Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Pink Pearl Bougainvillea Espalier
Pink Pearl Bougainvillea Espalier comes trained flat on a trellis, made to stand against a wall or fence. Because it grows in a flat plane, it fits narrow side yards and tight spaces where a spreading shrub will not. The pink and white bracts come in flushes from spring through fall. It takes full sun and the heat off a west wall.
Best for: dressing a bare wall or fence with flat, trained color, narrow side yards and tight beds, and hot west-facing walls. It is an espalier bougainvillea for full sun and small spaces.
An espalier is trained in a flat plane against a wall, fence or trellis. Set it where it gets six or more hours of sun and the soil drains well. It takes the reflected heat off west walls.
Its flat shape fits narrow spaces where a spreading bush would crowd the path. Keep tying new stems to the trellis so it stays flat. Light trims between bloom flushes hold the shape.
For a longer wall, space plants about 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center, or closer to 6 feet if you want the wall covered sooner. The Spacing tab counts plants for your length.
Frost around 28 to 32°F can burn it back, though it usually regrows from the roots. The stems carry sharp thorns, and the bracts drop and blow around. Keep it away from pools and busy walkways.
- Quicker wall cover6 ft apart
- Standard wall run6-8 ft apart
Tie new growth to the frame as it lengthens, because it will not attach to a wall by itself. Use strong ties, since the branches get heavy. Trim lightly after each round of bloom, and do the bigger cuts in spring once frost has passed. Gloves and long sleeves help with the thorns.
A new plant needs regular deep soaks through its first summer, stretching out to about once a week as it roots in. After that, a deep soak about every 7 to 10 days in summer is plenty, and about once a month in winter. Extra water only pushes leaves, so let the soil dry out between soaks.
Temperatures around 28 to 32°F can damage it, and a hard freeze can drop the leaves. On frost nights, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet rather than plastic. Wait until frost danger is past, usually by March, then cut back to just above the new growth. It comes back from the roots.
Give it one light feeding in spring and none in winter. More fertilizer than that pushes leaves at the expense of color.
Bougainvillea loopers are small yellow-green to brown inchworms that chew leaf edges at night and leave tiny black droppings. An established plant outgrows the damage. On a young plant or a bad case, use 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 an espalier bougainvillea?
It is a bougainvillea trained to grow in a flat plane on a trellis. That lets it sit right against a wall or fence. It is the same plant as the bush and staked forms, trained a different way.
Where should I put an espalier?
Put it against a sunny wall or fence, or in a narrow bed where a spreading shrub will not fit. Give it six or more hours of sun, since bougainvillea is one of the few flowering plants that handles a hot west wall.
How do I keep it flat against the wall?
Bougainvillea does not cling on its own. Tie new stems to the trellis or wires as they grow, and guide them where you want color. Light trims between bloom flushes keep the shape.
What color is Pink Pearl?
The bracts are pink and white. The color is in the papery bracts around the small white true flowers. They come in flushes from spring through fall, and a mild winter can keep them going.
How big will it get?
On a support, Pink Pearl commonly reaches about 10 to 15 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. It is a vigorous grower, so regular trimming keeps it to the size of your wall.
How far apart should I plant espaliers along a wall?
Plant them about 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center, or about 6 feet apart for quicker cover. The Spacing tab counts plants for your wall length.
How do I plant it?
Bougainvillea roots are fine and do not like being disturbed. Plant the root ball whole and handle it gently. Use soil that drains well and water regularly through the first summer.
How often should I water it?
Water deeply, then let the soil dry out before the next watering. After its first summer it rarely needs water more than once a week. Extra water gives you leaves instead of color.
Will a freeze hurt it?
Frost around 28 to 32°F can burn the stems and strip the leaves. It usually grows back quickly from the roots. Wait until frost danger has passed, usually by March, before cutting off the damage.
Does it need fertilizer?
It needs just a light feeding in spring. Too much fertilizer pushes leaves over bracts.
Is it thorny?
Yes. The stems have large, sharp thorns. Wear gloves and long sleeves when you tie or trim it, and keep it back from busy walkways.
Is it okay near a pool or pets?
Keep it back from the pool, since the papery bracts drop and blow around, though the roots are not known to be aggressive. It is not known to be poisonous to pets, but the thorns are a hazard.
Pink Pearl Bougainvillea Espalier for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Pink Pearl Bougainvillea Espalier is a pink and white bougainvillea trained flat on a trellis, so it can go right up against a wall or fence. It suits narrow spaces and hot walls across the Valley. Below is how to place it, keep it flat, space it along a wall and care for it through the year.
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.
What is an espalier?
An espalier is a plant trained to grow in a flat plane against a wall, fence or trellis. The flat shape suits narrow spaces where spreading shrubs will not fit. A bougainvillea espalier puts that shape to work with heat-loving color.
Can a bougainvillea espalier take a west wall in Phoenix?
Yes. Bougainvillea is one of the few flowering plants that holds up on a hot west-facing wall, and it loves summer heat and reflected sun. Six or more hours of sun gives the best color.
How do you keep a bougainvillea espalier flat?
Bougainvillea does not cling, so the stems need ties. Tie new growth to the trellis or wires as it comes, and guide it along the pattern. Light trims between bloom flushes keep it tidy.
What color is Pink Pearl Bougainvillea?
Pink Pearl carries pink and white bracts. The bracts are papery leaves around tiny white true flowers. They come in flushes from spring through fall.
How far apart do you plant espaliers along a wall?
For a run of espaliers, plant about 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center. Go closer to 6 feet for quicker coverage. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your wall.
How do you care for bougainvillea in a Valley winter?
Frost around 28 to 32°F can burn bougainvillea back and strip the leaves. Leave the damage until frost danger has passed, usually by March. It usually regrows quickly from the roots once it warms up.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.