{"id":5387,"date":"2021-04-26T20:20:21","date_gmt":"2021-04-27T00:20:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.earthworksjax.com\/?p=5387"},"modified":"2026-02-10T23:05:55","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T23:05:55","slug":"growing-bougainvillea-in-northeast-florida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.earthworksjax.com\/lawncare\/growing-bougainvillea-in-northeast-florida\/","title":{"rendered":"Growing Bougainvillea in Northeast Florida"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Large masses of colorful bracts surround three petite flowers of Bougainvillea, which grows well in Northeast Florida despite our rainfall. These Brazilian coastal natives do best in direct sunlight with numerous blooming cycles per year in sunny, dry conditions. They are available in bush, tree, and vine form. Growing Bougainvillea in Northeast Florida can be easy if planted in the right spot and protected from frost and freezing temperatures and soggy conditions as they don’t like wet feet.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cBouganvillea is a fantastic plant if you have the right spot for it,\u201d said Matthew Barlow, Earth Works garden center manager. \u201c The right spot is that place in the garden that\u2019s hot, that\u2019s sandy, that\u2019s dry, get\u2019s sun all day where nothing else wants to grow. That\u2019s where the bougainvillea wants to be. It is a perfect solution for that place in the garden where it can be very difficult to grow other things especially if it\u2019s getting blasted with the afternoon death rays come June, July, August, September, and sometimes October. Do not put these in a place that\u2019s low-lying, shady, or stays wet for long periods of time. High, dry, hot, sunny, is what the bougainvillea loves.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Growing Bougainvillea in Northeast Florida with unpredictable low temperatures can be tricky, with some years having few touches of frost and other years having numerous hard freezes. Jacksonville is designated at the lower end of zone 8(8b) and the upper region of 9 (9a). \u201cThey (bougainvillea) are a hardy perennial here, although if we have hard frosts, hard freezes they can be knocked back considerably,\u201d said Barlow. \u201cI have seen bougainvilleas come back from some very cold temperatures. After the first Winter or two, the maintenance on them in the Winter is much less. In the first season or two, you might want to cover and protect them, for the first couple of years to make sure their roots become established. Once the roots become established, they will bounce back very quickly in the Spring once the temperatures perk back up.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
\"\"<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cThe best time to prune bougainvillea is in late winter or early spring after it flowers, or at the start of the rainy season,\u201d according to the University of Florida<\/a>. \u201cIf you wait until late summer or early fall, your plant may produce fewer flowers during the following winter.\u201d There are numerous varieties of bougainvillea on the market that bloom best at different times of the year. Follow the grower’s recommendation for your specific variety.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
\"\"<\/a>\r\n
Buy Bougainvilleas at Earth Works Gardens<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cAlso feeding is very important with the bougainvilleas,\u201d said Barlow. \u201cYou want to keep them on a regular feeding schedule. For those of you who don\u2019t like to use a water-soluble liquid fertilizer, which I recommend even a slow-release quarterly feed will encourage the blooming.\u201d Avoid over-fertilization which can encourage too much foliage at the expense of blooms. And if kept in pots they like to be pot-bound to bloom best.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Bougainvillea is both salt and drought-tolerant, making them a hardy choice for southern coastal landscapes. Visit Earth Works garden center for a wide assortment of bougainvillea, soil amendments, and fertilizers. And talk to Matthew about any concerns you have about growing bougainvillea in your landscape. Plus, consider scheduling a design consultation to include bougainvillea and the many other plant choices we can make available for your landscape.<\/p>\r\n