July 12, 2023, 9:03 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Seeing them instantly brings a vacation vibe: Bougainvilleas adorn many house facades, especially in southern countries. But even here, the pretty blooms are real eye-catchers–if they bloom at all.
Red, pink, purple, orange–the flowers of the bougainvillea, also known as the paperflower, prefer to show off in bright colors. They lend a Mediterranean flair to any garden or balcony. This striking and beautiful bloom is what makes the plant special. Many hobby gardeners choose to plant a bougainvillea for this reason. It’s all the more disappointing when it doesn’t display its full bloom. You can read here about why the bougainvillea might not bloom.
Reasons Why the Bougainvillea Doesn’t Bloom
If the bougainvillea doesn’t bloom, it’s usually due to improper care or unsuitable conditions. If the needs of this Mediterranean plant aren’t met, it punishes with a lack of blooms. The following reasons can lead to the bougainvillea not blooming:
1. Wrong Location
The bougainvillea needs a sunny and warm spot–only then can it show its full bloom. It makes no compromises. Even a partially shaded location can prevent the bougainvillea from blooming. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure the plant gets a suitable spot before acquiring it.
2. Moved Outside Too Early
This Mediterranean plant is not winter-hardy and can only be cultivated in pots here, so it can be brought indoors during winter. During overwintering, it’s important that the bougainvillea still gets enough light. It shouldn’t be taken out of its winter quarters too early–as long as it isn’t consistently frost-free at night, it must stay indoors. Otherwise, the cold-sensitive plant might freeze and, of course, not bloom.
3. Overwatering
Like many plants, the bougainvillea cannot tolerate waterlogging. However, it should never completely dry out. Therefore, especially in the hot summer months, the soil’s moisture should be checked daily, and it usually needs to be watered daily.
4. Underfertilization
A lack of nutrients can also cause the bougainvillea not to bloom. For full bloom, it needs plenty of nutrients, which it receives in the form of liquid fertilizer.
5. Incorrect Pruning
Finally, a mistake in pruning can also prevent the beautiful blooms. It’s important to prune the plant at least once a year, as the flowers always develop on new shoots. A thorough pruning is recommended in spring. When moving into winter quarters, the main shoots can be pruned again.
What to Do if the Bougainvillea’s Blooms Just Fall Off?
It can also happen that the bougainvillea blooms but then suddenly loses its flowers. If this occurs in the middle of the blooming phase, when the flowers aren’t yet wilted, action should be taken.
In this case, a nutrient deficiency might again be the reason. However, overfertilization can also be the cause, such as when the plant was heavily fertilized in the store and then weaned off. If that’s the case, there’s nothing to do but wait.