How to Grow Bugambilia

 Best known as bougainvillea, bugambilia (Bougainvillea spp.) grows best in warm climates, and is suitable for cultivation within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9b to 11. Its incandescent pink flower bracts and evergreen foliage add visual interest to landscaping all year, while its vigorous growth allows it to swiftly covers trellises and structures in woody, twining vines. Bugambilia takes relatively little effort to grow if the vines are planted in a large, sunny bed with slightly acidic soil. However, the vines look healthiest if routinely watered during their first year and provided with monthly applications of high-phosphate fertilizer.

1

Plant bugambilia in a warm, sheltered spot with full sun exposure, such as against a south-facing wall. Avoid deeply shaded areas since the vines will grow slowly and bloom less prolifically.

2

Weed the bed and test the soil acidity using a soil pH test kit. Amend the bed with acidic compost if the soil pH is above 7.0 to achieve a pH of between 5.9 and 6.9. Work rotted pine bark or oak leaf compost into the top 15 inches of soil using a cultivating fork.

3

Install a trellis along the northerly edge of the bed, or prepare the bed against an existing structure. Choose a sturdy trellis with a minimum height of 10 feet and a width of 10 to 15 feet.

4

Dig a planting hole at the base of the trellis. Make the hole at the same depth as the bugambilia's original pot and twice the width. Cut off the base of the pot using a sharp knife and position the pot inside the hole. Cut down both sides of the pot and remove it carefully to keep from disturbing the roots.

5

Backfill around the rootball until it is completely covered and the soil is mounded approximately 2 inches above the surrounding bed. Gently firm the mounded soil until it is level with the surrounding soil. Water to a depth of 5 to 6 inches after planting.

6

Water bugambilia to a 3-inch depth twice weekly during its first summer in the garden and decrease watering to 1 inch weekly from then on. Withhold water during rainy weather or if the soil still feels moist from a previous watering.

7

Feed bugambilia monthly with high-phosphate, 5-10-5 ratio fertilizer. Apply the fertilizer year-round in frost-free areas, or from one week after the last spring frost until four weeks before the first autumn frost in colder areas. Apply the fertilizer at half strength and water deeply.

8

Prune bugambilia in spring to remove suckering growth. Snip off the suckering growth where it emerges using sharp bypass shears. Wear gloves when pruning bugambilia since they possess sharp, 2-inch-long spines.

9

Hard prune bugambilia in late summer after the flowers fade. Remove up to one-third of the shoot growth to encourage a more compact shape. Remove any dead wood or less prolific vines. Use loppers or bypass shears, depending on the thickness of the vine.

10

Spread a 4-inch-thick layer of lightweight mulch around the base of bugambilia vines if heavy frost is forecasted. Use pine needles or straw mulch, since they let moisture escape from the soil and will not smother the roots. Remove the mulch after the frost occurs.

11

Watch for signs of aphids, such as sticky sap on the vines, curled leaves or an unusual amount of ants crawling in the vicinity. Remove the aphids by spraying the vines with a pressurized garden hose. Keep spraying until the pests are rinsed away.

Things You Will Need

• Soil pH test kit
• Acidic compost
• Cultivating fork
• Trellis
• Shovel
• Sharp knife
• 5-10-5 ratio fertilizer
• Bypass shears
• Gardening gloves
• Loppers
• Garden hose

Tip

• Space multiple bugambilia vines 6 to 9 feet apart.
• Bugambilia also responds well to general purpose, 10-10-10 ratio fertilizer.