EasyBloom Forum

My bougainvillea has beautiful bushy foliage but no blooms -- no brachts, no flowers. Help!

Hey Ann...This non-flowering problem can be any number of things. I will list what I would assume to be the most likely causes for this to give you some direction. Firstly, many plants require some level of stress to flower. If everything is provided for the plant, the plant will just continue to produce new stems and leaves and not produce flowers. If the plant is given some kind of stress (in the case for Bougainvilleas, water stress is usually what initiates flowering), it will produce flowers in a last ditch effort to put out seeds in case this stress leads to the plants demise. Luckily Bougainvilleas are rather drought tolerant and can take some level of drought stress without too much damage.

Another cause could be too much nitrogen. Nitrogen is probably the most coveted of nutrients from a plant's perspective (not that plants can think), but if it is given in ample amounts many plants will continue producing more and more leaves. Relatively high potassium fertilizers (as compared with the concentration of nitrogen) are helpful in inducing flower initiation. Remember too much of any nutrient can be a bad thing. Most plants cannot handle high salt concentrations in the soil; when it comes down to it, these nutrients that the plants absorb are different kinds of salts.

Another thing you may want to keep in mind is that Bougainvilleas flowering can be intensified by longer nights. If they are given long periods of dark with no interruptions (even an outdoor light can break up a long night), Bougainvilleas will flower better. I hope this is all helpful. Definitely reply to this post or make another post if you'd like some more advice. Happy Gardening!!! --Robby

yeah Robby! you cant water these things very much at all (if planted outdoors). i keep mine well out of reach of the sprinkler. if they get regular watering, they dont get the pretty brachts(flowers). and lots of sun! dry and sunny!

Hear, Hear! Thanks, Bill. Sounds like your Bougainvillea is busting out with flowers. Also, the fact that you said bracts (which subtend the true flowers of the Bougainvillea and are the colorful parts) leads me to believe that you've been around the gardening block a few times. :) Happy Gardening! --Robby