Characteristics of bougainvillea, recommendations for growing, tips for reproduction, difficulties in cultivating a flower, interesting facts, species. Some plants can boast not of their flowers, but of such a part of them as bracts. Among them, the following examples stand out: ehmeya, bilbergia, guzmania and similar ones from the Bromeliad family, flaunting with unusual forms. However, the plant that will be discussed is not among them, but also amazes with the appearance of its bracts and their color - this is the popular Bougainvillea.
It belongs to the family of Nyctaginaceae, or as it is also called Nocturnal. Plants of this family are evergreen specimens of the planet's flora. The native habitat in natural nature falls on the territory of South America.
Plants of this genus should be grateful for their name to the French traveler Liu Antoine Comte de Bougainville, who lived in 1729-1811. He was the leader of the first expedition, equipped around the world (1766-1769), he was also a member of the Paris Academy of Sciences. This unusual exotic example of the green world of the planet was discovered in 1768 by the naturalist from France Philibert Commerson, who was a member of this expedition, as a simple passenger on the ship "La Baudouz", under the command of his friend Admiral de Bougainville.
Also, this unusual flower is called the "miracle flower" in Germany. And in some countries it is called a "paper flower". Most likely, bougainvillea received the last name due to the beautiful appearance of its bracts, which are very similar to pieces of thin crumpled colored paper.
Bougainvillea in nature is represented by shrubs or trees with a small height, which rarely exceeds 5 m. Its shoots are curly, liana-like. On them, oval or egg-shaped leaf plates are arranged in the next order. The edge of the leaves is solid, the color is rich green, there is a sharpening at the top. Length parameters are measured 5–8 cm.
What bougainvillea is popular for is not its flowers, in fact, the flowers of this "paper plant" are subtle and small, yellow-white in color. They are enclosed in bracts (modified leaves) of rounded or heart-shaped outlines. The color of this part of the plant can be quite rich and attractive. It is the bracts that are mistaken by ignorant people for the extraordinary bougainvillea flowers. The color of the bracts can be purple, purple, or copper-red. In some varieties, when flowering, the color of the bracts fades. Their length reaches 3-5 cm.
Like some plants, such as geranium (pelargonium) or fuchsia, if climatic conditions permit, the "miracle flower" can be grown outdoors, but there are those who like to have it as a home crop. Adult bougainvillea begins to bloom from the first months of spring until the very end of November.
Often, flower growers use bougainvillea to form a tree in the bonsai style. Intertwining its shoots, especially if there are several plants with different shades of bracts. In small rooms, the "paper flower" feels uncomfortable.
When grown in room conditions, the plant only feels normal for 5–10 years, but then it begins to lignify strongly and the flowering process does not occur. If bougainvillea is cultivated in greenhouses, then life expectancy can reach 30 years, although there are real long-livers in nature.
Agrotechnics for growing bougainvillea, care
- Lighting. The plant loves bright light and does not suffer from direct sunlight. It is necessary to grow in rooms on the south, south-west or south-east side of the windows, in other places additional lighting will be required.
- Content temperature. In the summer, they withstand indicators in the range of 20-25 degrees, and in winter, a decrease to 12-16 degrees is necessary - this is the key to subsequent successful flowering.
- Air humidity high will be required, so frequent spraying is needed, especially during the breaks between flowering. Humidifiers are installed during the winter months and during flowering.
- Watering. When growing bougainvillea, it will be necessary to establish a balance between the moisture content of the soil - it should not be overdried and flooded. With the arrival of autumn days, the plant enters dormancy and will need to reduce watering.
- Fertilizers for a "paper flower" it is necessary to apply from early spring to late autumn. Top dressing is used for the formation of buds and their further flowering, in which the nitrogen content will be reduced, and the potassium, phosphorus and iron content will be increased. If there is a lot of nitrogen, it will stop flowering and weaken it.
- Transplants and substrate selection. To change the container and soil for the "paper flower" you will need to take a new pot, only a few centimeters larger. Otherwise, when watering, thin roots that have not managed to master the entire soil will not be able to use all the moisture received, which will lead to acidification of the soil. When transplanting, the transshipment method is used - without destroying the earthen coma, so the root system will be least injured. A young plant is transplanted only once every 2 years, and already adult specimens are transplanted every 3-5 years, or only if necessary, when the root system has completely mastered the provided soil in a pot. The soil for replanting is nutritious, but light with good water and air permeability. You can use a universal soil for flowering plants, or you can make a soil mixture yourself by mixing: leafy soil, sod, river sand and humus (in a ratio of 2: 2: 1: 1).
- Pruning bougainvillea is carried out to form an overall attractive plant appearance, but also to stimulate subsequent flowering. When pruning, 5–7 cm branches of this year are left, since the buds wake up more heavily on old branches than on young ones, and young shoots may not have time to form.
Recommendations for reproduction of "paper flower"
You can get a brand new young bougainvillea by sowing seeds, planting cuttings or stem processes.
Reproduction using seed material is a rather difficult method, since it is very difficult to obtain paper flower seeds without a pollinator. For sowing, a sand-peat mixture is prepared (parts are equal). Before planting, the seeds are soaked in a growth stimulator. Then the seed is planted in a moist substrate. When germinating, the bottom heating of the container is needed, the temperature of the soil is maintained within the range of 27-30 degrees. The container is covered with a piece of glass or plastic wrap to create the conditions for a mini-greenhouse. This container is placed in a warm and bright place, devoid of direct sunlight. Sprouts germinate for a long time, it is necessary to keep the soil always moist and regularly ventilate the crops. After 2-3 months, the first shoots can be expected to appear. If the seeds were sown in the winter, then it will be necessary to carry out additional lighting with special photo lamps, which are located at a height of 25 cm from the soil surface. As soon as the sprouts grow up enough, and a pair of real leaves appear on them, then you can dive in separate containers with soil suitable for further growth.
The most commonly used method of propagation of bougainvillea is stem cuttings. For this, cutting is made from summer semi-lignified cuttings in June days. Cuttings take root at a heat of 20-25 degrees and at high humidity. The mixture is also taken peat-sand. To make the conditions for germination sufficient, use greenhouses or cover the pot with twigs with a glass jar or plastic bag. Before planting, flower growers recommend treating cuttings with a rooting stimulator; it is also necessary to arrange bottom heating of the soil. As soon as the branches take root and start growing, you can transplant in separate pots with a diameter of 7-9 cm.
If you want to propagate bougainvillea with air layers, then you can choose any time. A pot with a substrate is placed next to the mother bush and the lower branch (a young shoot, still not lignified) is bent to the ground. It will need to be pinned to the soil in a new pot, and the branch is held there with a hairpin or hairpin, lightly sprinkled with soil. A small incision or scratch is made on the shoot at the point of contact with the substrate - this will be the key to stimulating root formation. When the branch is sufficiently rooted, it is carefully separated from the mother bush. Care for a young bougainvillea is the same as for an adult plant.
Difficulties in cultivating bougainvillea at home
The plant is quite resistant to various "flower" diseases and pests. Most often, the "miracle flower" suffers from care errors, after which its foliage falls off and its decorative effect is completely lost.
If flowering does not occur, then you should pay attention to the following factors:
- during the dormant period, bougainvillea was kept at an elevated temperature;
- the degree of illumination is very low;
- there is an excess of nitrogen in the soil.
The leaves can fly around when the plant begins to prepare for the winter period, but if the foliage falls off in the summer, then the reason could be a change in the location of the pot or the action of a draft. The yellowing of the foliage is associated with the gulf of the substrate in the flowerpot.
Of the pests, the bougainvillea most often affects the scale insect, mealybug and aphids. With this problem, comprehensive control measures are being taken. First, leaf plates and branches are treated with soap, oil or alcohol solutions. The drug is applied to a cotton pad, and then all parts of the "paper flower" are wiped, removing pests and their waste products. Then spray the plant with broad-spectrum insecticides.
Interesting facts about bougainvillea
Bougainvillea, growing in nature, was discovered in Brazil, and then it began to be actively cultivated in gardens among palm trees, next to mansions in South Florida. The history of this plant is very rich and rich in adventures.
The paper flower owes its popularity to Philibert Commerson, who was famous for his passion for gathering and collecting plants. After he discovered this plant with enchanting flowers and brought it to French lands, bougainvillea began to be grown everywhere as a greenhouse crop, named after his friend Bougainville. With this, Commerson added another "glorious page" to his fame as a naturalist.
It is also curious that the first woman took part in the expedition - Jeanne Barret (July 27, 1740-1803). She, in those days, could not participate in this enterprise openly, therefore, having changed into men's clothes, she was able to carry out this daring plan. The woman called herself Jeanne Barre and hired a servant for the naturalist Philibert Commerson, who soon set off on a journey around the world with the expedition of the famous French navigator and leader of the 1st circumnavigation of the world Louis Antoine Comte de Bougainville.
One of the largest plants grows on the lands of Brazil, its height indicators reach 15 meters, and its age is 200 years.
Bougainvillea species
- Bougainvillea glabra or as it is also called Bougainvillea smooth. It was first described in 1850 by the Swiss botanist Jacques Denis Choisy. The relatively dry Brazilian territories, as well as Peru and Colombia, are considered to be their native habitat. The plant likes to settle in rocky areas with calcareous soils. It is represented by a climbing liana with creeping woody shoots. The surface of the stems is bare, sometimes covered with thorns, highly branched, in natural conditions they can reach 5 meters in height. But in culture it is grown as a low-growing upright shrub plant. Unlike other species, its parts are less pubescent and less spiny. The leaf plates are oval in shape, their surface is smooth. The color is dark green. There is a sharpening at the apex. The length of the leaf reaches 10-15 cm with a width of 4-6 cm. The color of the bracts can be: snow-white, lemon-yellow, apricot, pinkish, lilac, orange or reddish. The flowering process is long and abundant.
- Bougainvillea peruvian (Bougainvillea peruviana). This species was first found in 1810 by a naturalist from Germany, Alexander von Humboldt. The leaf plates of this variety have strongly ovoid outlines, they are thin and elongated, devoid of pubescence. It is distinguished from other varieties by the presence of green bark on the branches. The shoots are decorated with straight and short thorns. The flowers are yellow. Bracts are rounded, their color can be pink or purple, the surface is somewhat leathery. Flowers are located both singly, and their number reaches 3 units. Flowering occurs several times a year. They grow quite vigorously with great bushiness.
- The most famous and widespread, is a hybrid between Bougainvillea naked and Peruvian. On the basis of this plant, a large number of varieties known today were bred. It was discovered on the territory of Spain in the town of Carthazena, Mrs. R. V. found it in her garden. Butt. Therefore, the variety is named after its discoverer as Bougainvillea Butt (Bougainvillea x buttiana) … Later it was found that this is not a new plant species, but a natural hybrid. This variety is mistakenly called Begenville Butt.
- Hybrid varieties bred on the basis of crossing gained great popularity Bougainvillea beautiful and Peruvian - Bougainvillea x spectoperuviana. The leaf plates of this variety are large in size, their color is rich emerald, the shape is ovoid, and the surface is bare. The branches are studded with straight, strong thorns. The flowers have creamy shades, but the bracts grow in a copper-red color at the very beginning of the flowering process, and as they age, they acquire shades of purple and pinkish color.
- Bougainvillea spectabilis, often found under the name Bougainvillea remarkable. In natural nature, it grows in the territories of Brazil. It settles on rocky slopes in open areas. In culture, this species has been cultivated since the first half of the 19th century. The plant is represented by a liana with ligneous shoots, completely covered with thorns and stems with hairy pubescence. The petioles and edges of the leaf blades have the same coating. The leaves themselves on the branches are arranged in a regular sequence, have oval outlines, and are attached with short petioles to the shoot. The pubescence of the leaves is velvety. Flowers reach 2-5 cm in length, they are located singly or gathering 2-5 units. They are surrounded by 2-3 bracts, with a lilac or pinkish-red tint. The color of the stipules becomes paler and paler as they age. The perianth has the shape of a tube, its color is yellowish-green. The growth rate is high, and the shrub grows quite dense. The flowering process is long and very abundant. Shoots sometimes reach 9 meters in length.
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