Bougainvillea – Winter Hardiness

Q: My wife and I bought a bougainvillea at a recent flower show. Is possible to plant bougainvillea in the ground? Will it come back next year?

A: Bougainvillea definitely won’t live outdoors in the winter in Atlanta. You have to keep it indoors until April then place it in bright shade outdoors. It will grow huge by fall if you keep it fed and watered regularly.

At that time you’ll have to chop off most of the stems in order to bring it back inside. Put it in front of a sunny window for winter, don’t feed it, water when the soil gets dry. Repeat the process each year.