Blooming bougainvillea in Bogota

[Axel Amsterdam]

I had a look on streetview in Bogata and found numerous flowering bougainvillea glabra.

As i checked the climatic data i was surprised to find out it's never warm/hot in Bogota. The all time record high is 26C.

It's mostly cloudy, it rains every week and the nights are cool.

I have always read bougainvillea's need heat to flower. Is the flowering caused by yearround equal daylight/nightime hours because it's high elevation tropics?

Axel

Edited January 19, 2014 by Axel Amsterdam

[empireo22]

I have seen them blooming in December on the Amalfi coast daytime highs around 15/16c and nights around 8/9

[Axel Amsterdam]

I have seen them blooming in December on the Amalfi coast daytime highs around 15/16c and nights around 8/9

Yes, but glabra keeps their flowers for quite a long time, several months. So my geuss is that most of these flowers were produced in the very hot summers of the Napoli area.

Im more surprised that bougainvillea flowers at all in Bogota, because they have Northern Cali winter weather the whole year (with more clouds and rain).

Edited January 19, 2014 by Axel Amsterdam

[Josh76]

Maybe it has something to do with the elevation and the strength of the sun? Just a guess?

[empireo22]

I have seen them blooming in December on the Amalfi coast daytime highs around 15/16c and nights around 8/9

Yes, but glabra keeps their flowers for quite a long time, several months. So my geuss is that most of these flowers were produced in the very hot summers of the Napoli area.

Im more surprised that bougainvillea flowers at all in Bogota, because they have Northern Cali winter weather the whole year (with more clouds and rain).

Good point. I talked to guy from Bogota once and he said when they do you have sunny days it may only be 20 degrees but it feels like a very warm 20 maybe the few sunny days they have are enough to stimulate flowering.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Lots of blooming bouganvillea in San Francisco, the purple one is a famous cool bloomer.

[fastfeat]

Bougainvillea glabra is one of, if not the best for cool/foggy climes.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Bougainvillea glabra is one of, if not the best for cool/foggy climes.

Here in the Bay Area it's Bougainvillea spectabilis that is the one that blooms best in cool and foggy climates, and the one you see all over San Francisco. See "Sunset Western Garden Book", where it is the species recommended for Sunset zones 16 and 17. Bougainvillea glabra was hard to find anything written about, it sounds like the small bushy type popular for bonzai but also popular in higher latitudes, for example, people grow these in pots in the Pacific Northwest and overwinter indoors due to the smaller size, but I wasn't aware of it being better for cool Summer areas. Can you explain more about this species?

[fastfeat]

To the best of my knowledge, B. glabra is what we used to call "B. braziliensis" in the SoCal trade. Shiny leaves and rather thin, purplish bracts. It itself may be of hybrid origin, but it's generally considered to be "the purple" bougie. Used it a lot in Newport Beach right along the water/fog.

Most of the reds, magentas, pinks, whites, etc have generally got B. spectabilis parentage, AFAIK. If someone has different info, feel free to add or correct.

[Axel Amsterdam]

Glabra is well known is the mediteranean south of france for being hardier than spectabilis.

It's leaves are smaller, shinier and more pointed/eliptical than spectabilis (leaves more egg shaped and somewhat larger). They are planted all over the coastal area in the south of france and very seldom you will see another colour/spectabilis.

Spectabilis as a summer bedding will flower easily in the UK and Holland (cool summers). Glabra will only develop a few bracts here and there.

But, things may be different if glabra's are planted out and larger, they might flower easier also in cooler climates.

The south of france is obviously hot enough for them.

[JasonD]

Bogota has Archontophoenix cunninghamiana looking fairly healthy in the botanical garden, so I'm not surprised that Bougainvillea would bloom there. The sunshine must feel pretty warm despite the cool air temperatures.

[Palm crazy]

Does anyone use this stuff? I’ve never tried it or have never had the need to.

Edited January 27, 2014 by Palm crazy

[Palmdude]

I used it a bit too generously and all the leaves fell off. Woops! It is blooming quite well though with no leaves

[DoomsDave]

Axel in Amsterdam, as Axel in No-Cal noted, purple "bogies" grow very well in cool climate areas that are frost free, or close to it. They also take the heat well.

Other varieties want more heat, especially San Diego Red in my experience.

[Axel Amsterdam]

yes it must be the strong sunshine although they have less sunhours (1300) than Amsterdam (but a lot higher UV).

It never stays above 10C during the night on average and it never gets much above 20C (perhaps 21C/22C) during the day. It rains throughout the whole year. What a climate, interesting though. And certainly prove for the fact that purple bougainvillea's dont need heat.

The bangalows have the shorter compact fronds typical for growing in a too cool climate. They have some interesting phoenix hybrids here and there and millions of yucca elephantipes.

Edited February 13, 2014 by Axel Amsterdam

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Axel in Amsterdam, as Axel in No-Cal noted, purple "bogies" grow very well in cool climate areas that are frost free, or close to it. They also take the heat well.

Other varieties want more heat, especially San Diego Red in my experience.

My San Diego red blooms all year, but definitely declines in intensity during the Winter months. I suspect the bloom cycle really is a function of light intensity more so than heat, not so much UV. Summer overcast at 18C is going to lead to less bloom than 18C sunshine at this latitude. The problem with Northern Europe is that even during the Summer, there is a thick haze due to the high humidity that inhibits the light intensity. So I suspect that in Bogota there is no limitation on which bouganvillea you grow. Night time temps do not impact bloom much. Mine bloomed intensely this Winter due to the drought, and we had overnight temps in the 5-10C range.

The purple one is less sensitive to lower light conditions, that's why it works well in San Francisco. That's the one I'd grow in Amsterdam.

yes it must be the strong sunshine although they have less sunhours (1300) than Amsterdam (but a lot higher UV).

It never stays above 10C during the night on average and it never gets much above 20C (perhaps 21C/22C) during the day. It rains throughout the whole year. What a climate, interesting though. And certainly prove for the fact that purple bougainvillea's dont need heat.

The bangalows have the shorter compact fronds typical for growing in a too cool climate. They have some interesting phoenix hybrids here and there and millions of yucca elephantipes.

I don't see shorter fronds on bangalows here, and even Santa Cruz closer to the ocean has regular size fronds. If you want a cool growing bangalow in Amsterdam that can be brought in during the Winter, grow Illawara. Just make sure you don't expose it to anything below about 1C overcast and 2C clear skies and it will look great for you, so keep it indoors in the Winter.

[Axel Amsterdam]

This is the bougainvillea that blooms very easily in our cool climate. The picture is taken in Spain, but this is the type.

Is this Glabra?

[David in Berkeley]

No, that's not B. glabra, which is distinctly purple in color. I find these claims about which Bougainvillea does or doesn't bloom well in cooler, foggier neighborhoods to be rather specious. Both glabra, San Diego Red, Barbara Karst are all excellent bloomers for up to 9~10 months of the year in both San Francisco and here in Berkeley. Best blooming is given with maximum sun exposure, being planted against a south or west facing wall, and shelter from prevailing cold foggy winds. A south facing planting of San Diego Red across the street from me is still in thick bloom into February, most years.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

No, that's not B. glabra, which is distinctly purple in color. I find these claims about which Bougainvillea does or doesn't bloom well in cooler, foggier neighborhoods to be rather specious. Both glabra, San Diego Red, Barbara Karst are all excellent bloomers for up to 9~10 months of the year in both San Francisco and here in Berkeley. Best blooming is given with maximum sun exposure, being planted against a south or west facing wall, and shelter from prevailing cold foggy winds. A south facing planting of San Diego Red across the street from me is still in thick bloom into February, most years.

I've noticed that the purple one has the most spectacular massive blooms both in San Francisco and Santa Cruz, but you are right, all the other ones seem to do just fine.