Bougainvillea in Memoriam

[tmmason10]

This bougainvillea may not look like much but it has a very special meaning to me. My grandfather and grandmother were both very sick the past few years, and last fall I went and visited them in Florida because my grandfather had gotten worse. They had not been able to come visit in a few years, including missing both mine and my brothers wedding this past year as they were not allowed to fly. While I was there, my wife (pregnant at the time, I can't thank her enough for her support on this trip) and I visited Wigert's nursery as my grandparents lived in Ft. Myers. Wigert's nursery is really nice, with great display areas and good stock for sale at good prices. If you are ever in the area, it is fully recommended.

While I was there, I decided that I would get my grandfather a bougainvillea starter as it was blooming at the time. It wasn't the best material ,but it did have the colorful bracts, and I thought he might enjoy it. He was very surprised when I brought it to him. He was in a medical bed in their home, and we put it next to his bed. He enjoyed looking at it, and told me he had bonsai before and was always interested in them. I swear to you while I was there and the days after he got to see his tree, he rebounded. He was able to sit at the dinner table and have dinner with my wife and I, which was something he hadn't done in weeks. He passed away about two weeks after I left.

This left my grandmother to be in charge of the tree. She called my mom and I and was telling us that she was doing her best to get the tree to stop dropping leaves. I gave the basic "don't overwater, the leaves are dropping because it is adjusting to it's new environment" etc. She got the tree back to health and for the past 4-5 months the tree has done fine. As she passed away last week, the bougainvillea was in bloom. I then inherited back the bonsai, and it now means very much to me.

My question to you, what should I know about the general care of the bougainvillea species? I also would like some help with styling advice, which admittedly is not an easy question because unfortunately I'm not sure the tree has much potential. It is however important to me, and I am now attached to the responsibility of keeping this tree alive and making it as beautiful as possible in memoriam to my grandparents. Comments are welcome.

 

[tmmason10]

I do apologize in advance for the long-winded post by the way.

 

[october]

Hi Tom, I am very sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing your story. Although I have no direct experience with this species. How about not doing a bonsai, maybe find a nice pot, not bonsai and keeping it as more of a house plant. Outdoors in Spring and Summer... Maybe an oversized pot. Then in many years, you will have more options.

Rob

 

[Poink88]

Hi Tom, I am very sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing your story. Although I have no direct experience with this species. How about not doing a bonsai, maybe find a nice pot, not bonsai and keeping it as more of a house plant. Outdoors in Spring and Summer... Maybe an oversized pot. Then in many years, you will have more options.

Rob

I agree. For now, turn it into a house plant...maybe bonsai later on.

Sad but good story. Thanks for sharing.

 

[tmmason10]

Thanks guys, good idea Rob. I should have thought of that it makes way more sense.

 

[Dan W.]

Very nice story. I'm sorry for your losses, but I'm glad you were able to share this time with them before they passed. I'ts often the small things that bring us together.

Honestly if this were mine, I don't think I'd change it much. It would be worth more to me as a memory than great potential bonsai material. It's cute like it is and you can simply enjoy it's flowers and memories. Or if you want a really nice bonsai out of it, then as the others have stated, you'll just have to let it grow out for along time.

 

[tmmason10]

Well, I did end up whacking it back and it has responded well. This will never be a good bonsai but it will have a place in my garden for sure.

 

[A Random User]

Thanks very much for the thread ...

I would care for it as you do your ficus.
Try and give it as much sunlight as possible during the
growing season... fertilize like crazy with Bougain.

In the winter be careful of the cold, personally I wouldn't
let it or any tropical, drop much below 50's

Also, wanted to add that this can very well be come a
nice Bonsai. The trick for you is going to be choosing a
path for each growing season, and a long term goal.
I would each year let a part grow wild and thicken up.

 

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

Bougain is the BOMB... this is what mine looks like by end of summer on it....

From something like this....



To this.......



Must be something about bougies... Mine is terribly sentimental for me since Daniel gave it to Eric and I when we got engaged.

Your ancestors would be proud of how you honor their memory.

Warmly,

Victrinia

 

[tmmason10]

Vic your bougie is stunning! Thanks for sharing ill give bougainvillea a try.

Thanks sawgrass, Ill treat it like my ficus and just see where it goes I guess.

 

[A Random User]

Vic your bougie is stunning! Thanks for sharing ill give bougainvillea a try.

Thanks sawgrass, Ill treat it like my ficus and just see where it goes I guess.

Just think how awesome it would be when your tree becomes a really nice Bonsai !!!
First step... get ahold of some Bougain. There is absolutely no substitute for Bougies...
Fertilize it really well and let the tree go for the next year or two. They are pretty fast
growers. Definitely mind the cold with them.
Good Luck and keep us informed of how it does.

 

[october]

I think it has potential. As the years go on, the bigger the tree gets, the smaller the pots can become. I think you might have a pretty nice bonsai at some point. Especially if it's in a nice pot during flowering season.

Rob

 

[tmmason10]

I think it has potential. As the years go on, the bigger the tree gets, the smaller the pots can become. I think you might have a pretty nice bonsai at some point. Especially if it's in a nice pot during flowering season.

Rob

I think that maybe one day it can be enjoyed for the blooms. I think a new pot would do it wonders at some point.

 

[Terrapinflyer]

Tom,

Thanks for sharing that. Sorry for your loss. I don't do bougies, so no advice.

When my in-laws moved into a house 6-7 years ago, they asked me to remove a little berberis, which I transplanted to my house. My Boxers pulled it out of the ground with their tie-outs--twice. The second time this happened, I potted it.

We moved. Both in-laws have passed away. Both Boxers are gone now.
When I see this ugly little red shohin on my porch I am reminded of all of them. I rooted about 10 cuttings this spring to keep those memories going.

Michael

 

[tmmason10]

This might be a silly question, but is new growth on bougies typically reddish or might these turn into flower bracts? I forgot to snap a picture but I am hoping to see some flowers.

 

[KennedyMarx]

They'll be flowers. The bougie "flowers" are actually just the leaves that come in red or pink around the actual bracts.

 

[tmmason10]

It had gotten pretty bushy before I gave it a haircut.

 

[Nybonsai12]

They'll be flowers. The bougie "flowers" are actually just the leaves that come in red or pink around the actual bracts.

Can you expand on this? I have never heard of this. My pixie has distinct flowers that are nothing like the leaves, they also have a white center in the flower.
Also I don't think this is the time of year for these to flower on their own.

So OP, did it flower?

 

[Poink88]

Can you expand on this? I have never heard of this. My pixie has distinct flowers that are nothing like the leaves, they also have a white center in the flower.
Also I don't think this is the time of year for these to flower on their own.

If you check post #9 of V...you'll see the small white flowers. Around it are purplish(?) MODIFIED leaves. In a way it is like poinsettia...the red leaves are not the flowers.

 

[Nybonsai12]

ok i misunderstood. now i get it. thanks.