Full sun and plenty of it is one of the main keys to successful Bougainvillea cultivation. These potentially stunning climbers also require very well-drained soil and plenty of room to sprawl.

Bougainvillea can also be grown as shrubs, be used for hedging and even trained as standards, if strict pruning regimes — along with a very strong support system — are maintained.

These highly trained forms, however, do not, in the writer’s humble opinion, hold a candle to those allowed to climb and ramble, as nature intended them to do.

Their natural instinct to climb up and over trees, walls, fences and anything else offering support, makes Bougainvillea an invaluable addition to nature-themed gardens.

These stunning climbers require very well-drained soil and plenty of room to sprawl

Their dense mass, usually beginning a few feet above ground level, offers perfect concealment for nesting birds and for the openwork honeycombs of our indigenous bees.

The versatility and vibrant beauty of Bougainvillea in full bloom, far outweighs the mess made by the fallen, spent flowers which, depending where they fall, may need sweeping up almost every day.

It is the ‘mess’ potential that puts many people off growing these splendid, drought resistant (once established) plants, which is a real shame.

The hybrid Bougainvilleas of today are descended from just three ancestral varieties.

Bougainvillea spectablis in pink, red and purple shades, being the best-known, possibly is the first to be recognised and recorded variety. This one is at its floriferous best after a period of drought. It really is a tough survivor. It is also an exceptionally vigorous climber.

Bougainvillea glabra, on the other hand, with predominantly mauve to purple or occasionally white flowers, can be had in bloom, on and off, from late spring through to late autumn. It has a more compact form than freely climbing Bougainvillea spectablis and is thus more suitable for training as a hedge, a shrub or as a standard plant.

Then there is Bougainvillea Peruviana, another rapacious climber, most commonly with magenta flowers. It has a tendency to smother itself in bloom after spells of extremely hot and dry weather.

The incredibly wide range of hybrids, developed from the aforementioned three varieties, include some with orange or rust-coloured flowers, bi-colours and cream and green variegated leaves.

As long as suitable soil conditions and hours of direct sunshine are provided, Bougainvillea thrives on neglect. Soil, as previously mentioned, must be well-drained.

If your garden soil is something like water retentive clay, you can increase its drainage ability by adding in copious amounts of river sand, not — it must be specified — saltish sea sand.

There is absolutely no need to use any fertiliser, not even organic fertiliser, when first planting and then maintaining Bougainvillea. If grown in rich soil, all the plant will produce is luxuriant green growth with never a colourful bloom in sight. These are one of the few plants that are at their very best in poor soil without any additives at all.

Bougainvillea will tolerate a certain amount of brackish water and soil salinity, as can be substantiated by those thriving, in sheltered positions, in coastal areas of Karachi. They do, however, require protection from the direct sea breeze, as this can badly burn their leaves.

Before buying a young Bougainvillea to plant out in your garden, you need to ensure the following:

1. That the selected location receives at least six to eight hours of direct sunshine each day. Lack of sunshine will not kill the plant but will encourage it to produce leaves instead of flowers.

2. Soil is well-drained. Bougainvillea cannot stand having overly wet roots. They quickly develop root rot, plus other fungal diseases, and they die off.

3. That the plant — and its root system — has all the space they will need at maturity. The plant may be quite small, with a correspondingly small root system, when purchased but, hopefully, it will be very much larger once it is grown. Take into account the proximity of both over and underground pipes and cables when choosing the planting location. Bougainvillea hates to be moved. If you plant one and then later realise the allotted space isn’t suitable, and have to move it, chances are that it will not survive the shock.

Bougainvillea, no matter how climatically hardy they may be, have extremely tender, fragile root systems which, once comfortable, should not be disturbed.

To promote flowering and prevent the plants from getting completely out of hand — which they will if given even half a chance — regular pruning is essential, especially from late spring through to mid-autumn when they can grow at an incredible rate.

Cut away any unwanted suckers sprouting from the rootstock and prune some of the long, arching branches that shoot out from the upper part of the plant. The aim, with a climber/rambler is to strengthen the main trunk, keeping it clear of unnecessary bushiness, whilst also preventing it from becoming top heavy and crashing down. Keeping an eye on the support it is climbing over/fastened to, ensuring that it remains strong and firmly in place, is another regular task.

Pruning Bougainvillea can be a painful experience due to its thorns. The wearing of protective clothing, gloves, goggles and a hat is highly recommended.

A newly planted Bougainvillea will need watering at least three times a week in the six months or so it takes for it to get established. Once you see that it is putting on new growth, phase the watering back to first twice a week, then after another month just once a week and, a couple of months later, forget about watering it completely.

Propagated by cuttings and layering during the summer monsoon, this is one climber that can be used to great effect in inner-city areas which other, less hardy, climbers simply will not tolerate.

Please continue sending your gardening queries to zahrahnasir@hotmail.com. Remember to include your location. The writer does not respond directly by email. Emails with attachments will not be opened

Published in Dawn, EOS, March 14th, 2021