How to Grow Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Vine
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Tender
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -1°C
Plant Family
Nyctaginaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
The easiest start is a potted plant from a garden centre, often already in colour. Move it outside about 2 weeks after your last frost, into the sunniest, hottest spot you have, and keep it in its pot so it can come in for winter. Repot only when needed, into a pot just a little bigger, without breaking up the roots.
The bright colour is not the flower itself but papery leaves (called bracts) around tiny white flowers. Bougainvillea blooms best when it is a little stressed: hot sun, lean soil and dry roots between waterings. It dies below about -1°C, so in Canada it spends summer outside and winter indoors.
When To Start
Bougainvillea needs warmth. Wait until your last frost has passed and the soil has warmed before sowing.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Bougainvillea?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Bougainvillea Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Bougainvillea Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Move your potted bougainvillea outside into full sun
2 weeks after your last frost
Trim bougainvillea after a flush of colour for more
90 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Bring bougainvillea indoors to a bright, cool window
3 weeks before your first frost· every year
Water your new bougainvillea plants well while they settle in. Deep and slow is best.
About 1 days after you plant it
Checking in on your bougainvillea! Let the soil dry a little between waterings, since it dislikes wet roots.
About 30 days after you plant it
Your bougainvillea has settled in. Lots of sun and a short dry spell help bring on its bright colour.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Bougainvillea's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
150 cm
Plant Spacing
200 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
Yes: it's a climber; give it a sturdy support to start with.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Give bougainvillea full sun, as many hours as you can, since less than 6 hours a day means few flowers.
- 2Grow it in a pot with drainage holes, in a gritty, fast-draining mix with just a little compost.
- 3Water deeply, then wait until the top few centimetres are dry before watering again, because soggy roots give lots of leaves and no colour.
- 4Feed lightly once a month in summer with compost tea, since rich feeding also means leaves instead of flowers.
- 5Tie long stems to a trellis, or trim them to keep a bushy shape.
- 6Wear gloves when you handle it, because the stems carry sharp thorns, and indoors in winter, wash aphids off with a spray of water.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
500 cm
Mature Height
300 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
When to Pick
Bracts colour in flushes through the warm season; a dry spell triggers each flush
How to Harvest
- 1Trim the stems back after each flush of colour, since new flowers form on new growth.
- 2Snip off faded bracts to keep the plant tidy.
- 3About 3 weeks before your first fall frost, bring the pot indoors to the brightest, coolest window you have.
- 4In winter, water only lightly, and do not worry if it drops many leaves, which is normal.
- 5In spring, cut it back by about a third and move it outside again once frost has passed.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
Still have a question?
Ask your coach about your bougainvillea.
This page covers what we thought to write down. Your bougainvillea will do something it never mentions, and that is the day a coach beats a guide. Ask Coach Lumen one question right now, free, no account.
