Bougainvillea advice

[zewald]

Hey guys, this is a Raspberry ice Bougainvillea that I bought about 3 months ago, since then, it has flourished and has put out a nice set of blooms, any ideas on how I should train/prune it? it's a long way away from a bonsai, but hopefully I'll be able to do SOMETHING with it.
[img]https://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/zewald/bonsai/Photo0141.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/zewald/bonsai/Photo0142.jpg[/img]

Here are some views of the branch structure, kinda sub par, I know, but hey, it was the healthiest one of the batch.
[img]https://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/zewald/bonsai/Photo0144.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/zewald/bonsai/Photo0143.jpg[/img]

[Marsman]

That's a beautiful tree. I love the colors.

As a possible bonsai, look at the trunk of your tree.

Now, look at [url=https://www.junctionhillnursery.com/store/WsAncillary.asp?ID=11]this trunk[/url]:
[img]https://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae50/marsman61/Bonsai/Various%20Hosting%20Pics/elements-of-bonsai-Bougainvillea.jpg[/img]

Put yours in the ground and let is grow for a couple of years. Without a nice, thick trunk, a tree wont have good proportions.

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

Bougies grow like fiends... and as MM said... putting it in the ground will help speed up that process. I would also recommend the use of Bougain... your tree will love you for it. You can get it from:

https://www.gulfstreambonsai.org/Shop/bougainmultiples.html

I highly recommend it!

V

[zewald]

Thanks Mars.

I really love the colors too. when I bought it it had only one flower on it, and it was tiny. so I wasn't too sure how everything would turn out. but it started blooming again about a week ago, and as you can see, it's doing great.

And Victrinia, thanks I might pick that up some time in the future, but right now I'm just using miracle grow.

I was wondering about trunk chopping, how well do bougainvilleas respond to such a drastic treatment? obviously I wouldn't do that for quite a while, but it's good to get info anyway.

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

It should be fine... but trunk chopping an already small tree will mean you are left with a structure no bigger than what you have. You can take a bougie in a yard... saw off a log of ANY size... and get it to sprout both leaves and roots... so why don't you let this one grow and go offer someone a few bucks for a limb off of theirs?

V

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

[img]https://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j192/theladysabine/bougie.jpg[/img]

I ran out and took a photo of mine... this bad boy is in a 22 inch round pot... if that gives you a sense of size. I also included a lighter to help...lol Anyway this was collected in Hawaii from the FedEx parking lot... cut off at ground level, debranched, and thrown into a shipping box. No dirt... so no problem. :p

Just trying to give you a sense of possibilities.... it's still in training of course... but when I got it, it was just a big stump in an even bigger pot....lol

It was an engagement present from my teacher.... My hubby and I did all the carving.

V

[zewald]

Victrinia, wow, that's awesome, really beautiful.

And ya, I was just trying to think ahead as far as the trunk chop. I wouldn't do that for a few years or more.

One other question, I know that typically flowers are full size, and only leaf size can be reduced, but because Bougainvillea have large bracts and tiny flowers, can the BRACTS and blooms be reduced? if so, how?

[TomM]

OK Vic,
I've just got to ask, before some other wisecracker (Mars?) does -
Is Bougain just another Rogaine for "bougies"?
Sorry, couldn't help myself !!

But if anyone wants some check out this place for a better price-
https://www.bgi-usa.com/products/bougainvillea-fertilizer.php
Compare and save on the 10 lb bag. NOTE - free shipping in the USA

[Marsman]

I've just got to ask, before some other wisecracker (Mars?) does -

[img]https://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae50/marsman61/Fun%20Stuff/who_me-300x294.jpg[/img]

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

lol.... yah you.

Also, I don't have any experiance reducing the bracts.... My tree is so large, I don't really worry about it.

V

[josh1812@live.com]

Hello Zewald,

Heres a link that helped me and I think would really help you if you decide to plant it in the ground and even if you don't it will probably be of intrest here it is hope it helps!

https://www.wigertsbonsai.com/documents/articles_BougainvilleaDevlopment.pdf

[TomM]

Hey Josh,
Glad you passed along Erik Wigert's tips on collecting and developing bougies for bonsai. Good tips in there !!! Thanx.

Of course we don't collect them in the north, but we can purchase collected materials sometimes, when we get lucky. And Erik ventures up this way now and then.

[zewald]

wow, that's a great link, thanks.