Direction On My First Bougainvillea

[Godschick]

So I got this bougainvillea today and started a little work on it. I think the trunk is pretty awesome and I love how one of the roots have grown across the bottom of it. I don’t think it will have a negative effect as the two have meshed together. As you can see from the pictures, it was pretty large and I wanted to bring it in a little bit to get a better idea of what I had. I cut the dead stuff off, cleaned up more and cut branches that were crossed. Those are the first steps today. It was pretty leggy and had quite a bit of thorns to work around. I’m going to let it sit for a bit and grow back out. They grow pretty vicious here and are very hardy. In a few more weeks I may wire depending on what it looks like. Or I may wait till fall depending. I’m trying to get some feedback on it. I think that the trunk is pretty awesome and my first thought is to cut way back and develop an awesome thick canopy on a short stocky trunk. If I do this it will likely be in the spring, unless I get better ideas here on what to do and when to do it. Any ideas are welcome. I’ve never owned or worked on a bougie

 

[amcoffeegirl]

My 2 cents is- you are going to ent taper.
It is a nice base but you are going to want to remove the top and heavier branches at the top.
Where the main trunk starts to go up and stays the same thickness, you may want to cut back to that area. Don’t rush but definitely consider it.

 

[Carol 83]

It looks like most of the leaves are on the very ends of the branches. You're in CA and it's summer, I would cut it back pretty hard. It should backbud like crazy.

 

[Godschick]

@Carol 83 @amcoffeegirl
I agree with both of you, it’s going to be a pretty hard cut back next time. I’m excited because it will be my first time doing a hard cut back. But I think it’s with this needs to grow successfully. Being my first time at doing this hardcut back and new in general, I definitely went conservative today. If you guys have suggestions of actual places to cut back I am open to suggestions.

 

[Carol 83]

I'm no good at virts. You don't have to do anything super drastic right now, but I would cut back those long straggly branches, see how it reacts. Down the road, I might think about addressing that thick lower branch on the right. Just my $.02.

 

[Godschick]

I'm no good at virts. You don't have to do anything super drastic right now, but I would cut back those long straggly branches, see how it reacts. Down the road, I might think about addressing that thick lower branch on the right. Just my $.02.

Your $.02 is appreciated, thank you. And I see what you mean about the thicker branch on the right. So cool to envision the possible outcomes!