Bougainvillea's are a vine technically speaking. And the blooms that you mention are actually modified leaf structures called bracts. Bracts are the same structure you find on certain flowering dogwoods and the pointesetta's you find at Christmas time. What triggers the growth of bracts is the amount of light and length of light in relationship to darkness they recieve each day. As these types of plants recieve the right duration of light and dark periods their are hormonal changes that start to cause those colorfull changes to the leafs and rather insignificant flowers. I'm not quite sure as to the right prescrition for this to occur but that should be a spring board for you find it. And I hope you enjoy you gift for a long time to come. -G

You know I really didn't answer how to take care of this type of bonsai did I. Well I could cop out and say that since I don't actually have any bougainvilla's myself.....

I won't do that. Firstly most bonsai people recieve as gifts are bought in supermarkets or hardware super stores that have rocks glued to the top of the soil and rim of the bonsai pot to keep the actual soil from falling out. These are largely called mallsai by many in the bonsai community because although well intentioned to make bonsai available to the everyday person most all of the trees are sort of the fast food of bonsai art.

Those glued on rock should be removed so you can assess the condition of the soil. If there are no glued on rocks then you may have gotten a bonsai that was started by someone who potentially had some degree of skill or experience with bonsai as an art. Boy I hope this doesn't sound too upity...

You should check the soil for moisture. often you can see the moisture but just actually touching it will let you know. If it is dry then water it. Some bonsai actally do like to nearly dry out inbetween waterings but each species is different. An important rule of thumb is to make sure that your bonsai never fully dries out between waterings.

I would recommend you check out the FAQ section of this forum and then buy some literature on bonsai. Your bonsai is a tropical species so it will need to come in doors when night time temperatures fall below 55 degrees. And make sure it has adequate light and it should do just fine while you learn more about this art and species of tree. Good luck again. -G

thanks, i will look into it

My experience for bougainvillea bonsai to bloom is giving it plenty of sunshine and using half streng of flowering booster everyweek. I had a pink pixie. It blooms from spring to late fall.

Your bougainvillea is a tropical vine, however it does not like wet feet. By this, I mean it should be allowed to get quite dry between waterings. Wait until the leaves just start to droop, then water well. Most bougainvilleas as bonsai come in less than perfect soil, so be careful. If there is a lot of peat or potting soil in the soil mix, it's easy to water too much or let the soil get too dry. Generally err on the side of a little less water. This will also encourage flowering.

Bougainvillea originates in the tropics where drenching rain is followed by hot dry spells. I grow 9 different colors of bougainvillea but have never tried to bonsai them. The thornless variegated leafed miniatures such as "Tom Thumb" and "Harlequin" (2 colors on one plant) look superb in hanging baskets, which I guess is a form of bonsai. Generally never allow any new water-shoots to exceed 18 inches before pruning off. This encourages bunches of bracts rather than long branches with bracts sprinkled sparsely all along the length. Actually it is stress that triggers the flowering so keep on the dry side with the occasional drenching but roots must be well drained. Bougainvillea bloom 6 weeks on and 6 weeks off, but because the whites, yellows and oranges bloom at alternate times to the purples, reds, magentas and moave ones, I manage to get changing color all year round, although I found that a red one that I have is covered in bloom all year around yet has hardly any normal green leaves. ItÂs was labeled "Volcanic Fire" and I first came across it on the island of Bali. The downward hanging branches produce the largest bunches of colored bracts, so itÂs better to allow the branches to cascade rather that growing erect. In Bali they tie stones to the branches to cause then to bend downwards and to obtain bigger bunches of blooms. Bougainvilleas have a fine root system and care must be taken if repotting so as not to disturb the fibrous roots, yet pot-bound plants seem to produce the best flowering. I feed with aquasol only when bracts start to form and this encourages mass flowering. Feeding at the wrong time will get you lots of leaves and few flowers. Bougainvilleas need at least 8 hours of sunshine daily in order to bloom well. Through experimenting I found that for some reason they do best in friable soil with some rotted tan-bark mixed into it.

Hope this helps.

I received a bougainvillea as a Christmas gift (Dec 19)from a greenhouse in NY city

Since I have received it almost all the leaves have fallen off of it. I was wondering if this is very common and if there is anythin I need to do to it differently when Spring arrives. I am sure it is in shock from a moderate greenhouse to my cooler home - it gets to 58 at night in my house.

I was hoping I could get some advice so that I don't kill the only gift I asked my husband for for Christmas.

Thanks