Creating Bougainvillea Bonsai Plants: How To Make A Bougainvillea Bonsai Tree


Bougainvillea might make you think of a wall of green vine with orange, purple, or red papery flowers, a vine too enormous and vigorous, perhaps, for your small garden. Meet bonsai bougainvillea plants, bite-sized versions of this mighty vine that you can keep in your living room. Can you make a bonsai out of bougainvillea? You can. Read on for info on how to make a bougainvillea bonsai and tips on bonsai bougainvillea care.
Bonsai Bougainvillea Tips
Bougainvilleas are tropical plants with brilliant bracts that look like petals. Their branches resemble vines, and you can prune them into a bonsai. Can you make a bonsai out of bougainvillea? It is not only possible, but also easy if you follow these bonsai bougainvillea tips. Bougainvillea bonsai plants are not actually different plants than bougainvillea vines. If you want to know how to make a bougainvillea bonsai, start with selecting an appropriate container with good drainage. It need not be very deep. Purchase a small bougainvillea plant in springtime. Take the plant from its container and brush soil off the roots. Prune off about one-third of the roots. Prepare a growing medium with equal parts potting soil, perlite, peat moss, and pine bark. Put this medium in the bottom one-third of the container. Position the bougainvillea in the center, then add soil and tamp it down firmly. Soil should stop an inch (2.5 cm.) below the container rim.
Bonsai Bougainvillea Care
Bonsai bougainvillea care is just as important as correct planting. Your bougainvillea bonsai plants require direct sunlight all day long in order to thrive. Always keep the plants in a location where the temperature is above 40 degrees F. (4 C.). Irrigation is a part of continuing bonsai bougainvillea care. Only water the plant when the top of the soil is dry to the touch. You’ll want to feed your bonsai bougainvillea regularly. Use a 12-10-10 every two weeks during the growing season and a 2-10-10 fertilizer during winter. Prune your bougainvillea bonsai plants every month during the growing season. Take off a little bit at a time to shape the plant and promote a center trunk. Never prune the plant while it is dormant.
Gardening tips, videos, info and more delivered right to your inbox!
Sign up for the Gardening Know How newsletter today and receive a free copy of our e-book "How to Grow Delicious Tomatoes".

Teo Spengler is a master gardener and a docent at the San Francisco Botanical Garden, where she hosts public tours. She has studied horticulture and written about nature, trees, plants, and gardening for more than two decades. Her extended family includes some 30 houseplants and hundreds of outdoor plants, including 250 trees, which are her main passion. Spengler currently splits her life between San Francisco and the French Basque Country, though she was raised in Alaska, giving her experience of gardening in a range of climates.
-
Why Calcium Matters For Tomato Plants: Prevent Disease & Increase Yields
Find out how to maximize your harvest and prevent dreaded diseases such as blossom end rot by increasing calcium for tomato plants.
-
Herb Hanging Basket Ideas: 8 Best Plants For Long-Lasting Edible Splendor
Explore the best plants for a hanging basket herb garden. These picks are sure to add visual appeal and keep your herbs within easy reach.
-
7 Unique Bonsai Trees You Should Grow For A Stunning, One-Of-A-Kind Display
Discover unusual trees you can bonsai, including fruiting and flowering varieties, to create a breathtaking centerpiece in your home or garden.
-
7 Best Bonsai Trees For Beginners: Easy Options That Are Simply Stunning
Discover the easiest bonsai trees to grow that bring beauty and serenity to your space. Perfect for beginners ready to start their bonsai journey!
-
Bougainvillea Is A Different Color: Why Did My Bougainvillea Turn Colors
A color-changing bougainvillea in your garden may be a neat trick, but what does this mean, and can you do anything about it? Learn more here.
-
Sago Palm Bonsai – Caring For Bonsai Sago Palms
Caring for bonsai sago palms is quite simple, and these plants have an interesting history. These tough plants existed back when dinosaurs still roamed and have been around for 150 million years. Learn how to care for sago palm bonsai in this article.
-
Horse Chestnut Bonsai Plants – Can You Grow A Horse Chestnut Bonsai Tree
Newcomers to the art of bonsai might have some trepidation about using an expensive specimen for their first attempt. Many native trees can become beautiful bonsai for little cost. Take the horse chestnut, for example. Find out how to grow a horse chestnut bonsai here.
-
Mini Bougainvillea Care: How To Grow A Dwarf Bougainvillea Plant
If you love bougainvillea but don’t want a huge, out-of-control vine rambling amok, try growing miniature or dwarf bougainvilleas. What’s a mini bougainvillea? There are several varieties that, with pruning, can be grown as a low growing shrub. Learn more here.
-
Bougainvillea Pruning: When Should I Prune A Bougainvillea
Whether grown as an indoor or outdoor tropical vine, pruning a bougainvillea may seem like a daunting task, especially if you have the more common thorny types. Click on the article that follows to learn how to prune bougainvillea.
-
Bougainvillea Winter Care: What To Do With A Bougainvillea In Winter
In warm regions, bougainvillea blooms almost year-round and thrives outdoors. However, northern gardeners will have a bit more work to keep this plant alive and happy during winter. This article will help with tips on providing good bougainvillea winter care.