remist17
Shohin
Can a Bougainvillea be kept indoors over the winter under lights? I sure would like to get some flowers indoors and I thought these would be ok.
Please let me know.
Please let me know.
Bougainvillea inside or out ?
- Thread starter remist17
- Start date
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
Based on this I would say yes to being indoors -
The bougainvillea has two distinct growth cycles:
A. A vegetative growth period for several weeks — when new leaves and stems grow. If the plant receives enough sunlight, the plant will form buds during this time. If there is not enough sunlight, the plant will remain in vegetative cycle and not progress to the blooming period. This is usually the case if bougainvillea are grown as houseplants or brought indoors to winter-over.
B. A blooming period of several weeks when little or no vegetative growth occurs. The length of time they will display color is dependent upon the health of the plant and the environment they are in; the more sun and heat, the better. With at least 5 hours of direct sunlight per day, a typical, healthy bougainvillea will remain in a blooming period for 3 to 5 weeks.
If that is the case they need good light.
Grimmy
The bougainvillea has two distinct growth cycles:
A. A vegetative growth period for several weeks — when new leaves and stems grow. If the plant receives enough sunlight, the plant will form buds during this time. If there is not enough sunlight, the plant will remain in vegetative cycle and not progress to the blooming period. This is usually the case if bougainvillea are grown as houseplants or brought indoors to winter-over.
B. A blooming period of several weeks when little or no vegetative growth occurs. The length of time they will display color is dependent upon the health of the plant and the environment they are in; the more sun and heat, the better. With at least 5 hours of direct sunlight per day, a typical, healthy bougainvillea will remain in a blooming period for 3 to 5 weeks.
If that is the case they need good light.
Grimmy
remist17
Shohin
Grimmy
Yea I read some material that said the same, jsut not sure how bonsai people keep them.
My light set up is 3 dual bulb 4ft T-8. I have a cherry, jasmine and raintree growing under them now with good luck.
I placed one on order from Meehans today. We will see.
Yea I read some material that said the same, jsut not sure how bonsai people keep them.
My light set up is 3 dual bulb 4ft T-8. I have a cherry, jasmine and raintree growing under them now with good luck.
I placed one on order from Meehans today. We will see.
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
I am confident it will work out for you and the best part is you already have the setup. Now that is behind you update the thread on your progress outside with a couple of pictures
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
Tropical plant = bring indoors 
tmmason10
Omono
You should be able to keep them indoors just fine. I've only experienced half a winter inside wit. Mine and seemed to do fine.
Anthony
Imperial Masterpiece
Actually listed as hardy to zone 9 and grows well in the Tropics.
Sub-tropical from Brazil.
Another one of those able to adapt species.
Good Night.
Anthony
Sub-tropical from Brazil.
Another one of those able to adapt species.
Good Night.
Anthony
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
Anthony
Imperial Masterpiece
No, needs rest to grow well and this is important when you get to the refining stage, and mature stage say 20 to 30 years down the road.
There is a reason for the ability to handle frost and some snow [ USDA 20 to 30 deg.F ], which was apparently explored early on in the U.S. with listings for Sub-Tropical and Tropical trees.
I am not sure why, the boundries are being slurred today, but I have noticed a difference in the quality of say Ficus bonsai from China and other zones.
I am not speaking of training techniques, just branchlet and leaf density.
Anyhow, I didn't state the Zone 9 bit to start an argument, just trying to remind folk that Sub-tropicals need to rest, a dormant period, as much as Temperate plants do.
As do the native plants on my island and our listing is something zone 13 - no chance of Frost.
Good Morning.
Anthony
There is a reason for the ability to handle frost and some snow [ USDA 20 to 30 deg.F ], which was apparently explored early on in the U.S. with listings for Sub-Tropical and Tropical trees.
I am not sure why, the boundries are being slurred today, but I have noticed a difference in the quality of say Ficus bonsai from China and other zones.
I am not speaking of training techniques, just branchlet and leaf density.
Anyhow, I didn't state the Zone 9 bit to start an argument, just trying to remind folk that Sub-tropicals need to rest, a dormant period, as much as Temperate plants do.
As do the native plants on my island and our listing is something zone 13 - no chance of Frost.
Good Morning.
Anthony
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
Yes but Anthony you're giving advice to people that don't live in your climate. Sorry, but you need to realize that up here these are considered tropical plants. Most of the U.S. isn't in the zone 9 or higher range, so that's why we call this a tropical plant. Every nursery I know leaves these in their greenhouse over winter. Leaving it outside would surely kill it. I used to have one that I grew indoors over winter and it did excellent and bloomed many times. I wouldn't say a rest is needed.
Anthony
Imperial Masterpiece
Ryan,
I am not giving advice, just trying to make sure you folks realise that Sub-Tropical means dormant period, as well, as does Temperate zone.
Plus, because we are in the process of building a cold room, for growing Temperate trees, information on dormancy becomes very important and it seems a shame that everything is becoming slurred.
Don't worry, I will fade out on this topic, and cause no more confusion.
Good Morning.
Anthony
I am not giving advice, just trying to make sure you folks realise that Sub-Tropical means dormant period, as well, as does Temperate zone.
Plus, because we are in the process of building a cold room, for growing Temperate trees, information on dormancy becomes very important and it seems a shame that everything is becoming slurred.
Don't worry, I will fade out on this topic, and cause no more confusion.
Good Morning.
Anthony
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
Understandable Anthony, but I'm just trying to say that no one I know of up here gives their Bougies a rest of any kind. They grow them like Ficus and they do just fine.
Now, is it "Good morning" or "Good night" where you are
A Random User
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I live in Zone 9
We don't give our trees a rest period, quite the contrary...
If we over-winter them and protect them, keeping them
more at higher temps, they always flower better...
The USDA Zone classifications for a tree are set at what
temps will either kill a tree, or in the least put a tree's
health in jeopardy... So, just because a tree is listed
at being able to withstand a particular temperature, you
would be best to not let it reach anywhere near there...
Not worth taking the chance.
We don't give our trees a rest period, quite the contrary...
If we over-winter them and protect them, keeping them
more at higher temps, they always flower better...
The USDA Zone classifications for a tree are set at what
temps will either kill a tree, or in the least put a tree's
health in jeopardy... So, just because a tree is listed
at being able to withstand a particular temperature, you
would be best to not let it reach anywhere near there...
Not worth taking the chance.
Anthony
Imperial Masterpiece
Ryan,
I am on holidays for a few months, not in the Tropics right now.
Sawgrass,
strangely enough, what was observed in Trinidad, where I live is that with the shortening of days and the reduced illumination, the trees rest from Late December to almost the end of February. Additionally over the years, comments on dying trees were noted, and then at the same time experienced responses coming in from those growing the mallsai, was that those trees could handle frost and snow if re-acclimated to their normal cycle.
I always quote the work of Carl Rosner and his growing Serissas outdoors in winter in New Jersey a zone 7. Also noted are images of Sageretia t. covered with ice and leafless outdoors in China.
Recently, information came in on the Murraya p. growing in the South Chinese mountains, covered in ice and snow, and then growing back in spring, much as a Maple does.
The Fukien tea is another one that also handles cold.
I saw a comment from I believe Bonsai Jim, that the Gmelina, does well in his part of Texas. Though he did not return to respond to my question of just how cold his area was.
I believe, if you condition a tree to live indoors, than probably, it would die if exposed suddenly to the cold.
What I do wonder about is if the lifespan is being shortened, and this is more in terms of say 20 or 30 years and beyond.
In Trinidad, we can easily grow Japanese Black Pines, but they may be shorter lived than those of Japan, as tea roses for example are, normally dying after 10 years, with no winters rest.
As I said before we are going to build a cold room and ultimately a Bonsai museum down here, so limits on cold are important for our research.
Good Evening.
Anthony
* There are also images of Ficus in South China, as large trees, so Ficus [ type ?] can handle some frost -- snow ?
I am on holidays for a few months, not in the Tropics right now.
Sawgrass,
strangely enough, what was observed in Trinidad, where I live is that with the shortening of days and the reduced illumination, the trees rest from Late December to almost the end of February. Additionally over the years, comments on dying trees were noted, and then at the same time experienced responses coming in from those growing the mallsai, was that those trees could handle frost and snow if re-acclimated to their normal cycle.
I always quote the work of Carl Rosner and his growing Serissas outdoors in winter in New Jersey a zone 7. Also noted are images of Sageretia t. covered with ice and leafless outdoors in China.
Recently, information came in on the Murraya p. growing in the South Chinese mountains, covered in ice and snow, and then growing back in spring, much as a Maple does.
The Fukien tea is another one that also handles cold.
I saw a comment from I believe Bonsai Jim, that the Gmelina, does well in his part of Texas. Though he did not return to respond to my question of just how cold his area was.
I believe, if you condition a tree to live indoors, than probably, it would die if exposed suddenly to the cold.
What I do wonder about is if the lifespan is being shortened, and this is more in terms of say 20 or 30 years and beyond.
In Trinidad, we can easily grow Japanese Black Pines, but they may be shorter lived than those of Japan, as tea roses for example are, normally dying after 10 years, with no winters rest.
As I said before we are going to build a cold room and ultimately a Bonsai museum down here, so limits on cold are important for our research.
Good Evening.
Anthony
* There are also images of Ficus in South China, as large trees, so Ficus [ type ?] can handle some frost -- snow ?
GO-OK
Mame
I am not in the tropics.... And have grown this boug indoors under fluorescents, in window and now under 1000w metal halide. It's my only tropical. I never let it rest. And as you can see it flourishes.
I defoliate when I take it out in spring and I defoliate when I bring it in for winter. I used to worry about fall temps but the last couple of years i leave it out until temps at night are consistently in the mid 40f range. Then I wire, clip and grow, rinse and repeat.
Here's the before and after. 6-7 years not in a tropical climate. No special fertilizer or anything else. Deadwood never rots. I treat it with fire a wire brush and lime sulfur one time per year. No bugs and no fungus...ever.
I defoliate when I take it out in spring and I defoliate when I bring it in for winter. I used to worry about fall temps but the last couple of years i leave it out until temps at night are consistently in the mid 40f range. Then I wire, clip and grow, rinse and repeat.
Here's the before and after. 6-7 years not in a tropical climate. No special fertilizer or anything else. Deadwood never rots. I treat it with fire a wire brush and lime sulfur one time per year. No bugs and no fungus...ever.
GO-OK
Mame
Oops... Sorry for the double vision there.
Anthony
Imperial Masterpiece
GO-OK,
visual examples are an excellent way to teach - thank you
I hope I can come back and ask in another 14 years or so.
Good Anything.
Anthony
visual examples are an excellent way to teach - thank you
I hope I can come back and ask in another 14 years or so.
Good Anything.
Anthony
