Bougainvillea Propagation From a Branch Cutting

Cuttings

• Take cuttings in the summer or fall for best bougainvillea rooting. Cut 4 to 6 inches of green or wood stem. Remove the bottom set of leaves. Cut off any flowers but leave at least one set of leaves as growing foundations. Any cutting should include several growing nodes, or joints.

Pot and Soil

• The Virginia Cooperative Extension recommends clean, fresh and high-quality media for the rooting process. Use 3- to 5-gallon pots with drainage holes giving the cuttings plenty of long-term space. Mix perlite, vermiculite and peat moss for rooting. The Virginia Cooperative Extension recommends equal parts of the three ingredients for loose, moisture-retaining foundations. Bougainvilleas produce fine, small roots and require a fine potting soil for success.

Care

• Moisten the growing foundation and put the pot in a site with bright indirect sun and temperatures of 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Adequate moisture and warm air encourage quicker, more successful rooting. Put the rooting end of each cutting in a rooting hormone, and then slide the cuttings 2 inches into the soil. Enclosing the pot in a plastic bag maintains humidity. Open the bag every day for watering and air circulation.

Transplanting

• Bougainvillea cuttings should grow their first roots in four to six weeks. Keep the young plants warm and moist through at least one season, and then transplant them into larger pots or outdoor sites in midspring. Choose large 10- to 15-gallon pots with drainage holes for potted growing and use a mixture of organic compost and topsoil as a loose, quick-draining potting soil. In outdoor plantings, choose sites with full sunshine and quick drainage. Amend natural soil with organic compost for soil quality. Always give bougainvillea a wall, trellis or fence for growing. Be careful during any transplant process, as bougainvilleas have fine, delicate easily damaged root systems.