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DESERT GARDENING 101

Nothing evokes the feel of a tropical paradise quite as magnificently as vibrant bougainvillea plants. Their bright displays actually are papery bracts (modified leaves) surrounding the inconspicuous true flowers. Look for this plant in shades of pink, fuchsia, scarlet, gold, orange, salmon and white. Grown as vines, shrubs, ground covers or in containers, bougainvilleas provide extended seasons of razzle-dazzle color when properly sited and maintained.

WHERE TO PLANT
Find a warm spot—Bougainvilleas require full sun for maximum bloom. Native to tropical and subtropical regions, they suffer frost damage when temperatures drop below 28 to 30 degrees. Plant them in your landscape’s warmest spot. A south- or west-facing wall is ideal because it retains heat from the sun, creating a warmer microclimate in winter.

Allow space to sprawl—Many bougainvillea varieties grow stiff stems that are 20 to 30 feet long and armed with thick, sharp thorns. Eliminate potential hazards and the need to prune by planting where sprawling stems won’t hinder movement or stab the unwary. Alternatively, grow them against a wall, or tie stems to an extremely sturdy trellis, ramada or other support. Another option is to choose a compact variety, such as ‘Bengal Orange’, ‘Delta Dawn’, ‘Golden Jackpot’, Oo-La-La®, ‘Purple Queen’, ‘Raspa Raspberry’, ‘Raspberry Ice’, ‘Rosenka’, ‘Singapore Pink’ and ‘Singapore White’.

Stay downwind—Although bougainvilleas are evergreen, if temperatures dip too low in winter, they will drop a lot of leaves and bracts that blow about in the breeze. If space permits, plant downwind from pools and spas to inhibit litter from landing in the water. Another trick is to form a berm (raised mound of soil) around the outer base of the plant, which may help contain some of the litter drop.

WHEN TO PLANT
Transplant after the last frost date in your area, around mid-March in Phoenix. Keep the root system consistently moist for several weeks. Taper off watering frequency to weekly through the heat of summer. Water every 10 to 14 days fall through spring for its first year, reducing frequency during cold or rainy weather.

FERTILIZING AND WATERING
Overfed and over-watered bougainvilleas produce an abundance of green foli-
age at the expense of the colorful bracts. Wait to fertilize until early in the plant’s second spring. After that, if it is vigorous and colorful, it may need feeding no more than once every other spring. (Many experienced gardeners do not fertilize their bougainvilleas at all.) Container-grown are the exception. Like all potted plants, they require regular feeding.

Despite their tropical appearance, bougainvilleas are low-water-users. How often to irrigate established plants depends on many factors, such as soil type, plant maturity, weather and your microclimate. As a guide, start with Arizona Municipal Water Users Association recommendations for desert-adapted ground covers and vines: spring (March-May), water once every 14 to 30 days; summer (May-Oct.), 7 to 21 days; fall (Oct.-Dec.), 14 to 30 days; winter (Dec.-March), 21 to 45 days. Containers require more frequent irrigation.