimmed her back some in hopes of a better fuller shape.
This is my Juanita Hatten Bougainvillea today. Look at all these little blooms about to come out! I'm so proud. There are a lot of new shoots about to come out too.
The thing I find interesting about Bougainvillea besides their paper thin bracts packed with color is the love of neglect. They love to be root bound and dry out between waterings. They love the blast of Texas sun and heat. All these things make them bloom better. It's that funny how abuse and stress can make something flower like crazy.
For this past month or two I thought I was being lazy on my Bougainvillea or neglectful. Really I was being an awesome mom. I was letting her dry out. I haven't repotted her since I bought her (I need to soon though she is getting overly root bound). But I have been a good mother on fertilizing. Bougainvilleas like to be fertilized every week or every other week with their waterings. I feed her ever other week. I think my miscalculation of weeks when I accidentally fertilized 2 weeks in a row made her bust out in so many flowers.
I'm thinking Juanita Hatten needs a Sundown or California Gold buddy. I have to resist that urge though, I just don't have the space!
7 comments:
I love your Bouganvillea.I killed the two that I took in. They are definitely Greenhouse or conservatory plants here.You are a good plant mother, no wander it is flowering spectacularly.
What a lovely blog :) Great photos and lots of enthusiasm too. I do like your bougainvilleas. They are mediterranean plants to me. It is too cold to grow them in Scotland, but in the south of England they can be grown in summer, and perhaps overwintered in greenhouses.
I love bouganvillea, too. It's amazing how resilient some plants are, isn't it? Yours looks nice and healthy!
I don't own one, a bouganvillea that is, yet! Good job with the blooms!
What a lovely photo of your Bougainvillea. Great color too.
I love Bougainvillea, too. Of course, up here in the north, I have to winter them over, which I've done for two winters now. This one of yours is a real beauty!
Snappy-I'm sorry had no Bougainvillea luck. I was surprised I can grow alot down here in Texas. I just have to watch for the frying sun and killer heat.
Wildlife gardener- must be nice in scotland. Thank you for the compliments.
Christa- Plants can take a lot of beating up. Have you tried bougainvillea?
layanee- Go get one hurry!
Ki- Thank you. I love the color of the Bougainvillea. I want to get others one to intermingle all the great colors they can produce.
Kylee- I'm glad you have had success in overwintering your bougainvillea. They are beautiful aren't they.
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