Bougainvillea in Pots
Bougainvillea, whether growing in a pot or in the garden, needs at least 6 hours of full sun a day. This ensures an abundance of flowering .
Bougainvillea is hardy from USDA zones 9b – 11. It doesn’t like temperatures below 28-30 degrees F and definitely not for a prolonged period of time.
Bougainvillea growing in pots does best with regular watering. It's more drought-tolerant once it’s established. It prefers good, deep waterings rather than frequent shallow ones.
Fertilizing bougainvillea with a palm and hibiscus food or specialized Bougainvillea food is recommended. Whatever you use, just be sure to follow the directions on the box.
Pruning is essential to bougainvillea care in pots just as it is to those growing in the garden. The extent of the pruning you have to do depends on the size of the bougainvillea you have.
For larger growing varieties, you’ll need a metal trellis or a wire support system for training it to grow up and/or along a wall or fence, over an arbor or across a structure.
The small white centers are the flowers and the bracts (the colored leaves) are actually what give us those big spectacles of color. Bougainvilleas put out a big show of color, drop their colored bracts, set buds, and then flower again.