Houston is a good climate for growing Bougainvillea. The nurseries are full of beautiful blooming plants now. If you have nurtured your Bougainvilleas over many years and they usually come back, then coddle them along. Houston suffered a harsh winter this past season, and some are slow to return.
My personal experience thus far is one of mine is back full of leaves. Some have small green sprouts coming out at the base.
If you think yours are goners, don't give up just yet. Test yours to see:
Snip branches to see if your plant is showing only gray dead branch inside, if there are signs of green or yellow there is still a chance its trying to come back.
Try the bend test, if the branches snap when you try to bend them snip back until you see a sign of life.
At this point in the season, mine that have not yet budded any green have been cut back drastically. Be sure to water them after pruning, then wait until they dry out to water again.
Be sure there are no roots exposed on the surface of the pot or above ground, they do not like their roots showing, cover them with some good soil, potting mix or compost.
Give them about a month and if there are still no signs of life, its time to start over.
Once we get our leaves out, we will force blooms if they don't come out on their own.
Stay tuned...
