How-to Guide
How to Grow and Care for Bougainvillea
The short answer
Bougainvillea is a vigorous climber grown for its colorful bracts. It needs bright light, a warm minimum night temperature of about 10C (50F), and a trellis or pillar to support it. It flowers on the current season's growth, so prune in late winter or early spring just before growth begins.
Give it restraint rather than pampering: it prefers to dry between waterings, and it is often grown in large containers so it can be moved somewhere frost-free for winter in cooler climates.
Light, temperature, and soil
Grow bougainvillea in bright light with some protection from the most intense mid-summer sun under glass, and keep night temperatures no lower than about 10C (50F). In large containers use a loam-based compost such as John Innes No. 3.
Watering and feeding for bloom
Water freely in spring and summer once established, then reduce in autumn and winter, letting the compost dry between waterings. Feed weekly with a high-nitrogen liquid feed during active growth, then switch to a high-potassium feed once bracts show color to help them persist.
✔ Bougainvillea prefers drier conditions; overwatering promotes leafy growth at the expense of the colorful bracts (RHS).
Support, training, and pruning
Provide a trellis or pillar and tie in strong young laterals early in the season to check vigor and stimulate bract formation. Prune in late winter or early spring before growth starts. After the bracts have fallen, cut long growth back by about half to encourage a second flush later in the season.
Winter care
In cool climates keep plants above freezing and relatively dry over winter; they can drop their leaves but recover. Containers make it easy to bring the plant into a frost-free spot.
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.
- Royal Horticultural Society — Bougainvillea growing guide — Bright light, min night temp 10C/50F, container culture, water freely in summer then dry down, high-nitrogen then high-potassium feed, prune late winter/early spring, flowers on current growth, trellis support