Bougainvillea vines are one of the most gorgeous vines used to accent gardens. The hooked thorns on these beautiful vines allow them to overtake most objects in their path. These flowering vines can grow anywhere between 3 and 40 feet tall. While the flowers are usually very tiny and white, the colorful bracts surrounding each flower come in an array of colors; orange, purple, pink, and magenta. If you have access to a friend’s Bougainvillea plant and want one of your very own, then here are 5 tips on rooting Bougainvillea plants. Use these tips to get your very own Bougainvillea vine started successfully.
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Cut a Piece of the Vine off
It can be a snippet of last year’s growth that comes from a well-established and mature Bougainvillea vine, which is a semi-ripe cutting called a heel. The other option is to make a softwood cutting that comes from new growth on the vine. Make sure there are at least 3 pairs of leaves on the chunk of vine you are rooting.
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Dip the Cutting in Root Hormone for Quickest Results
Your vine will root even without the root hormone powder being added to the bottom of the cutting, but the addition of this substance tends to decrease the amount of time it takes for roots to be produced.
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Place the Cutting in Plant Medium
Only go up to the bottom set of leaves with the plant medium. The softwood cutting can be placed directly into the medium while the semi-ripe cutting needs to be nicked with a knife. Make a small wound in the side by removing about a half inch of the bark. It’s best to use a soilless medium for rooting Bougainvillea vines.
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Apply Heat to the Bottom of the Rooting Container
Increasing the heat of the soil to between 59 and 70 degrees will greatly speed up the rooting process. In a controlled indoor environment, it will take between 4 to 6 weeks for roots to appear. If placed outdoors, it will take the roots several months to take hold.
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Cover the Top of the Container the Cutting is Being Rooted in
With the heat source on the bottom and a cover over the top of the cutting and container, this will create a mini greenhouse environment. This is the ultimate set up for rooting a Bougainvillea cutting.
These 5 tips are the fastest way to get a cutting of a Bougainvillea vine to begin sprouting roots. Cuttings can also be taken during the winter, but the vine won’t begin rooting until spring time rolls around. Did you find these tips useful?
Top Photo Credit: Scandblue
