Bougainvillea is a colorful plant named after the French navigator Louis de Bougainville. It belongs to the magic flower family and is characterized by colored bracts. These leaves are often mistaken for flowers. However, these are smaller and between the bracts. Since the bougainvillea has three flowers, it is called triple flower. It is used to sunny and warm climates. You can find out how best to overwinter here.

hibernation

Preparation for hibernation

Bougainvillea usually presents its magnificent leaves and flowers well into autumn. That's because she needs to get enough sun and vigor before she achieves profuse flowering. So it may be that you have to bring the bougainvillea to its winter quarters while it is still in bloom. Another option is to let the root ball dry out slowly in the fall. Then the foliage of the bougainvillea withers until it finally sheds it all. Now you can bring the climbing plant to its winter quarters.

Tip: Allowing the boletus to dry out and get going again is also helpful if the plant isn't blooming as profusely overall. This revitalizes it and will bloom magnificently again in the future.

location

Since the climbing plant is native to the subtropics and the Mediterranean region, most varieties are not hardy. They must be placed in a suitable location over the winter.

This looks like this:

  • bright
  • cool
  • 8 to 10 °C are ideal

wintering

Beginning of hibernation

The subtropical bougainvillea has a very low frost tolerance. For this reason, the right time for overwintering is particularly important for this plant. You should definitely make sure to bring the climbing plant to its winter quarters early enough. After the winter months, it's important to wait long enough before taking them outside. For mild regions, where the first frost does not come until the beginning of November, the following applies.

  • protection from the cold from mid-October
  • from the end of October to the winter quarters
  • at least before the first frost

If you live in a colder region, it is better to move the bougainvillea to its winter site as early as mid-October. This applies, for example, to places of residence in the Alps and the low mountain ranges.

Cold hibernation

Bougainvillea can be wintered cold or warm. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Which variant you choose depends on which location you have available and whether you can wait a little longer for the spring to sprout. In the cold hibernation, the bougainvillea reacts like this.

  • she sheds leaves
  • she is easy to care for
  • it sprout later in spring

For example, an unheated outbuilding that has a window is a suitable location for this variant. An alternative is a cold conservatory. In any case, it must be ensured that the temperature does not drop below 0 °C.

Cold winter care

Before you bring the triplet into its quarters for the cold hibernation, you can prune it a bit. If space is tight at the winter location, you can cut the side shoots in particular. Otherwise, the bougainvillea does not require much care with this overwintering method.

This is to be noted:

  • remove fallen leaves
  • don't water
  • do not fertilize

Removing the foliage helps to prevent disease. It should not be watered, as the triplet does not tolerate water very well in the cool temperatures.

Warm wintering

The ideal location for this is a warm conservatory. The following things should be noted with this measure.

  • Plant retains its foliage
  • much warmth
  • lots of light

The bougainvillea should be placed in the heated conservatory in such a way that it gets enough light from all sides. If there is often an overcast sky during the winter, it makes sense to provide the bougainvillea with additional light. You can use a plant lamp for this, for example. If you don't have a conservatory, the subtropical climbing plant can also be in the living room.

But then you should pay attention to:

  • a lot of light
  • Use plant lamp
  • pest control
  • Remove pests immediately

Care during warm wintering

With this method, the vine evaporates more water. That's why it needs to be watered more often. From time to time, test whether the soil feels dry and water if necessary. A practical tool is a moisture meter that automatically shows you whether you need to water.

hibernation end

end of hibernation

The triplet usually starts to sprout again in February or March. The exact timing depends on how bright their quarters were during the winter months. When it sprouts, you should move it to a location that meets the following conditions.

  • bright
  • warm
  • 15 to 20 °C are ideal

When the first leaves appear, you can start watering again. Now is the right time for the first fertilizer. In this way, the triplet can fill up on fresh nutrients and soon present its magnificent leaves and flowers. You can fertilize every week - more often would not be good. The bougainvillea can go outside if the following conditions are met.

  • mid or late May
  • no more night frosts
  • sheltered location
  • South orientation is ideal

Category:

Garden plants