Growing the Bougainvillea plants is undoubtedly easy and requires less maintenance, but the same can have issues. Bougainvillea needs less care, but you can’t completely ignore the fact that it does need some care. Bougainvillea plants thrive best in hot temperatures and have to be watered twice a month.
People love Bougainvilleas because of their pretty vines and bright flowers. They make a great, refreshing treat for your family and guests.
If you don’t give your Bougainvillea plants the right conditions, like the ones they get in their natural habitats, the plants will eventually start to wilt and die. In this case, you need to first figure out what caused the problem and then take the right safety measures.
That’s usually because the soil is too wet or too dry. Soil that doesn’t drain well, not enough sunlight, or cold temperatures are some of the other things that can make your precious Bougainvillea plants wilt.
With their vibrant flowers and cascading vines, bougainvillea are popular plants in warm climates But when cold snaps or drought occur, the foliage can turn brown seemingly overnight This leaves you wondering – is my bougainvillea dead or just dormant?
Identifying whether your bougainvillea is deceased or simply distressed takes some detective work. But don’t pull it out of the ground just yet! These tropical plants are remarkably resilient. Follow these tips to determine if your bougainvillea still shows signs of life before giving up on it.
Examine the Stems and Canes
The first place to check for signs of life is the stems and canes. Even if all the leaves are brown and crispy, new growth can sometimes emerge from the branches.
Carefully bend a stem. Dead wood will snap, while live stems bend and flex. Also check the color inside – green indicates living tissue. Scrape away the bark with your fingernail and look for green just below the surface.
Make cuts along the canes and branches, examining the interiors. Slice into dead wood until you finally reach fresh, moist green tissue. This shows living cells are still present in that area.
Keep an eye out for new buds along the stems and branches, which signal regrowth No signs of green and no new buds likely mean the bougainvillea is deceased
Assess the Roots
For potted bougainvilleas, also inspect the root system for signs of life. Gently remove the plant and check for healthy white feeder roots.
Live roots will be firm, plump and pale colored. Rotten, black and mushy roots indicate disease or death from overwatering. A few healthy white roots can potentially generate new top growth.
For in-ground plants, you can gently dig around the base to uncover the roots. Scrape away soil and look for healthy roots. Be careful not to break live roots that could be working to revive the plant.
Wait and Watch for New Growth
Even if your bougainvillea shows no outward signs of life, don’t give up immediately. Monitor it routinely for any new leaves or sprouts emerging in the weeks ahead.
It can take over a month for new shoots to appear if the plant suffered cold damage. Mark branches with tape to note where you’ve made cuts to check for regeneration.
Look for Other Clues
On close inspection, you may find other evidence that your bougainvillea still has some life in it:
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Plump, green stems even if leaves are brown.
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A faint green tinge to branches.
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Moisture inside cut stems and branches.
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Evidence of buds forming.
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Partially wilted, flexible branches vs dried, brittle wood.
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Damaged but not rotten roots on potted plants.
Even one living stem provides hope for the plant to recover. But if every single branch shows zero green and the roots are decayed, the bougainvillea is likely deceased beyond hope.
Factors That Lead to Bougainvillea Death
Bougainvilleas are very resilient plants when provided proper growing conditions. But certain stresses can push them beyond recovery. Being aware of what causes mortality can help you avoid losing the plant:
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Sustained freezing temperatures – Prolonged frosts below 30°F damage roots and vegetation. Repeat cold snaps worsen the toll if the plant can’t rebound between them.
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Insufficient sunlight – Lack of ample direct sun inhibits growth and vigor needed to withstand adverse conditions.
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Underwatering – Extreme drought and arid conditions desiccate the plant. Leaves may dry and fall off from dehydration.
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Overwatering – Too much moisture damages root systems and promotes disease. Root rot is a common killer.
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Poor drainage – Waterlogged soil suffocates roots and leads to infections.
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Soil malnutrition – Lack of nutrients due to depleted or compacted soil can starve the plant.
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Pest infestations – Severe insect or nematode damage weakens the plant over time if uncontrolled.
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Fungal infections – Diseases like root or stem rot can devastate the bougainvillea.
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Old age – After many years, some stem death from the center outward can occur naturally.
Be on the lookout for any factors that may have contributed to your bougainvillea’s decline. Addressing these can help prevent issues when attempting to revive or replace the plant.
Steps for Reviving a Damaged Bougainvillea
If your inspection reveals that not all is lost, take these steps to nurture life back into a distressed bougainvillea:
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Cut away any totally dead stems and foliage to stimulate new growth.
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Apply a balanced fertilizer to provide missing nutrients and minerals.
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Water deeply to nourish remaining roots; avoid excess moisture.
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Transplant potted plants into fresh, well-draining soil if rootbound.
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Prune extra growth once recovery is underway to shape plant.
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Monitor for pests like borer caterpillars and treat as needed.
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Move to full sun location to maximize sunlight exposure and growth.
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Shelter plant from extreme winds and cold until rejuvenated.
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Be patient – regrowth can take many weeks after a crisis.
Focus care on strengthening the remaining healthy portions of the root system and stems. With time and diligent nursing, even a severely distressed bougainvillea can often make a full comeback.
When to Replace a Dead Bougainvillea
Sometimes despite your best efforts, an injured bougainvillea cannot be revived and eventually expires. At that point, replacement is your only option if you wish to continue growing this plant.
Signs that it is time to pull out and replace a dead bougainvillea include:
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No new growth several months after a crisis, even with care.
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Brittle, dried stems that snap instead of bending flexibly.
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Total lack of green under bark and inside branches when cut.
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Blackened, mushy roots that stink – evidence of root rot.
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Leaves remaining wilted and shriveled under improved conditions.
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Discovery of irreparable crown or root disease infection.
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Sections of the trunk collapse, signaling stem death.
Don’t waste too much time trying to nurse a totally dead bougainvillea back to health. Scrape out the remains and plant a sturdy, young replacement so your yard can again display these colorful vines and flowers.
Be sure to remedy any issues like drainage or nutrition in the planting area before introducing the new specimen. Select a variety suitable for your climate and provide ideal care.
Choosing a New Bougainvillea Plant
When the time comes to replace a dead bougainvillea, select a new plant suited for the available sunlight in your location. Consider these popular varieties:
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Barbara Karst – Vigorous, cold-hardy magenta bracts; full sun to partial shade.
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Double Pink – Prolific neon pink blooms on a compact plant; full sun.
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James Walker – Bravura bright fuchsia flowers; thrives in full blazing sun.
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Mathilde – Silvery-rose bracts on a low, spreading plant; part shade tolerance.
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Mrs. Butt – Brilliant red flower bravura; does well in partial shade.
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Scarlet O’Hara – Flamboyant red blooms ideal for trellises or fences.
Choose a younger plant under 3 feet tall that is rooted in a 3-5 gallon pot size. This gives the root system a head start over bare-root plants. Ensure it is free of root rot and pests before purchasing.
Tips to Avoid Bougainvillea Death
While bougainvilleas are relatively carefree plants, pay attention to their basic needs to avoid repeats of dieback:
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Plant in well-draining soil amended with compost.
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Allow soil to partially dry between waterings; avoid saturation.
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Fertilize 3-4 times per year with a balanced product.
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Prune lightly after flowering to remove deadwood.
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Train vines along supports for optimal shape and sun exposure.
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Shelter from hard freezes and frost whenever possible.
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Control pests immediately to prevent decline – target borer caterpillars, mites, nematodes, etc.
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Propagate back-up plants through stem cuttings in case the parent plant fails.
Don’t wait until your bougainvillea shows advanced signs of distress to take corrective care. At the first worrisome symptoms, troubleshoot the cause and remedy immediately to restore health.
Enjoy the Colorful Appeal of Healthy Bougainvilleas
Don’t let a few dry-looking branches or mysteriously wilting foliage scare you into thinking your beloved bougainvillea is doomed. In many cases, these resilient plants survive adversity and flourish again with proper maintenance.
But if your bougainvillea ultimately succumbs despite your best efforts, all is not lost. Replace it with another vibrant variety suited for your climate and sunlight. With attention to preventative care, you can continue reveling in season after season of brilliant bougainvillea blooms.
Why Does My Bougainvillea Look Like It’s Dying?
The Bougainvillea plant needs to be grown in certain ways, which are definitely easy to do, but there are still a few things you should keep in mind. Bougainvillea plants have green stems and wonderful, bright flowers that bloom when it’s warm and the sun is shining directly on them. However, when exposed to too much moisture and excessive watering will cause the Bougainvillea plant to die.
There can also be several other reasons for the hazard and a few are stated below.
Bougainvillea plants cherish direct sunlight and are mostly found in arid areas of South America and in warm climate zones of Africa. Hence, the plant loves sunny climates and can be killed if not planted in a high-temperature area.
When planted in areas having direct sunlight, the Bougainvillea plant will grow healthy with vibrant leaves. The absence of such a condition for a long time will result in the death of the plant.
The Bougainvillea plant loses attraction when the soil is overwatered with a little time gap in between. The over watering of soil causes the plant to wilt since Bougainvillea is native to dry regions.
The Bougainvillea will suffer from root rot issues if there is excess moisture in the soil. The plant from the dry region can’t live in very wet soil, and the bougainvillea plants will just wilt.
The plant that loves the sun will definitely wilt in cold climates with little or no sunlight for long periods of time. The presence of full sun for at least a few hours is inevitable for the plant to grow. This trait is missing in cold places, so growing this plant there won’t be a good idea, and it will be hard to keep it alive.
You may have recently planted new Bougainvillea plants. If you see that the growing leaves and bark are not green and the flowers are weak, this is a sign that the plants are experiencing transplant shock.
This term refers to a state in which plants have trouble adapting to their new surroundings and can’t find the right amount of heat.
How Can You Tell Bougainvillea is Dying?
If you see that Bougainvillea plants are dead in a certain area after a cold spell, that could be why other plants are dying too. First, know that you don’t need to worry about anything if your Bougainvillea still has flowers blooming and stems and bark that are bright green.
Also, if the plant just wilted because it had too much water, it will easily get better with just a few precautions. But if you see that the stems of your plants are turning a deep brown color, that’s a bad sign. You might want to check to see if the plant is actually dead or just temporarily wilted.
Take the following mentioned few steps to figure if your plant has died:
Take a stem from the corner of your plant and gently bend it. Check to see if it bends easily and softly or if it breaks easily.
You have to notice the color of the stem from inside as well. If the stem is fine and healthy, then the color should be green. If it is dead, then the color will be brown.
Afterwards, you should move on to the Bougainvillea bark. Scratch the surface of the bark gently and locate the green tissue just underneath the surface. If the tissue color is green then that portion of your plant is alive. If you do not observe the green color then keep scratching deeper until you find the color. If you fail to find green utterly, then it confirms that your Bougainvillea might be dead.
You can check for your concern by cutting the rotten stems from a corner. Make small cuts and look for the green inside. If you cut the bougainvillea stems all the way through but still can’t find green tissue, keep making small cuts until you achieve it. Make each cut slightly angled and keep changing the positions of the cut.
Understand that you will need to plant new bougainvillea plants in the ground if your plant’s leaves turn brown, its stem breaks cleanly, and you can’t find green growth anywhere on the plant. There are some good tips in this article that you should try to use to help your new plants grow.
Bougainvillea in dormant or dead?
FAQ
How to revive a dead bougainvillea?
Will bougainvillea come back?
Does bougainvillea go dormant?
Should I trim dead bougainvillea?
How do you know if a bougainvillea is dead?
In this article, we’ll explore the signs of bougainvillea death and how to determine if your plant is beyond saving. If the leaves on your bougainvillea are turning brown, it may be a sign of either too much or too little water. If the stems of your bougainvillea are drying up, it may be a sign of too little water.
How do you know if a bougainvillea is mature?
When assessing the stems of a bougainvillea, it is important to consider the age of the plant. Young stems tend to be more pliable and flexible, while older stems are often more brittle and dry. For instance, a bougainvillea that is just beginning to bloom will have much softer stems than one that is fully mature.
Is bougainvillea dying?
Also, bear in mind that bougainvillea can actually be deciduous in cooler climates (and evergreen in warmer areas that are similar to their native climate) so leaf drop is not necessarily a serious concern or a sign that the plant is dying.
Are bougainvillea stems dry and brittle?
In conclusion, the answer to the question “Are the stems of the bougainvillea dry and brittle?” depends on the age of the plant, the environment, and the care it receives. Generally, young stems are more pliable and flexible, while older stems can become dry and brittle.