Bougainvillea Glabra flowering shrub
White and pink flowers Bougainvillea Sanderiana
Pink and white flowers Bougainvillea Glabra
Yellow and white flowers Bougainvillea Sanderiana
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
Bougainvillea glabra, a hairy bloomer
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
Bougainvillea glabra is a shrub of the Nyctaginaceae family native to Brazil and Mexico. Its name pays tribute to Count Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, who brought the first specimens of bougainvillea to Europe. Glabra, which means bald in Latin, does not allude to the explorer's baldness. It refers to the foliage, which is less hairy than that of Bougainvillea spectabilis.
How to recognize the Bougainvillea glabre or Bougainvillea Sanderiana?
Bougainvillea glabre, sometimes called Bougainvillea Sanderiana, can reach six meters in height in its natural environment. Potted in temperate climates, it doesn't exceed four meters in height and a two-meter spread. It is a shrub with a compact habit. It is sarmentose and slightly thorny, and can be climbed along a support or pruned on a stem.
Alternate, lanceolate leaves grow on a short petiole. Pointed at the apex, they measure between five and thirteen centimetres long and three to six centimetres wide. Dark green, they are downy on the upper surface, but hairless on the underside.
From May onwards, Bougainvillea Sanderiana is adorned with violet, pink or red bracts. Oblong and elliptical, they surround the white flowers. They bloom singly or in groups of two or three. Flowering gives off no fragrance, but secretes a nectar that attracts insects and pollinating birds.
In September, the bracts dry out and the flowers wither. They give rise to the fruit, a pod containing the seeds. Carried by the wind, they give rise to new bougainvilleas. They are also used in laboratories to create hybrids, such as Bougainvillea Sanderiana Alexandra or bougainvillea Violet de Mèze.
Glabrous Bougainvillea is non-toxic. You can grow it even if you live with young children or pets.
Our maintenance tips
Resistant to drought, but not to frost, your Bougainvillea glabra requires little care. Rich soil, light pruning and a little water are all it needs to thrive.
Watering
Bougainvillea glabra are the enemy of excess water. Before giving your specimen a drink, always make sure the soil is at least five centimetres dry.
Like many plants, the plant prefers rainwater. But it's fine with tap water. Just make sure it's at room temperature.
Remove any water stagnating in the cup under the pot. It can rot the roots.
Spray
Your bougainvillea glabra hates wet foliage. You must not mist the plant.
Repotting
In spring, transfer your Bougainvillea glabra to a larger pot, so that it can continue to grow.
Place your stake in a perforated pot. Pour in clay balls, gravel or pozzolan to form a drainage layer. Then add potting soil for Mediterranean plants.
Plant your Bougainvillea glabra in the center. The top of the rootball should be at least three centimetres below the edge of the planter. This will prevent water overflow during watering. Fill in with substrate.
The plant clings to its stake by itself, thanks to its spines. But you can guide it to achieve a more harmonious habit. If you attach the branches to the trellis, make sure you use stem-safe ties.
Once your Bougainvillea glabra is in place, tamp and water to remove air bubbles.
Fertilization
You can stimulate the development of your plant during its growth phase, in spring and summer, with fertilizer.
Bougainvillea glabra are greedy plants. Feed them with a flowering plant fertilizer to support their growth.
Prune
Use clean, sharp pruning shears to remove dead wood.
You can then cut back the young shoots to structure the shape of your Bougainvillea glabra.
Bougainvillea glabra flower on the previous year's wood. Don't prune all the branches- you'll miss the bloom!
Plantation
Once the last spring frosts have passed, you can plant.
Choose a sunny spot sheltered from the wind. Bougainvillea glabra are climbing plants. Even if you plant your specimen close to a wall, provide a stake for it to hang on.
Soak your Bougainvillea glabra to rehydrate the root ball. Meanwhile, dig a hole twice the size of its current pot. Remove stones, weeds and anything else that might hinder root growth.
Set up your trellis and plant your plant. The grafting point should not be buried. Fill in with garden soil and pack gently to avoid damaging the roots. Water copiously.
Guide the branches along the stake to control the shape of the shrub.
Cutting
For annual pruning, select a terminal shoot about fifteen centimetres long. The stem should still be supple. Remove the leaves from the lower half of the cutting.
Plant your cutting in a pierced pot lined with potting soil for seedlings and plantations. Spray the substrate with non-calcareous water.
The graft takes better in a stifled environment. Cover the plant with a translucent plastic bag or cloche.
Place your young plant in a bright room where the temperature is between 20 and 25°.
The appearance of new leaves indicates that your cutting is taking root.
Diseases / Threats
Information
| Family | Nyctaginaceae - Nyctaginaceae |
| Type | Bougainvillea - Bougainvillea |
| Species | Bougainvillea glabra - Bougainvillea glabra |
| Lifecycle | Perennial |
| Foliage | Evergreen |
| Exposure | |
| Substrats | |
| Planting methods |
Open ground In pots In tubs |
| Categories | |
| Tags |
Flowery Fritillary |
| Origin |
South America |
| Hardiness (USDA) | 10a |
| Leaf color |
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| Flower colors |
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| Fruit color |
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