Updated 1/17/24: This is an on-going documentary on my experience learning to grow, shape, and graft my bougainvillea. My goal is to have one multi-colored grafted bougainvillea. My friend Ray Hall retired in Thailand purchased several potted grafted multicolored bougainvilleas. These are two of the grafted bougainvilleas he has. This is my goal for growing bougainvillea.

Bougainvillea Documentary Outline

• Potting Mix, Fertilization, and Care
• Experiment 1: Propagating from Cuttings
• Experiment 2: Starting from a rooted young stem (staking, pruning, and wiring to shape bougainvillea)
• Experiment 3: Pruning and Grafting Bougainvillea
• Experiment 4: Transplanting Bougainvillea from Ground to Pot
• Different Varieties of Bougainvilleas
• Bougainvillea Bonsai Sellers

Potting Mix, Fertilization, and Care

Planting in ground versus potting: Bougainvilleas are much better maintained and easier to control when it is potted. Bougainvillea likes and prefers well drained potting mix with mainly river sand mixed in.

Potting Mix: I use Miracle Grow “Potting Mix for Cactus” and added Pavers base (coarse all purpose sand) to the potting mix median. I reached out to Marian’s Garden in Phillippine for some advice since she is an bougainvillea expert grower and grafter.

Bougainvillea Potting Mix Recipe 1:

• 1 bag of Miracle Grow potting mix for “Cactus, Palm, & Citrus Soil”
• 2 quarts Sunniland Paver Base (river sand works best)
• 2 quarts coarse Vigoro Perlite
• 1 cup “Bougain” fertilizer 6-8-10

Watering: The neglect of bougainvillea and letting the soil dries out before watering again stimulates flower production. Too much watering causes the plant to produce a lot of big green leaves but it hardly will bloom. “More watering is needed for propagation.”

Sun requirement: full sun

Fertilizer: I use the Bougain Bougainvillea Plant Food 6-8-10 fertilizer. Fertilize once a month according to instruction on the back label.

Experiment 1: Propagating Bougainvillea from Cuttings

Bougainvillea propagation using standard method:

1. Cut stems at 45 degree angle.
2. Lightly smash the bottom two inches with a hammer or scrape the cambian off and partially spilt the bottom stem into four cuts
3. Dip the cuttings into rooting hormone.
4. Stick the cuttings into the potting mix consisting of 1/3 Miracle Grow Cactus Potting Mix, 1/3 paver base or all-purpose coarse sand, and 1/3 perlite.

Bougainvillea propagation using ICU Method:

1/21/24: I reached out to Miriam’s Garden in Philippines for some advice on propagation. Miriam said she “used ICU method and ANAA as rooting hormones, Triple 14 for fertilizer, and minimal watering”. Perhaps such information is helpful if you are in Philippines to find the specific products. Here are two helpful Youtube videos about the ICU method of propagation for rare bougainvillea:

1. Video 1 shows ICU method of propagation using two clear drinking cups with a hole punctured at the bottom of the cup for drainage. The other cup is turned upside as the “cover”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0LBuvRQpus
2. Video 2 shows ICU method of propagation using a 4-inch starter pot and a clear plastic water bottle with the bottom cut off to use to cover the plant with the lid attached. I think this is the more easier and convenient route for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53uB7y6J9mw

Note: Make sure to use only safe plastic grade #2 or #5 for your planting projects.

Experiment 2: Starting from a newly rooted young stem

I ordered three young rooted bougainvillea cuttings of different varieties from Etsy sellers online. For experiment 2, I will be using the “Raspberry Ice” variegated bougainvillea from Zomo Garden, the “Double Red” bougainvillea from Hopes Tropical Flowers, and “variegated orange” bougainvillea on Etsy. The young flexible rooted cutting makes it very easy to shape. Once the stem becomes woody, it requires more work. I like to train my bougainvillea to have a well defined trunk and main limb that’s at least 2 to 3 feet tall before I let the top canopy develop. Experiment #2 may take two years.

Staking: Young rooted bougainvillea stems are flimsy and will require staking to prop up the main stem to become a defined woody trunk. I would start staking the branches when it’s at least 12-inches long.

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Pruning to form the defined trunk: I like to use the SARS pruner. As the side branches shoot out, I would clip it off since I am nurturing the main young branch to become the main trunk and limbs.

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Forming the canopy: Once the main stem or single trunk has reached the desire height which is about three feet tall for me, I tip off the top to encourage branching. I am now focusing on creating the canopy.

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Experiment #3: Pruning

1/2/24: I needed a mature woody bougainvillea plant to experiment with my grafting projects. So I asked a local Facebook group if someone may let me experiment with their potted bougainvillea for a year. Kirstie Jonviken in Oviedo, Florida volunteered. I took her potted pink bougainvillea home.

Pruning Bougainvillea: Kirstie’s bougainvillea need a good prune to shape this into a tree form with at least three main limbs. Limbs and branches that are criss crossed will be pruned off to avoid the rubbing against one another and stressing the plant. The plant is showing signs of being root bound in this pot, which means the roots need to be trimmed. There’s also signs of decay and rotting on the base and lower trunk. I will need to spray fungicide to treat the fungal disease.

To be updated in April 2024.

Grafting Bougainvillea: I am not at this stage yet, but after watching several Vietnamese grafting tutorials, the expert growers suggested grafting should be done in spring and summer since bougainvillea strives in warm weather.

Here are some YouTube videos I find helpful for me when I am ready for the grafting experiment.

1. YouTube grafting bougainvillea tutorial by Garden Plant helpful, https://youtu.be/91B3N1U58oA?si=hivwdIvWwL-Mpabe. I will do the grafting in March. This procedure from grafting to healing stage will take from 10 to 50 or more days.
2. Youtube grafting bougainvillea tutorial by Plant Tips channel, https://youtu.be/nqlN7gSodfE?si=VyQ-hzcR2iw9xfpe. I would a clean grafting knife, grafting tape, and an unripen banana.

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1/4/24: Sadly, my transplanted bougainvillea has lost all its leaves. The trunk is still green so it’s still alive. I repot it into a 10-gallon pot. My mentor already said to make sure to water it well and put it in full sun. Fingers crossing…

I trimmed the cut off canopy to use for Bougainvillea Experiment 1A, propagating from mature woody cutting .

Experiment #5: Pruning the Bougainvillea Roots

For potted bougainvillea, root pruning is necessary to maintain a bonsai size and to maintain it in a small pot for many years. It is time to prune the roots when I see the roots are outbound (coming out from the bottom holes of the pot). Take the plant out, take the dirt around the roots out, but off the tap roots, but do leave the fibrous roots. The fibrous roots are what absorbs the nutrients into the plant.

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I am done talking about my bougainvillea for the moment. The following are pictures of other people’s beautiful bougainvillea bonsais I have seen.

Leaph’s bougainvillea bonsai: I am not an advanced bougainvillea bonsai grower, but my friend Leaph is.

Colors of bougainvillea: Bougainvilleas are available in many different colors and varieties.

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Multigrafted Bougainvillea Bonsai Sellers:

Note: Multigrafted bougainvillea bonsai is a common flowering plant for sale in Thailand and Philippines. I don’t know any seller in U.S.A that graft and sell them.

1. Miles Bougainvillea Gensan is a bougainvillea bonsai nursery located in the city of General Santos City, in the province of South Cotabato, Philippines. Follow on Facebook for inspiration.

2. Marian’s Garden from Cabuyao in Phillipines – Follow Marian on Facebook for inspirations.

If you sell multigrafted bougainvilleas in the United States, comment to advertise your business.

Useful Online Sources:

1. Nell’s topic on “What’s Eating My Bougainvillea” from Joyusgarden.com talks about the pests and treatment for bougainvillea. Fortunately, I have not experience with pest issues on bougainvillea yet so I won’t be discussing this topic unless I have to deal with it. Link: https://www.joyusgarden.com/eating-my-bougainvillea-leaves/
2. BGI website discusses the pests and diseases on bougainvilleas and the natural and chemical treatment method for the problems. Link: https://www.bgi-usa.com/pests-diseases/