Bougainvillea—also known as the paperflower—is incredibly resilient when it comes to pruning. However, you’ll want to avoid a heavy handed approach right before or during its blooming phase, since those gorgeous flowers actually develop at the very tips of the branches.
The Best Times to Prune
While early spring is the absolute best time to give your bougainvillea a haircut, you can actually grab your shears at different points throughout the year depending on what the plant needs.
Spring
The “sweet spot” for pruning is early spring (think early February to March) just as the new growth starts to peek out. To give your plant the best head start, try to time your pruning right when you move it out of its winter quarters. This ensures it gets the warmth and sunlight it needs to bounce back quickly.
If your plant has gotten a bit wild and needs a radical reset, you can cut all the side branches right back to the main stem. This encourages the plant to grow strong new side shoots, which is exactly where those vibrant flowers will pop up.
Missed the spring window? Don’t worry, you can still prune later, but keep in mind that your blooming season will be delayed a bit.
Summer
Since bougainvillea blooms on the ends of new growth, you can actually “deadhead” them to encourage a second flush of color. Once the colorful bracts (the “flowers”) have dried up, give the tips a trim:
- Look for the green bark to identify the new growth.
- Cut these tips back by about half.
This little trim encourages the plant to branch out. In about three to four weeks, you’ll see new flowers forming on those fresh tips. Plus, regular summer pruning keeps the plant looking lush and compact rather than leggy.
Fall
In the fall, I’d recommend only pruning if the plant has grown too large for its winter home. Since spring is the best time for a major cut-back, just trim off what’s necessary to make it fit into your indoor space or greenhouse.
Winter
Generally, you can leave your bougainvillea alone during the winter. The only exception is if you notice long, spindly “water sprouts” or whip-like shoots. These thin branches drain the plant’s energy and won’t produce any flowers anyway, so feel free to snip them off.
Diseases and Pests
If your bougainvillea is struggling with a disease or a pest infestation, throw the calendar out the window. In these cases, saving the plant is the priority, so go ahead and prune away the affected areas whenever necessary to help it recover.
