Issue: December 1, 2007

Bouganvillea dropped all its leaves

I kept my bougainvillea outdoors for the summer and brought it in before the temperatures dropped. Less than a week later, all of the leaves and color had dropped, and I am left with twigs. It's not dead, is it? What can I do to revive my plant? I keep it in my solarium which gets a fair amount of southern winter sun. Thank you for all your advice!

Rosemarie E.

Answer:

Many plants, especially many of our tropical houseplants will respond to a drastic change in environment by dropping their leaves. Your bougainvillea has responded to its change in location and associated environmental conditions in this manner. Since you brought it indoors before the temperatures dropped below freezing, it is not likely that it died.

Have you watered it? It is OK to let it become drier, but not totally dried out. The loss of leaves may actually result in new growth and flowering as it recovers. The bougainvillea will often grow and not flower if it is not stressed in some manner.

Your solarium with southern winter sunlight should be an excellent place to grow your bougainvillea. Water it enough to keep the soil from drying completely and watch for new growth to begin. Now is a good time to prune it to remove shoots that have become too long. Prune it before growth begins. Once growth begins, you will need to water more frequently. When new growth has developed, you can also begin fertilizing with a flowering houseplant fertilizer. Follow the directions on the brand of fertilizer you have chosen. You may fertilize with each watering, or once a month, depending on the directions.

Be careful not to overwater your plant. When it has no leaves, it will use water very slowly. Once growth begins, watering must increase, but because of lower winter temperatures and protection from wind, you may not need to water as often as during the summer.

For more gardening information, visit the NMSU Extension publications World Wide Web site at http://www.cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h.

Marisa Y. Thompson, PhD, is the Extension Horticulture Specialist, in the Department of Extension Plant Sciences at the New Mexico State University Los Lunas Agricultural Science Center, email: desertblooms@nmsu.edu, office: 505-865-7340, ext. 113.

For more gardening information, visit the NMSU Extension Horticulture page at Desert Blooms and the NMSU Horticulture Publications page.

Send gardening questions to Southwest Yard and Garden - Attn: Dr. Marisa Thompson at desertblooms@nmsu.edu, or at the Desert Blooms Facebook.

Please copy your County Extension Agent and indicate your county of residence when you submit your question!