There are many more bougainvillea varieties than the few carried by most garden centers. Many bougainvillea colors have been bred to branch and bloom more freely.
This is a popular way of pruning bougainvillea in the Bahamas where this plant is growing. The drawback to this is that it requires constant trimming to maintain this low profile which removes many of the colored bracts.
Bougainvillea flowers (they are actually colored bracts--the flowers are the tiny white things inside the bracts)in every color imaginable. But again, only a few will be obtainable through the retail garden centers. These are the kinds most commonly offered:
'Barbara Karst '- red flowers on a thorny vine up to 20 feet tall.
'Vera Purple' bougainvillea - Pinkish purple flowers on a bushy plant that is almost always in bloom. Easily trained to standard.
'Raspberry Ice' - brick red blooms backed by variegated foliage. A heavy bloomer and one of the most cold tolerant.
'Easter Parade' - a low growing pink flowered shrub.
If you want something different, you may have to order it from a specialty nursery. It is well worth doing this as you can obtain a plant that precisely fits your planting scheme. Some of the unique plants available are:
'Pink Pixie' - A miniature type, good for bonsai or topiary. The nodes on each stem are closely spaced, so the leaves and bright purplish pink flowers are packed tightly together.
'Torch Glow' is pink--not orange or red as the name would suggest. The interesting thing about this 6 foot tall and wide shrub is the way it holds its flowers. The blooms are all clustered at the ends of the stems--much like those of a butterfly bush. This one grows very nicely in pots and has few thorns.
A 'Bambino' series including about 20 miniatures has been developed in Queensland, Australia. These grow to a height of 3 feet and flower profusely.
'Golden Ice' bears pink, orange, and peach flowers with variegated leaves.
The list goes on and on. There are true purples available as well as pure whites.
Choose the plant that matches your garden plan. If you plan to grow it in a 15 inch pot, one of the miniatures would be the best choice. A larger shrub will quickly outgrow this container.
If you want a shrub, choose one of the bougainvillea varieties that naturally grows in this fashion. Or you'll constantly be pruning a climber in an attempt to force it to stay low and fill out.
If you want to grow bougainvillea plants in hanging baskets, a vine is the way to go.
Flowering bougainvillea bonsai tree care is all about growing a bougainvillea indoor bonsai tree. Bonsai tree pictures. The best bougainvillea varieties for bonsai.
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Bright pink bougainvillea vines drape guest room balconies at
