Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Gold Staked Bougainvillea
Gold Staked Bougainvillea is a gold bougainvillea trained up a stake, so it is ready to climb. Tie it to an arbor, a trellis, or a chain-link or block fence and it covers the structure with gold color. It thrives in full sun and reflected heat. Once past its first summer it gets by on a deep soak and a dry spell in between.
Best for: arbors and trellises, chain-link or block fences you want covered, and a single-trunk tree shape. It is a climbing gold bougainvillea for full sun and reflected heat.
Plant it along the fence about 6 to 8 feet apart and tie the stems in as they grow, since it will not grab the fence by itself. Over time it turns a plain fence into a run of gold.
Stand a trellis or arbor next to the stake and guide new stems onto it with plant ties. Keep tying as it climbs. Full sun gives the most gold color.
Staked plants can be pruned up into a single-trunk tree shape. Keep it tied to the stake while young, since it needs support early. Older plants can stand on their own.
Its thorny stems are hard on anyone walking past, and the bracts drop and blow around. Plant it back from pools and paths. Frost around 28 to 32°F can burn it back, but it usually regrows.
- Faster fence coverage6 ft apart
- Standard fence or trellis run6-8 ft apart
Tie the stems to your trellis, fence or arbor as they grow, because it will not attach by itself. Pick strong ties for the heavier branches. Save the main pruning for spring after frost, and trim lightly after each flush of color. Wear gloves and long sleeves for the thorns.
Keep a new plant on a regular deep-water schedule through its first summer, easing to about once a week. Once rooted, it wants a deep soak about every 7 to 10 days in summer and about monthly in winter. Letting the soil dry between soaks pushes bloom, while constant water keeps it leafy.
It starts to take damage around 28 to 32°F. Throw frost cloth or an old sheet over it on frost nights, never plastic. If it gets hit, leave the dead stems until frost danger passes, usually by March, then cut back to where new growth shows. It regrows from the roots.
A single light feeding in spring does the job. Do not feed it in winter. Heavy feeding keeps it growing leaves instead of blooming.
If leaf edges look ragged and you see small black droppings, loopers are feeding at night. These small green to brown inchworms rarely hurt a healthy plant. Treat only young plants or heavy damage, with a BT caterpillar spray.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
What is a staked bougainvillea?
It is a bougainvillea trained up a single stake at the nursery instead of grown as a bush. The staked form is sold for climbing a fence or trellis, or for pruning into a tree shape.
How do I attach it to a fence or trellis?
Tie the stems on with soft plant ties as they grow. Bougainvillea does not cling or twine by itself, so it needs you to guide it.
How tall will it get?
With a support to climb, it commonly reaches about 10 to 20 feet and spreads wide over time. You can keep it smaller with pruning.
How far apart should I plant it along a fence?
Plant them about 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center, or about 6 feet apart for faster coverage. The Spacing tab counts plants for your fence length.
Does it need the stake forever?
No. It needs support early, so keep it tied to the stake or the fence while young. As it matures it can stand on its own.
How often should I water it?
Water deeply and let the top couple of inches of soil dry before the next watering. Past its first summer, once a week is usually the most it needs. Extra water means more leaves and less gold.
When does the gold color show?
The gold bracts come in flushes from spring through fall, with growth spurts in between. Color is often heaviest in the cooler months. In a frost-free winter it can keep blooming.
How cold can it take?
Frost damage starts around 28 to 32°F, and a freeze can strip the leaves. It usually grows back quickly from the roots once it warms. Leave the damaged stems until frost danger has passed.
When do I prune a climbing bougainvillea?
Do the main pruning in spring, usually by March in the Valley, once frost danger has passed. Light trims between bloom flushes keep it in bounds. Wear gloves and long sleeves for the thorns.
Why are the leaves ragged and chewed?
That is usually the bougainvillea looper, a small inchworm that feeds at night. Most healthy plants handle it fine, and for a young plant or heavy damage, a BT caterpillar spray is the common fix.
Can I plant it next to a pool?
Plant it well back from the pool. The papery bracts drop and blow around, especially on windy days. The roots are not known to be aggressive.
Is it poisonous to pets?
It is not known to be poisonous to dogs or cats. The sharp thorns are the bigger worry, so keep it away from dog runs.
Gold Staked Bougainvillea for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Gold Staked Bougainvillea is a gold bougainvillea trained up a stake, ready for an arbor, trellis or fence. Valley yards grow it for gold color in full sun and reflected heat. Below is how to attach it, how far apart to plant, and how to water, prune and feed it.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
How do you cover a chain-link fence with bougainvillea?
Plant staked bougainvillea about 6 to 8 feet apart along the fence. Tie the stems to the chain link as they grow, since it will not grab on by itself. Full sun gives the most color.
How do you grow bougainvillea on an arbor or trellis?
Set the trellis or arbor in place at planting and guide the new stems onto it. Keep tying as it climbs. It needs that support early, and older plants can hold themselves up.
How far apart do you plant climbing bougainvillea?
Space plants about 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center, along a fence, wall or trellis run. Go closer to 6 feet for faster coverage. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your length.
Can gold bougainvillea take Valley heat?
Yes. Bougainvillea loves full sun and summer heat, and it takes the reflected heat off walls. Color is often heaviest in the cooler months, and it can slow down in the hottest stretch of summer.
How often do you water a climbing bougainvillea?
Water regularly through its first summer while it gets rooted. After that, soak deeply and let the soil dry out in between. Too much water keeps it growing leaves instead of gold bracts.
Does bougainvillea need fertilizer?
It needs very little fertilizer. One light feeding in spring is enough for plants in the ground. Feeding too often gives you more leaves and fewer flowers.
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