Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Pink Pearl Bougainvillea Staked
Pink Pearl Bougainvillea Staked is grown up a single stake, so it is ready to climb a trellis, fence or sunny wall. The bracts are pink and white, and they come in waves from spring through fall. It is a fast, vigorous grower that loves heat and takes reflected sun off a west wall. You can also prune it up into a small tree shape.
Best for: training up a trellis, fence or hot wall, shaping into a small tree from the stake, and a large pot with a short trellis. It is a climbing bougainvillea for full sun.
Bougainvillea has no way to grip a support, so tie the stems to the trellis, wire or fence as it grows. Plant about 6 to 8 feet apart along a run, in full sun or reflected heat.
A staked plant can be pruned up into a small tree shape. Leave it tied to the stake while young, because it needs support early. As the trunk thickens it can stand on its own.
A large pot with a short trellis keeps the plant smaller and the mess down. You can cover it or roll it to shelter on a freezing night. Water once the top 2 inches dry out.
Frost around 28 to 32°F can burn it back, though it usually regrows from the roots. The stems have large thorns, and the bracts drop and blow around. Keep it back from pools, walkways and play areas.
- Quicker wall or fence cover6 ft apart
- Standard wall or fence run6-8 ft apart
It has no way to grab a wall or fence, so tie new stems to the support as they lengthen. Use strong ties, since the branches get heavy. Prune mainly in spring once frost is past, and lightly after each round of bloom. 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 color are the Pink Pearl bracts?
The bracts are pink and white. The color comes from papery bracts around tiny white true flowers, and they show up in flushes from spring through fall.
Will it climb a wall by itself?
No. Bougainvillea does not cling or grab onto a surface. Tie the stems to a trellis, wire or fence as they grow, and keep it tied to the stake while it is young.
How tall does Pink Pearl get on a trellis?
With support it commonly reaches about 10 to 15 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. Without support it sprawls into a loose bush. You can keep it smaller with pruning.
How fast does it grow?
It grows at a moderate to fast pace, and Pink Pearl is known as a vigorous variety. Growth takes off once spring warms up, which helps it recover from any winter damage.
Can I make it into a small tree?
Yes. Staked bougainvillea can be pruned up into a small tree shape. It needs the stake at first, and once the stems thicken it can stand on its own.
How far apart should I plant it on a fence?
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 fence or wall length.
How do I plant it without shock?
Bougainvillea roots do not like being disturbed. Slide the root ball out gently and plant it whole. Pick a spot that drains well, and water regularly through the first summer.
How often should I water it once it is growing?
Soak it deeply, then let the soil dry before watering again. Past its first summer it rarely needs water more than once a week. Too much water means more leaves and less color.
What should I do after a freeze?
Frost around 28 to 32°F can burn it and strip the leaves. Leave the damage until frost danger has passed, usually by March. It usually regrows quickly from the roots.
Are the thorns a problem?
Yes, they can be. The stems carry large, sharp thorns, so wear gloves and long sleeves when tying or pruning. Plant it back from walkways and play areas.
Can I plant it by the pool?
It is better kept back from the pool, since the papery bracts drop and blow around. The roots are not known to be aggressive.
Is it safe around dogs and cats?
It is not known to be poisonous to pets. The thorns are the main risk, so keep it away from dog runs.
Pink Pearl Bougainvillea Staked for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Pink Pearl Bougainvillea Staked is a pink and white bougainvillea started on a stake, ready to climb or be shaped into a small tree. Homeowners across the Valley use it to put color on trellises, fences and hot walls. Here is how tall it gets, how to tie and space it, and how to care for 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 train a staked bougainvillea on a trellis?
Bougainvillea does not attach on its own, so it needs a trellis, wire or fence plus ties. Tie new stems in as they grow and guide them where you want color. It needs support early, and older plants can hold themselves up.
How tall does Pink Pearl Bougainvillea get?
On a support Pink Pearl commonly reaches about 10 to 15 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. It is a vigorous variety, so regular light trims keep it in bounds. Without support it becomes a sprawling bush.
Can staked bougainvillea be grown as a small tree?
Yes. A staked bougainvillea can be pruned up into a small tree shape. Keep it tied to the stake while it is young, and as the trunk thickens it stands on its own.
How far apart do you plant bougainvillea along a fence in Arizona?
Set plants about 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center, along a fence or wall. Closer to 6 feet covers it faster. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your length.
How do you get more color from bougainvillea?
Full sun, deep but less frequent water, and very little fertilizer give the most bracts. Rich, wet soil keeps it growing leaves. A light feeding in spring is enough in the ground.
When should you cut back bougainvillea in the Valley?
Do the main pruning in spring, after frost danger has passed, usually by March. Light trims between bloom flushes keep it tidy. Wear gloves and long sleeves for the thorns.
What are bougainvillea looper caterpillars?
Ragged leaf edges and tiny black droppings point to the bougainvillea looper, a small green to brown inchworm that feeds at night. Healthy plants handle it, and a BT caterpillar spray helps young or badly hit plants.
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