Oh thanks for that info...makes sense that it is making the bracts now here, when it is just a little cooler.

It looks lovely in that last photo, tarev.

Finally seeing more of the little blooms! I know it is not too impressive but I love to see them





This bloom came out first...and got its first visitor too:

Looks great and is that a honey bee?! We rarely see them around here any more .. when we do it's usually late afternoon.

Nope..not a honey bee..a hoverfly

Oh, it's lovely! I haven't seen a bougainvillea since I left SoCal. My next door neighbors had an impressive one that totally covered their patio area.

Thanks woofie! I had to wait for the right light to get the colors right on the photo..otherwise, the camera makes it turn blue-ish.
I am happy it is finally blooming..love the colorful bracts!

This looks like a pair of eyes

Nice, tarev.

Thanks Betsy! Sometimes plants have that funny candid shot

Just a photo comparison...as my bougainvillea grew through the seasons:

Hi, Xeranthemum,

How much sun does your bougey get indoors? I have large potted one I brought indoors this winter, and it's getting plenty of light and still has lots of leaves but it's too chilly in the basement for me to expect it to bloom. It's my first year having it and I was disappointed when I had to prune it back and bring it in just as it started putting out a few bracts. How can I get it to bloom--indoors or out?

Mine stays in the greenhouse so it pretty much gets sun all day. The greenhouse is heated and can go from 45° at night to 95° in the day during winter. You might try feeding yours. Winter is the normal blooming time for mine. I feed my greenhouse winter bloomers about once every 2 weeks with that 1 tbs per gallon stuff.

Hm. So are there any that bloom earlier than that? Mine is under plant lights and I could put it on a large heat mat, too, and maybe get some action, but it's big and gorgeous and I wish I had a spot for it other than the basement if it's only going to bloom in winter...

This is the only bougainvillea I have and really don't know much about them in general except for mine.

Thanks, Xeranthemum. I read they generally bloom throughout the season, mostly in spring and fall. I'm going to give that heat mat a try. I haven't given it any water unless it's noticeably wilting but that's just because it's overwintering here. There's enough winter left to keep me in suspense.

Calif_Sue said:If you don't get frosts it should grow for you. Do you see any in the area where you are? We had them all over in San Jose, 9b zone and that is very low humidity, I think LA and San Diego would be too where I always saw a lot. I am in 9a now so more frost.

When I lived near San Diego I saw these all over, so pretty, that is one of the plants I really miss now I am in Nebraska,
and when I as in Ca. I missed Peonies, so guess it is a trade off.

Just an update on my Bougainvillea 'Raspberry Ice'
In late January 2015, it still has its leaves from last year and some left over bracts:


From Feb to March, I was hoping for some winter rains, but sadly it was so dismal here, it dropped the leaves. I figured its okay, it is winter anyways, time for it to rest.

This April 2015, new growth on all branches, and new bracts forming. I did step up watering a bit and it got some nice cool rain yesterday too:

Bracts showing much better today, after our brief overnight rain last night and gently warm up during the day:

Earlier today, I saw the first bloom of my bougainvillea for this year! Really loves it warm!