Bougainvillea not flowering

[poppylou]

Any ideas on why we have no flowers so far this year? We are at 600m, the plant is 10 + years old, and it is pruned regularly to keep it under control. We lose the leaves in the winter winds. It is on an east facing wall. It looks healthy now, plenty of leaves.

Does it flower on new wood only - in which case, that may be why we aren't getting any. Does it need watering (it has survived on rainfall only until now) or feeding?

I have seen lots of similar plants in flower all winter along the coast, but now I come to think of it, not many at this height in flower yet.

[El Cid]

We pruned ours hard last winter and the winter winds stripped all the remaining leaves off. It is just starting to leaf up and start flowering now - have patience! It will flower on the old wood and as the new shoots appear they will flower as well.

They may survive without water but personally our entire garden is watered every day. As for feeding - plants will always do better if you feed them. Our irrigation system can inject soluble fertiliser into the water and we do that regularly. If you are watering by hand just add some to the water.

Sid

[annfoto]

Once established they don´t need watering and survive in some African countries where it doesn't rain every year.
They don´t like cold nights, ours have been decimated this year by a couple of frosty nights, they have died right back to the roots but new growth is coming away strongly now.
We give them a handful of 15:15:15 slow release fertilizer once a year in the spring.

[poppylou]

Many thanks - patience and fertilizer it is!

[Campo Steve]

Ours are flowering beautifully now, but barely a leaf in sight. Is that normal?

[El Cid]

Yes that's right.

The flowers you are talking about are actually the leaves. The flower is the very small white bit in the centre.

Some strains never produce many green leaves - just the coloured ones.

Sid

[Campo Steve]

Thanks Sid. In that case I have lots of colourful leaves. Looking good.