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I got this bougainvillea plant as a gift a week or two ago. I read up on it and it said that it needed direct light for at least 5 hours a day and not a lot of watering. But I live in central Texas and the days are 100 degrees. I would water it about every other day to two days when the soil looked like it was really drying. For now I have brought it in, re-watered it and now I'm not sure what to do with it.

I want to keep it small and shrub like but from what I understand this keeps growing longer unless you cut it back.

Do I need to cut it back and let it re-grow? Or give it time and let it grow bigger before cutting?

Edit for pics. Click on them for closer view.

bougainvillea wilt base

Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
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Hush
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1 Answers1

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Shock causes it to lose its leaves and flowers. The most common causes are low light levels, frost, and repotting. It sounds like the latter was the cause, and it's now recovered with leaves and flowers.

Bougainvillaeas originally came from Brazil so it's a semi-tropical plant. Therefore the best time to trim it is when there's no danger of frost, and before the new growth gets established. So, trim in Spring after the last frost.

Graham Chiu
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