At a glance
- ☀ Light
- Full sun
- 💧 Water
- Weekly
- 🛠 Maintenance
- Medium
- 🌱 Difficulty
- Medium
Flowering
Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea spectabilis
A riot of colour for walls, fences, and balconies.
Care level: Medium
The Bougainvillea is the colour bomb of the Indian garden. Those vivid magenta, orange, yellow, or white “flowers” are actually bracts — modified leaves surrounding tiny true flowers. They thrive on neglect, heat, and poor soil.
Light
Full sun, 6+ hours daily. Won't flower in shade.
Water
Drought-tolerant once established. Water deeply every 7–10 days; let soil dry out between waterings. Overwatering = lots of leaves, no flowers.
Where it thrives
Compound walls, balconies, terraces, as a hedge or a trained climber on a pergola. Loves the heat and sun of Indian summers.
Care schedule
- Prune hard after each flowering cycle to encourage new growth and more bracts.
- Feed with a high-phosphorus fertiliser (like 10-20-10) monthly during the growing season.
Common issues
- No flowers: Too much water, too much nitrogen, or insufficient sun. Cut back on water and switch to a high-P fertiliser.
- Leaf drop in winter: Normal in cold regions. They leaf out again in spring.