Bougainvillea lovers know it: in this country, the tropical beauties cannot be cultivated as outdoor plants. Keeping things in buckets is mandatory in our part of the world anyway. Below we will show you how the South American divas thrive in the room all year round.
How to grow bougainvillea as a houseplant?
Bougainvillea as a houseplant thrives in a sunny, south-facing location, regular watering, a nutrient-rich, mineral-rich substrate and the avoidance of waterlogging. Place the plant in a rather small pot for better flower formation.
The origin-specific requirements of bougainvillea
Bougainvilleas are a horticultural gem for a reason - with their colorful bracts they provide a magnificent picture to the eye. Bougainvilleas come from a comparatively limited area between Ecuador and Brazil and are therefore dependent on very specific climatic and soil conditions. The seasonal rhythm and the cooler temperatures of our latitudes are therefore less good for them. So how do you create conditions that are as close to their origin as possible for the lush Andean plants so that they can be cultivated to their full potential indoors?
Choose a sunny location
What the bougainvillea needs in accordance with its dry tropical home is a lot of sun, pronounced dry and wet phases and nutrient-rich soil. You can also offer her all of this in the room. Of course, a heated winter garden with full sunlight would be ideal for year-round cultivation. If you can't call one of these your own, a location on a spacious window front that is preferably south-facing is also suitable. This is how you satisfy the bougainvillea's great hunger for light and warmth.
nutrient-rich substrate, small bucket
The bougainvillea's home region offers nutrient-rich soil. Therefore, you should also offer it an appropriately rich substrate when keeping it in a pot in the room. Above all, it should contain minerals and can also be enriched with clay. Permeability is important to protect the roots from waterlogging, to which bougainvillea is very sensitive. In order to give the plant lots of flowers, a small container is recommended. If there is too much substrate mass, it tends to produce more leaves - to the detriment of the flowers.
Careful casting practice
Bougainvilleas should always be kept moist but protected from waterlogging. You should ensure a sufficient, consistent water supply, especially during periods of vegetation growth. Of course, this can be a little more challenging in a heated room. However, if you water carefully, the bougainvillea will thank you with colorful, lush flowers.
Here is another overview of the cultivation of bougainvilleas in the room:
- choose as sunny, warm a location as possible (facing south)
- place in rather small pots (€75.00 on Amazon) with nutrient-rich, mineral-rich substrate
- water regularly, but avoid waterlogging as much as possible
