Bougainvillea - flowers from a tropical garden. indoor flower bougainvillea

Bougainvillea is an evergreen shrub with graceful, climbing vine-like stems and bright, unusually shaped flowers. Most often, plants are used to decorate greenhouses, gardens and open verandas. Residents of the southern regions plant shrubs along facades and fences, because it can reach 5 meters in length and beautifully wrap around balconies or arches. In indoor floriculture, she also took her rightful place, with regular pruning and proper care bougainvillea at home looks no worse and can surprise not only with beauty, but also with endurance.

Bougainvillea - "paper" flower

The territory of distribution in nature is moist, dark forests of South and Central America. Belongs to the Noctiferous family and has at least 12 species.

The stems are powerful and branched, can reach a length of 5 m, the leaves are saturated green, hard. The flowers are small, yellowish, faded, but 3 leaves (bracts) give them beauty, they are elegantly colored and attract attention. In the wild, they are crimson or deep purple, but breeders have bred many other colors: white, orange, bright red, pink and others. Bracts are very interesting not only in shape, but also in structure, they resemble crumpled parchment paper, so the people called the flower "paper". Bougainvillea blooms throughout the year.

Features of caring for bougainvillea at home

Not everyone dares to bring this unusual, charming shrub at first sight into the house, so it can rarely be found in an apartment. The alluring beauty of bougainvillea - caring for it only seems difficult, a little knowledge and experience will make it the queen among other indoor flowers.

Lighting

Growing a plant is unthinkable without bright lighting and 12 hours of daylight. To the delight of flower growers, bougainvillea tolerates both direct sunlight and short-term shading very well, so sun-drenched window sills facing south, southwest or southeast are perfect for keeping it.

Air temperature in summer and winter

Good care for bougainvillea at home involves maintaining the air temperature throughout the year in a certain range:

in summer - from +20 °С to +26 °С,
in winter - from +10 °С to +16 °С.

If in summer the air temperature does not go beyond the recommended parameters, then the plants are able to bloom all year round until they need rest in late autumn. In the hot summer months, it is advisable to take the flower to the balcony or well-ventilated terraces, verandas. She loves very much Fresh air and natural ventilation, but the flower should be protected from drafts and gusts of cold wind.

From October, the shrub begins to prepare for the "wintering". Its growth slows down, the development of new leaves stops. This is a good signal to move the pot to a dark place and keep the temperature within the recommended range. If it is higher, then the shrub will continue to grow, in which case it is necessary to provide it with additional illumination and continue caring for bougainvillea as usual.

Attention! Do not be surprised if in summer the bracts do not turn bright and remain pale, as a tropical flower reports that this season was too cool for him.

Air humidity

A native of the rainforest needs high humidity air, not less than 70-80%. All known methods are suitable for this: put wide containers of water on the windowsill, pour jackdaws on the drainage pan and pour water into it halfway. Spraying with soft water from a fine spray will also help to “refresh” the plant, especially in dry summers. If funds allow, you can purchase a humidifier and set the indicator in the specified range. This is especially true if, in addition to bougainvillea, there are other representatives of the humid tropics in the room.

Watering bougainvillea

The flower loves water very much and constantly needs it. Do not forget that on the windowsill there is not a herbaceous plant, but a small tree that “drinks” a large amount of moisture per day. But you always need to know the measure, if during the day the flower did not “take away” most of the moisture from the soil, then the watering was too plentiful. The earth ball should be moderately moist, but not damp, however, its drying out will also negatively affect bougainvillea, its flowers will immediately wither and fall off. This is not a plant that can easily endure a short-term drought. Therefore, when leaving in the summer for a weekend or vacation, you must definitely consider automatic system watering or ask neighbors, friends to take care of the plant. During the dormant period, the plant is watered much less frequently, focusing on air temperature and soil moisture level.

Important! If, during irrigation, part of the water has accumulated on the pan, it must be poured out immediately, moisture stagnation in the drainage contributes to the development of infectious diseases of the root system. That's why it's important to place the container on a pebble that will act as a "cushion" between the water and the pot's drainage hole.

Soil composition and pot selection for bougainvillea

The shrub has a developed and powerful root system, it can grow even on rocky forest hills, therefore, when caring for bougainvillea at home, the substrate should be selected dense, but with good drainage aeration. Ready-made mixtures for tub plants are suitable, or you can prepare the soil yourself using 4 components:

sod land - 3 parts,
leaf ground - 3 parts,
peat - 2 parts,
fine-grained sand - 1 part.

For drainage, it is better to take material of medium or large fraction: chop bricks, shards, or buy a package of expanded clay.

The capacity for planting should be chosen deep, the roots of the tree prefer to reliably root into the ground. The size of the container should correspond to the size of the bush, too much space for the root system will not be useful, it is necessary for the roots to be able to securely wrap around an earthen ball for several months, this will not allow moisture to stagnate. It is better to choose a pot made of porous ceramics, since plastic contributes to the acidification of the soil and the rapid drying of the earthen clod at elevated room temperatures.

Fertilization

Bougainvillea blooms profusely and for a long time, so it needs frequent feeding. mineral compositions and organic. During the active growth phase, fertilizers can be applied 2 times every 10 days, using universal solutions for flowering houseplants, for example, Agricola or Bona Forte. An adult plant in a large tub can be "feeded" with sticks. By immersing the fertilizer stick in the soil according to the instructions, you can simply water the plant for several weeks. clean water. It is very convenient, you do not need to spend time on frequent preparation of the solution. During the rest period, feeding should be stopped.

pruning bougainvillea

For such a branchy shrub as bougainvillea, home care will not do without garden shears and regular pruning. This is what affects the flowering and development of the plant. Scheduled pruning should be done twice a year: in spring and autumn.

In the spring, as soon as the shrub begins to awaken, the old shoots should be mercilessly shortened exactly 2 times. It is this pruning that stimulates the emergence of new shoots on which the buds will be laid. Once you regret a bush, you can never wait for flowering.
In autumn, at the end of flowering, the shoots are also cut, at least a third of the length. autumn pruning needed only for adult plants whose age is already 3-4 years or more.
In summer, bougainvillea is pruned only as necessary so that the bush does not lose its shape or if dry, as well as rotten branches are noticed.

Advice! If you need to cut off the old lignified branches of an adult shrub, then it is better to buy a miniature pruner, it will quickly make a cut and not injure the branch so much.

Planting and transplanting bougainvillea

During planting, caring for bougainvillea is no different and takes place in exactly the same way as with the maintenance of other indoor plants.

Drainage should be poured into the prepared container, which should occupy at least a third of the pot. Then half the pot is covered with soil mixture and a bush is placed in the center. The remains of the substrate are distributed around the plant and compacted. The soil should be watered abundantly, after a few days the root system should grow.

Transplantation is required only for young plants and is carried out annually, every spring. In order to injure the flower less, it is better to transship without disturbing the earthen clod. As a new container, the pot is taken 2 cm larger in diameter and slightly higher. Assessing the state of the earthy coma, you can understand how close it was to the roots in the pot. If they weakly braided it, then the transplant can be postponed until the next season. In this case, the drainage is changed and the shrub is planted in an old container.

Features of reproduction of bougainvillea

It will be much easier to care for bougainvillea grown from cuttings or by air escape. These are the best methods of reproduction in indoor floriculture.

cutting method. Cuttings can be cut in any month of the active life cycle of the shrub. To do this, take a cutting from 8 to 12 cm long, it should not be too old, only semi-lignified shoots will do. Flower growers rarely grow them in a jar of water, because the chances of root formation are negligible and high humidity is required. Most often, the cutting is immediately placed with a peat substrate; for better rooting, it is recommended to treat the cut with a root system growth stimulator. Be sure to cover the cutting with a transparent glass or plastic jar, plastic bag. Such a "greenhouse" helps to maintain constant humidity. Big role soil temperature plays a role in the care of bougainvillea, it should not be lower than +25 ° C, therefore, the bottom heating of the container is most often used. Lighting, on the contrary, should be reduced and it is better to place the container on the windowsill of the northeast or east direction. After planting, you need to regularly moisten the soil by spraying and ventilate the "greenhouse".
Propagation by air layering. This method is even simpler, but you need to have enough free space on the surface of the pot, but it is better to bend the branch and lay it on a container with loose soil placed nearby. In the place where the shoot will come into contact with the ground, small cuts should be made in the bark. Then securely attach the branch to the ground with a hairpin or stone. Further, the soil should be periodically moistened, and soon a young sprout will appear at the place of contact with the ground. As soon as it gets stronger, the mother branch is cut off, and the plant is planted in a separate container in the usual way.

Diseases and pests of bougainvillea

The most common problems that arise due to improper care of bougainvillea at home:

Yellow foliage - indicates too wet substrate;
Falling of old leaves and the absence of new ones - most often occurs when the pot of the plant is rearranged or the shoots are redirected.

These problems are easy to fix on your own, fungal diseases and pests will be much more dangerous.

Bougainvillea rarely gets sick, but the most common disease is root rot, which is difficult to treat and difficult to diagnose. It develops against the background of constant dampness of the earthy coma and slowly destroys the root system. The plant begins to wither, turn yellow, and the roots become brown and have an unpleasant odor. Treatment is carried out with the help of fungicides, but often the bush cannot be saved.

Sometimes pests attack a flower: aphids, scale insects, mealybugs, but with timely detection and treatment, the plant can always be saved. You can find the necessary chemicals in gardening stores.

Growing bougainvillea on a windowsill is not that difficult. A lighted place, regular watering and a period of winter dormancy - that's key points the care that the shrub needs for good growth and beautiful blooms.

Video of bougainvillea care

Bougainvillea wonderful

Bougainvillea spectabilis
Taxon: Nyctaginaceae family
Other names: beautiful bougainvillea, bougainvillea, paper flower, fum fa (Thai)
English: Great Bougainvillea, Bogambilya, Paper flower, Felila (Japan), Mao bao jin (China)

The genus is named after Louis Antoine de Bougainville (1729-1811), a French traveler who crossed the Pacific Ocean while leading the first French expedition around the world.

Botanical description of bougainvillea

bougainvillea- woody liana with spiny shoots and hairy-pubescent stems, evergreen climbing shrub with a thorny trunk, sometimes low trees up to 5-10 m tall. The spines in the axils of the leaves help the plant to curl up high.
The leaves are dark green, petiolate, ovate, alternate, with entire edges, 6 to 10 centimeters long, wide at the base.
The flowers are small, inconspicuous, tubular, enclosed in 3 or 6 brightly colored (purple, purple, red, pink, yellow or white) wide, oblong-ovate and pointed bracts, from 3 to 5 centimeters in length, which determine the decorative value. representatives of this genus.
Bougainvillea naked is sometimes called "paper flower" because the bracts are very thin, like paper.

Distribution of bougainvillea

Bougainvillea wonderful comes from South America, distributed from the west of Brazil to Peru and south to the province of Chubutna (Argentina). Other types of naked bougainvillea (Bougainvillea glabra) and Peruvian bougainvillea (Bougainvillea peruviana) were introduced much later. Cultivated hybrids have produced considerable variability in size, color, shape, and number of showy bracts. Varieties with variegated leaves have recently been bred.
Bougainvillea is cultivated in most tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Bougainvillea grows best in dry soil in very bright full sun, drought tolerant, highly salt tolerant, ideal for coastal landscaping.

The chemical composition of bougainvillea

The plant contains flavonoids, phenolic compounds, tannins, alkaloids, betacyanin, ribosome-inactivating proteins, amylase inhibitors, oxidase and pinitol.
Bougainvillea leaves contain oxalic acid.

The use of bougainvillea in medicine

In the folk medicine of South American countries, stems and flowers of bougainvillea.
Bougainvillea is used for coughs and sore throats.
With hepatitis, taking a decoction of dried plant stems 10 g per 4 glasses of water helps.
To strengthen blood vessels and with leucorrhoea (whitish or yellowish discharge from the vagina), take a decoction of dried flowers, 10 g per 4 cups of water.
In Panama, an infusion of bougainvillea naked flowers is used to treat low blood pressure, hypotension.
In traditional medical practice in Mandsaur (a district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh), bougainvillea leaves are used for various disorders (to treat diarrhea, to reduce stomach acid).
The Nupe tribe from the Republic of Niger (a state in West Africa) used an extract from fresh bougainvillea leaves to treat diabetes.

Scientific research on bougainvillea

Bougainvillea leaves have antidiarrheal properties, prevent the development of dyspeptic disorders (flatulence, heartburn, belching), and have antimicrobial activity.

Insulin-like effect of pinitol. Pinitol, the active ingredient in the traditional anti-diabetic plant Bougainvillea spectabilis, is said to have an insulin-like effect. A study in diabetic mice supported the notion that D-pinnitol (3-O-methyl-chiroinositol) may have an insulin-like effect, normalizing blood sugar levels. D-pinitol can act through post-receptors on insulin synthesis, thereby influencing the decrease in glucose concentration.

Antidiabetic action bougainvillea. Studies of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Bougainvillea Spectabilis showed good glucose tolerance and a significant decrease in intestinal glucosidase, a significant increase in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, regeneration of insulin-producing cells, and an increase in plasma insulin concentration. The results suggest a great potential for bougainvillea in the treatment of diabetes.
White rats with alloxan diabetes (a form of diabetes that is artificially induced in animals in the laboratory) were treated for a week with an ethanolic extract of bougainvillea root bark. In the study, there were no significant signs of toxicity.

Antibacterial activity of bougainvillea. The study of various extracts from the leaves of Bougainvillea Spectabilis showed the maximum inhibitory effect on the following bacteria: S. aureus, B. subtilis, S. faecalis, Micrococcus luteus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. typhii, K. pneumonia, P. vulgaris, S. marcescens, S. flexneri. Antimicrobial activity of bougainvillea. A study of methanol extracts from the leaves of Bougainvillea Spectabilis and Bougainvillea Variegata showed significant antimicrobial activity, indicating the potential for the development of new antibiotics.

Bougainvillea amylase inhibitor. The study of the chloroform extract of Bougainvillea Spectabilis showed its significant inhibitory properties in relation to α-amylase. α-amylase is a digestive enzyme that performs hydrolytic cleavage of polysaccharides (starch, glycogen) to dextrins and maltose.

Analysis of the study of the effect of methanol extracts from the flowers of five different colors Bougainvillea Spectabilis on antibacterial, antifungal properties, brine shrimp lethality and phytotoxicity showed that the extract from the white flowers of bougainvillea was the most biologically active.

Research shows that bougainvillea leaf extract inhibits the activity of male and female genital organs. The male mouse showed greater degeneration of the gonads compared to the female mouse, with a decrease in total sperm count and testosterone titer; in female mice, the reproductive cycle is extended by 1-2 days with prolonged metaestrus and a decrease in serum estrogen.

Hypolipidemic effect of bougainvillea. A study showed the lipid-lowering effect of D-pinitol, in STZ-induced type 2 diabetes rats, there was a significant decrease in "bad" cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels.
A study of the effect of an alcoholic extract of bougainvillea leaves on rats showed a beneficial effect on lowering serum cholesterol levels. However, the negative extract affects hematological parameters: it significantly reduces hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, the number of erythrocytes and leukocytes.
The study of the alcohol extract of bougainvillea on white rats that consumed food with high content fat showed excellent lipid-lowering potential of bougainvillea. There was a significant decrease in total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, VLDL and a significant increase in HDL. A significant improvement in the atherogenicity index was also noted.

Free radical scavenging activity. The study showed that aqueous extracts from Bougainvillea Spectabilis exhibited free radical scavenging activity. The results were superior to synthetic antioxidants used in the food industry. Aqueous extracts of bougainvillea represent potential for pharmaceutical or food applications.

Thrombolytic activity of bougainvillea. Studies evaluated the thrombolytic activity in vitro of Bougainvillea Spectabilis leaf extract. The results showed a dose-dependent increase in the percentage of fibrin clot lysis and an increase in thrombin time. Preliminary research indicates that bougainvillea leaf extract is a valuable addition to the list of natural products with thrombolytic activity for the treatment of atherothrombotic diseases such as myocardial infarction or stroke.

Red natural pigment extracted from bougainvillea. In the study, a red pigment was extracted from bougainvillea, which has good stability, good solubility, light resistance, and heat resistance. It is reported that the extraction procedure is simple, the pigment is non-toxic.

Effect of bougainvillea on liver and kidney function in rats. A study of extracts of Bougainvillea Spectabilis showed a dose-dependent decrease in potassium ion concentration, possibly as a result of cellular uptake of glucose by pinitol, which may accompany cellular uptake of potassium ion. The observed decrease in serum calcium ion concentration may be the result of impaired intestinal absorption of calcium and / or caused by impaired conversion of vitamin D to active 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. The results suggest that repeated administration of Bougainvillea Spectabilis extract may compromise kidney and liver function, and may also be negative impact on patients with osteoporosis.

Studies have shown that bougainvillea leaves can accumulate lead and other heavy metals thereby reducing pollution environment by absorbing and adsorbing them from air and water. These studies in the cities of Metro and Manila (Philippines) showed that the degree of absorption of lead by bougainvillea depends on various environmental factors, such as the degree of pollution and the concentration of lead in the soil, the type of lead complex compounds, and climatic conditions.

Household use

bougainvillea a very spectacular plant that blooms all year round in equatorial countries.
Bougainvillea naked is an attractive species for bonsai enthusiasts. In regions with temperate climate bougainvillea is grown as a houseplant or greenhouse plant.
Used in landscaping to form a hedge.

Bougainvillea native to the rainforest Latin America, is an evergreen, flowering shrub plant from the Nyctaginaceae family. A spectacular plant, which is distinguished by long and bright flowering, has just begun to gain popularity in indoor floriculture. It turned out that caring for bougainvillea at home is quite simple.

In the natural environment, there are about 14 species of the genus Bougainvillea, among which only a few are most often used for cultivation in apartments:

Bougainvillea beautiful is a liana-like plant found everywhere in the highlands of Brazil. Hairy shoots are covered with pointed leaf plates on short petioles. Elongated flowers, which are single or collected in inflorescences of 3-5 pieces, are framed by purple bracts. Liana, reaching 9 m in height in nature, is grown at home as an ampelous plant.
Bougainvillea naked or smooth - another variety of climbing or climbing liana with a bare branched stem, which grows in the dry regions of Brazil. In cultivation, the plant is often grown as an upright shrub. With abundant flowering, lasting for a long time, showy flowers bloom with lemon, apricot, pink and salmon bracts.
Peruvian bougainvillea is a species distinguished by its green bark and short thorns. A plant that is not prone to branching is able to bloom several times per season. To ensure the splendor of the representative, the view is subject to cropping.

Basic requirements for growing

Successful cultivation of bougainvillea, which will result in a long-term flowering of an ornamental shrub, provides for the fulfillment of the basic requirements:

provide bright lighting and exposure to direct sunlight;
competent selection of a pot;
organization of the necessary conditions for the onset of the rest phase;
implementation of regular top dressing in appropriate periods;
carrying out timely transplants and inspecting the plant for the presence of harmful organisms.

Flower care at home

In order to ensure the full development of a flower in an apartment environment, it is necessary to comply with certain requirements for the condition of maintenance.

Lighting and site selection for bougainvillea

Tropical flora is light-loving plant, which during the period of active vegetation needs a lot of light, without requiring shading from direct sunlight. If possible, it is worth placing the culture near the southern windows to provide the flower required amount open sun - 3-4 hours a day. With the advent of winter, bougainvillea moves to a place with less light.

Soil and pot requirements

Bougainvillea, which grows in its natural environment on stony soils, prefers dense soils with good aeration and a slightly alkaline reaction, while remaining undemanding to soil composition. When preparing the substrate yourself, it is recommended to mix leaf and soddy soils, sand and peat in a ratio of 3:3:1:2. In order not to hamper the development of a powerful root system, it is necessary to choose high containers for planting.

Temperature

The temperature regime of the content of the culture depends on the phase of development of the shrub plant:

Throughout the growing season, the optimum temperature values range from 22 to 30°C.
With the advent of cold weather, the temperature in the room where the culture is kept drops to 15 ° C, which allows the plant to plunge into a dormant state.

Carefully! downgrade temperature regime below 7°C can lead to the development of pathogenic organisms and further death of the exotic flower.

Watering

Since the natural habitat is regions where the amount of precipitation is minimal, bougainvillea requires moderate moisture. A signal of the need for another watering is the dried surface of an earthen coma. In winter, with the onset of the dormant phase, moisture is reduced. In order to prevent overflows, which lead to rotting of the root system, the remnants of unabsorbed moisture from the pan are drained. Distilled water is used for irrigation room temperature containing no chlorine. Humidity, which in hot weather plays an important role for a tropical representative, is increased with the help of systematic spraying.

Attention! Overdrying of the substrate also has a detrimental effect on the culture, so a balanced watering is necessary.

Top dressing and fertilizers

To ensure lush and bright flowering, as well as the full development of green mass, the culture during the period of active growth needs additional top dressing, which is carried out three times a month with liquid complex fertilizers for flowering plants.

Important! With the onset of a dormant period, additional nutrition is not carried out.

pruning

The implementation of shearing bougainvillea, cultivated at home, is one of the most important components of comprehensive care.

Depending on the season, different types of haircuts are carried out:

To stimulate branching, which supports decorativeness, as well as flowering, shoots are shortened by a quarter every year in February. Flowers appear later on new additional shoots.
In the spring, a sanitary haircut is carried out, in which weak, injured shoots are removed.
In summer, shoots are shortened with faded inflorescences, which allows you to stimulate the next budding.

Attention! Shoots that have reached the age of 3 years are not subject to pruning due to the small number of buds awakening on them and the impossibility of forming side shoots.

Plant transplant

Transplantation of young specimens is carried out every two to three years, adults - once every 5-6 years.

After that, the need for it depends on:

the level of depletion of the fertile layer of the substrate;
the size of the root system of the plant.

The procedure is carried out as follows:

Picked up new pot, whose diameter is 2 cm larger than the previous container.
A drainage layer is placed at the bottom.
The old specimen is planted in a prepared pot by transshipment.
The voids are filled with a new substrate, which is moistened after compaction.

Protection of bougainvillea from diseases and pests

At home, bougainvillea is often attacked by ticks, aphids, scale insects and mealybugs, which should be fought with insecticidal preparations according to the recommendations provided by the manufacturers of the product. With the manifestation of the development of fungal diseases, among which rot is most often noted, the rhizome is subject to processing: the affected areas are removed, the plant is transplanted into a new substrate. The pot is disinfected.

Propagation of bougainvillea

Despite the fact that bougainvillea breeds and seed way, the most simple and productive is the vegetative method - cuttings.

The grafting procedure is carried out with the arrival of spring heat, when:

Cuttings with one kidney are prepared, in which the lower pair of leaves is removed.
Planting material is planted in a moist mixture of sand and peat in equal proportions.
The planting container is moved to a well-lit place with a constant temperature of at least 25 ° C.
After rooting, young plants are planted in individual, pre-treated pots with a special substrate.

Potential Growing Problems

When cultivating bougainvillea as a pot crop, the main problem is the lack of flowers. The main reason that the culture does not bloom is non-compliance with the maintenance regulations. If you provide the plant with the necessary dormant phase with a reduction in watering and cessation of top dressing, the grower will achieve lush flowering.

So, bougainvillea is a flower with high decorative qualities, which is very easy to provide proper care, and the result will amaze not only the grower, but also all household members. AT open field it is found in Sochi, Batumi, Sukhumi, effectively wrapping around the verandas of houses.

Bougainvillea is distinguished by good decorative effect due to graceful stems and bright inflorescences having a strange shape. Moreover, this flower can be used both to decorate rooms, apartments, verandas, and greenhouses, garden plots, open verandas.

Bougainvillea: biological description

This flower is from the Nightflower family, there are 12 flowers in total. various kinds bougainvillea. Under natural conditions, the habitat of this plant is the tropical forests of central and southern parts of America. Exactly in a humid and warm climate, bougainvillea grows and blooms.

Under natural conditions, the stems of the plant are liana-shaped, covered with thorns. Indoor bougainvilleas also have thorns - their breeders failed to remove them.

In nature, these flowers can reach a height of 5 meters or more, and at home it is recommended to cut them regularly so that the plant is low and neat.

general characteristics

The shoots of this plant are strong and branched. In nature, a flower can reach large sizes both in height and width. Foliage rich emerald color, dense. The flowers themselves are small. The beauty of this flower is given by bracts in the amount of 3 pieces. These leaves are colored bright colors and give the plant a special decorative effect.

In nature, bougainvillea has a crimson or lilac color. However, houseplants, thanks to the efforts of breeders, have orange, white, pink and many other colors. Flowers on this plant can appear from January to December.

How to grow bougainvillea at home (video)

Photo gallery

Varieties of bougainvillea for cultivation indoors or in garden plots

The main varieties of this plant that can be grown indoors and in the garden are bougainvillea fine and bougainvillea naked.

Bougainvillea beautiful is a fast-growing vine, the stems of which must be cut off in a timely manner in order to form a moderately tall bush, then it can be safely kept at home. The stems of bougainvillea are covered with thorns, like the wild species of this flower. Its leaves are wide, oval, their length is up to 18 - 20 cm. Flowers, together with bracts, are collected at the ends of the shoots. The color of the bracts can be from pink to purple and violet. Flowers on this species begin to appear from the second decade of April to the second decade of October. But in the open field, this variety can only grow in the conditions of the Caucasus or the Crimea.

Bougainvillea naked is also a liana plant, but in height it can reach no more than 4.5 - 5 meters. But the spines on its shoots are rarer than on other types of bougainvillea. Foliage - ovoid, dense, glossy. The colors of this type of bougainvillea range from lilac to white. These flowers look very beautiful not only as single plantings, but also in combination with others. flowering plants.

For growing at home, breeders bred a large number different varieties bougainvillea. The most famous of them:

Donier;
California gold;
Glabra;
White Jamaica;
Pink Singapore and a number of other varieties.

Bougainvillea indoor: home care

This flower propagates by cuttings that are not completely woody. The cuttings are dug into the soil, where they quickly give roots and begin to grow. After 1.5 months, rooted cuttings can be transplanted to a permanent place in pots.

This plant has a powerful not only top part but also the root system. Thanks to the developed root system, this plant can grow even on stony soil. Based on this, to fill the pot in which bougainvillea will grow, you should choose a dense soil composition, as well as provide good drainage. Usually, shards, pieces of brick or large expanded clay are taken as a draining material..

Usually they buy ready-made mixtures for plants grown in tubs, or prepare a similar substrate on their own. To do this, take:

turf and leaf ground in 3 parts;
peat bog - 2 parts;
small river sand- 1 part.

By following all the rules for caring for bougainvillea, you can achieve its flowering throughout almost the entire year. Usually the first buds on the plant appear in early November, and flowers appear on the shoots almost until summer.

This plant is thermophilic, and only in winter period you can reduce the temperature in the room where the flower is located. Bougainvillea loves direct sunlight, so you need to place it on the windowsills, where there is enough sunlight throughout the day. The temperature in the room where the flower grows should be maintained within 24 - 25 ° C, and in winter - around 13 - 15 ° C.

In summer, the plant is most often taken out to a balcony or loggia, but at the same time it is necessary to ensure that there is no wind there. In winter, the flower should be in a cool, semi-dark room (about 13 ° C). If the bougainvillea is kept warm during the winter, it will continue to grow. When a flower "awakens" from a state of dormancy and begins vegetation, it is immediately transferred from a semi-dark room to light. If quantities daylight the plant is not enough, it is necessary to introduce additional lighting. The flower should be under the sun for at least half a day.

Water the plant regularly, avoiding excessive moisture of the soil or its drying out. Excess water from the pan is poured immediately. Water for irrigation should be at room temperature. In summer, the flower is watered more often, in winter the number of waterings is reduced. Too abundant watering will immediately affect the flowers - they begin to wither and fall off. The soil in the pot should be moderately moist, if the plant did not take most of the water out of the soil during the day, then the watering was plentiful.

The plant does not tolerate even a short absence of water in the soil, so it cannot be left without moisture, even if the family leaves for the weekend to rest. In this case, an irrigation system is thought out using some kind of automatic devices.

Since bougainvillea naturally grows in conditions high humidity environment, at home it should create similar conditions. In this case, the humidity in the room should be about 80%.

To create similar conditions around the flower, usually large containers full of water are placed nearby, or more than half of the container is poured onto a pallet with pebbles. It is also recommended to spray the foliage regularly with a spray bottle. especially if it's a hot dry summer. But it is best to purchase any humidifier and set it to the recommended humidification. Such a humidifier is necessary if there are many plants from the tropics in the room.

Because bougainvillea grows very quickly even at home, so it needs to be transplanted often. In the first years after planting the cuttings, this flower is transplanted once a year. And now mature plant do not repot more than once every three years. Such a frequent transplant is carried out because the root system of the flower grows very quickly, which completely fills the tub. And since this plant is not planted in too spacious pots, bougainvilleas require more frequent transplants than others. indoor plants.

In an overly large pot in which bougainvillea is planted, water will stagnate after watering, which is harmful to this tropical flower. Therefore, when transplanting, each new flowerpot should be only a couple of centimeters larger than the previous one in diameter. However, all flowerpots must be tall.

Bougainvillea cuttings (video)

How to care for bougainvillea in the garden

This plant is extremely thermophilic, requires a lot of space and sunlight. Such conditions in the open field can be provided to bougainvillea only in the conditions of the Crimea and the Black Sea coast of our country.

And in others climatic zones bougainvillea is brought to garden plot only in summer, when the air temperature is around 20-23°C. And for the root system, the temperature of the earth below + 6 ° C is detrimental. Therefore, bougainvillea is grown in tubs in winter, and only for the summer period the flowers are taken out into the garden, where they decorate with their flowering. household plot.

Caring for this plant in the garden is no different from caring for a flower at home. Also it is required to regularly water the plant, avoiding stagnation of water in the soil. A place for it must be chosen in direct sunlight, so that there are no densely planted flowers and other cultivated plants around.

Options for use and rules for combining with other plants

Due to the fact that this plant in natural conditions can grow up to 5 meters and above, it is widely used for decoration of hedges. These flowers also look good on trellises or other types of supports.

With the help of pruning, these plants can be given the appearance of a tree, a wide bush or a liana plant, as well as almost any kind of arches and other forms at the request of gardeners.

A guest from the tropics of the American continent, bougainvillea, is a tall bush. It is not flowers that create charm, but their bracts. In nature, they are lilac in color, in culture - multicolor. It is not easy to grow bougainvillea at home, special care is needed.

Bougainvillea flower room

How many tropical plants Raised in captivity, bougainvillea at home requires special conditions. AT good conditions Bush and houses can grow up to three meters in height. Only three varieties of bougainvillea succumbed to selection - beautiful, Peruvian and naked.

It should be noted that in nature the branches of the plant are liana-shaped and prickly. Collectors failed to remove the spines of domestic plants. The dream of lovers remains to get a flower with blue bracts.

Plant care involves the following steps:

creating conditions for flowering;
wintering bougainvillea;
transplantation and reproduction;
possible problems in case of violation of the containment regime.

At home, as in the photo, the bougainvillea flower will delight only if agricultural practices are followed.

Home content of bougainvillea

A tropical plant needs careful fulfillment of all requirements. The plant is placed on a south window, directly under direct sunlight. Bougainvillea does not like relocation even within the window, protests by dropping foliage. Drafts should not touch the plant. If the bougainvillea at home is located on a warm glazed loggia or flower greenhouse, this is an ideal solution.

If the bush is watered and fed on time, it will bloom from May to November. The flowers are inconspicuous and fade quickly. Decorative bracts of various shapes and colors. They retain their shape and beauty for a long time. Leaves are hidden behind a riot of bracts, and the bush looks like a large flower basket.

It is very important that during the flowering period the temperature is maintained at 22-25 C. At rest, it is optimal to have 5-10 C in a cool room. At 0 C degrees, the plant dies, above 10 C, vegetation begins. In winter, in warmth with sufficient illumination, the plant will not go into hibernation, it will bloom weakly. Then and summer wild flowering don't wait.

Watering mode and other subtleties of care are important for bougainvillea video:

It is unacceptable during flowering to completely dry out the coma of the earth. However, stagnant moisture will immediately lead to root rot. Therefore, it is important, after saturating a lump of earth through a pallet, to let the excess drain. In winter, they reduce, but the drying of the earth in a pot is unacceptable. Even in cool weather, it is necessary to moisten the soil every 10-14 days.

In the summer, you need to systematically moisten the leaves of bougainvillea, always on both sides, but so that no droplets fall on the bracts. Watering and moistening should be carried out only with soft settled water.

The plant grows quickly and needs frequent repotting. In a greenhouse, growth per year can be three meters. The size of a room bougainvillea flower under normal conditions depends on the volume of the pot. The closer to the roots, the less growth and more abundant flowering. Accordingly, it will be necessary to transplant more often so that there is enough nutrition.

The main condition for transplanting is not to disturb the root system. Therefore, transfer to a larger pot is done with caution. The remaining 2 cm from the walls to the root are carefully covered with the composition:

leaf ground - 1 part;
sod land - 1 part;
coarse sand - 1 part.

In addition, vermiculite, ceramic chips, crushed charcoal. A thick drainage layer of expanded clay or broken shards of ceramic utensils is laid on the bottom. It is important that the acidity of the soil is close to neutral.

The best time to transplant is when the plant is waking up from its winter dormancy. in early spring. In this case, transplantation and pruning cannot be combined.

Pruning form a bush and get cuttings for rooting. Young branches are cut to a length of up to 13 cm. At the same time, the bush grows well. It is better not to touch old branches. There will be no effect, and the injury to the plant is more tangible.

You can propagate bougainvillea at home by rooting a lignified shoot obtained by pruning. It is easier to get a new plant in a dig by pinning a branch to the ground. This is how the plant is propagated during selection work in greenhouses.

For rooting, a sterile composition is used as a substrate - sand, charcoal, crushed sphagnum moss. The temperature in the greenhouse should be 21-23 degrees. Lower heating will speed up rooting. It is necessary to maintain moderate moisture in the soil and ensure regular ventilation.

The cessation of flowering or the dropping of leaves is a signal to the capricious tropical slave that she does not like the conditions of detention.

Bougainvillea at home can get sick from excessive watering with stagnant zones. Root rot will begin, which will destroy the plant. The temperature of the earth coma below +5 degrees is detrimental to the plant.

The flower can populate aphids or mealybugs. A sooty fungus settles on sweet secretions and the leaves turn black. Such leaves need to be picked, the plant washed and treated with a strong insecticide - Aktellik.