Bougainvillea in a container 2,5 l.

Bougainvillea (on Latin: Bougainvillea) is genus plants from the Vecherinkovi family (Nyctaginaceae). The plant is classified in 1768 Mr. from French botanist Philibert Commerson, who accompanied his compatriot, the sea discoverer admiral Louis Antoine de Bougainville, during a trip around the world.

Bougainvilleas grow and bloom in cycles, each one is more or less 5 – 6 weeks, after which all bracts fall off. The plant enters a period, when no new bracts are formed, and leaves and stems develop. If viewed correctly, enters a flowering cycle again. In the northern latitudes, plants bloom best in spring, autumn and winter – the long day in summer suppresses the formation of bracts. In latitudes, where day and night are roughly equal, bougainvilleas bloom continuously. Some varieties are selected like this, that they bloom best during the rainy season, following severe drought.

Bougainvillea requires a minimum of five hours of bright sun, dappled shade or less sun immediately affects the volume of colors, plants grow primarily on leafy mass.

– bougainvillea do not flower well indoors, need ventilation, that's why their place is on the balcony, and not on an inner ledge.

– bougainvillea need high humidity just before they bloom, once color formation begins, the humidity may have decreased.

– during the vegetative growth cycle, in the presence of sufficient light, flower buds are formed, otherwise, the plant cannot progress to the next cycle and develops only foliage.

– the duration of the flowering cycle depends on the general condition of the plant - the better and stronger, the longer and longer the bracts persist. In high temperatures and long day conditions, flowering is weaker. The ideal time for flowering is spring and autumn, when the days are shorter.

– after each flowering cycle, plants can be pruned, to control their size.

– the containers, in which they are grown, they don't need to be very large

– bougainvillea bloom better, when the root system tightly covers the vessel and is even slightly pressed. Bougainvilleas should not be transplanted, until the roots so fill the vessel, that in practice they almost replace the soil, to the extent that they cannot be watered. If and when a transplant becomes necessary, must be very careful, and the roots should not be injured - their recovery may take months.

The bougainvillea pots, taken out into the yard, they should not be placed directly on the ground. The roots will go into the soil through the holes and when the pot is moved the strongest, feeding the plant, will be torn off. It is good that the pots are placed like this, that there is an inflow of air under the drain holes. Thus the air naturally stops the growth of the roots outside the pot. This also helps to keep water from stagnating in the roots of the plant. The presence of water in the substrate of the pot is contraindicated for bougainvilleas, which require excellent drainage.