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I have a few bougainvillea plants around our house in Southwest Florida. Two are doing OK, the hanging one is bursting out in color with red bracts and white flowers, and there's this one...

This is the second time this year that there's been a single branch (?) shooting skyward like a magic beanstalk, and each time from a different part of the plant. On this one the bougainvillea-stalk is over 5 feet tall.

None of the other plants has exhibited such a behavior (a single branch growing way, way longer and higher). This 'stalk' hasn't shown any tendency to show any color.

Is this something normal? Is this plant trying to become a tree? Is it hurting the plant letting this grow so tall? Should I worry about a giant climbing down and messing up our pool?

Click on pictures for full size.

Abnormally tall bougainvillea branch Closeup of stalk attaching to trunk

Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
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unkfrank
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4 Answers4

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Some types of Bougainvilleas are climbing plants, and you are watching a branch that is ready to climb. This is common when bougainvilleas are very well watered. A constant pruning can solve the issue.

If you let the branch grow and take care that it grows in a line you could have a beautiful tree. Only take care of the pruning. The branch will grow more but the weight will cause the branch to come down. You can add some extra support for the branch and try to do some pruning in order to prevent a random growing. When you can see that the branch is thicker and it can hold its own weight, you can remove the extra support.

Alexander Leon VI
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I think it's really just think it's trying to tell anyone and anything that's willing to pay attention that "hey I am ready to grow." I'd let the bush get a little bigger for the next few years.

Escoce
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I think it is the male part of the plant just the way it happens in roses. This part will keep on growing straight with no flowering. As far as I know you may cut and remove this long shoot from the base.

Muddassar
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Agree with Escoce and Alexander (points given), its actually putting out a long cane like climbing roses do because it wants to get a lot taller with growth on the top. If you don't want that to happen because of where its planted, you have no choice but to keep removing the long branches like this, but it would be perfect for training up over an arbour or a low roof. Probably a different variety of Hibiscus from the others you have.

Bamboo
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