Proper Bougainvillea Care in Winter Is the Key to Stunning Blooms Next Summer – Here's How to Do It Right

If you’ve ever traveled through Mexico or southern California, you’ve probably been stunned by the brilliant flowers of the enormous bougainvillea vines that grow year-round. In warm regions, bougainvillea blooms almost all year and thrives outdoors. However, northern gardeners have to do a bit more work to keep this plant alive and happy during winter.

These tropical vines die back to the ground when outdoor temperatures approach freezing. Bougainvillea vines can’t tolerate temperatures colder than 30°F (-1°C). But provided it doesn't get any chillier than that, they usually spring right back when warmer weather appears.

If you want to grow one of these gorgeous vines year after year, but live in a colder climate, there are a few simple ways to winterize bougainvillea to help it survive the cold. Proper bougainvillea care in winter will ensure a healthy plant that produces copious amounts of brightly colored flower bracts all summer long and for many years to come. Here’s how to do it.

Can a Bougainvillea Stay Outside in Winter?

Where I live in San Francisco, my bougainvillea climbs up the 10 foot (3.3 m) tall fence between my yard and my neighbor’s, offering papery fuchsia blossoms from spring until early winter. This mammoth plant stays right in its post for the rest of the year and then flowers again the following season. But in San Francisco, we don’t really have a cold season.

In fact, bougainvillea does best in warm climates like mine. It is hardy in USDA growing zones 9-11. That means in these warm growing zones, it won’t be killed by the cold. The lower zones in this range do get temperatures below freezing, but as long as the freeze is light and doesn’t last too long, the plant will leaf out again the following spring. A hard and sustained freeze, however, will kill the roots.

Do I Need to Winterize My Bougainvillea?

If you live in a growing zone that’s colder than USDA zones 9-11, then you need to winterize your outdoor plants. Even warm regions like Texas can experience sustained freezes and, in some cases, snow and ice that can kill bougainvillea. Even zone 9 achieves low temperatures between 18 and 28°F (-8 to -2°C), so winterizing is often necessary.

If you live in a colder region, you can also opt to dig up your plant at the end of the season, if it is growing in-ground. Alternatively, keep it in a container and move it indoors before freezing temperatures begin.

Digging up your plant every fall will stress out your bougainvillea, so it is best to grow bougainvillea in a container, if you live in a colder climate. That way you won't take any chances of disturbing the roots.

Plants in lower zones absolutely must come indoors. Even those in zone 9 should come indoors for the bulk of the winter unless they are in a protected location or warmer microclimate. Once moved indoors, follow these simple tips for successfully overwintering bougainvillea.

Bougainvillea Care in Winter

Bougainvillea care in winter varies, depending on climate. In warmer areas, like San Francisco, winter is a good time to prune back the plant and water it well. In its dormant state, bougainvillea responds beautifully to pruning and rewards you with more dense growth and colorful bracts the following year. Use a pair of sharp, clean pruners. These ones from Fiskars are favorite among our team of plant experts.

Overwintering bougainvillea indoors takes a bit more planning. In colder regions, where the plant’s roots can be killed by winter weather, you can grow your bougainvillea in a container and overwinter potted plants indoors. To do this, first prune your plant so it will fit into an indoor area to spend the winter. It may be necessary to severely cut back the plant if it was growing vigorously outside.

Your overwintering container should be a couple of inches (5 cm) larger in diameter than the root ball of your plant. Shop a variety of sizes and styles of pots on Amazon to find the perfect one for your plant. Soil takes center stage here. Bougainvillea thrive in dry soil in their native region, but root-restricted container plants benefit from rich soil that will retain some moisture.

Over the winter, water infrequently and do not fertilize your bougainvillea. No feeding should take place until late winter or very early spring. Container plants can accumulate salts from fertilizer, so it is wise to flush the container a few days after feeding the plant to prevent root burn.

Situate your bougainvillea in a cool area, but one that doesn't freeze. The garage or basement is ideal, but make sure the plant has some exposure to sunlight. Your bougainvillea won’t look its best in spring – the leaves and flowers will have fallen off. But just follow a few simple tips below to bring it back to life in spring.

Reviving Your Bougainvillea in Spring

Bougainvillea is a woody plant that, when placed in a protected area where it doesn’t freeze, should simply go dormant over winter. That means it will bounce back when placed outside in the warmer spring weather.

If your plant is in a container that’s a manageable size – like a hanging basket or small pot – you can start the reawakening process inside. As spring arrives, prune your bougainvillea stems back to any new green growth. Then place it in a full-sun window location and resume normal watering. Soon, with consistent watering and fertilizer, your plant should start to leaf out again.

As more leaves appear, offer it a half-strength all-purpose fertilizer, like this one from Miracle-Gro, along with the water. Gradually place it outside as the outdoor temperature rises. Start off by giving it a couple of hours a day of sunlight, then increase the time outdoors over a few weeks.

If your plant is huge, making it a struggle to move it back to its outdoor location, you’ll have to limit the movement of the container. Another option is to invest in a plant caddy, like this one from Amazon, to make it easier to transition back outdoors. Move it out into the sun once you have passed all chances of freezing or the average last frost date in your area.

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