Many thanks to Portstone Garden Centre for this update.
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How to grow Bougainvillea in Christchurch
Bougainvillea are a tropical-style flowering climber, originally from South Africa. They are known for their brilliant floral displays of bright, papery flowers (colourful bracts) that come in a variety of shades, including red, orange, pink, purple and white.
The best place to grow bougainvillea is in a sheltered frost-free location with full sun. They can be grown as a climbing vine, a shrub or groundcover. As climbers they need support to grow up, such as a fence, wall or trellis.
Before planting in the ground, get some organic matter like compost into the soil to improve the health and structure of the plant. If planting in a pot, use a high-quality potting mix. Water the plant well after planting to help get the roots going. Once established, bougainvillea are dry tolerant and only need occasional deep watering in warm weather. They do not like wet feet.
In spring and mid-summer, use a fertilizer high in phosphorus and potassium to promote flowers. Prune after flowering to maintain the shape and encourage more flowers.
Bougainvillea are relatively easy to care for. The flowers are full of a nectar that attracts beneficial insects like butterflies into the garden which helps with the garden’s ecosystem.
Portstone Garden Centre has two varieties available, Scarlet O’Hara, which has a dark red flower, and Magnifica Trailli, which has a purple-red flower.
