Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Purple Bougainvillea Espalier
Purple Bougainvillea Espalier comes trained flat on a trellis, so it puts deep purple color on a wall while taking up little ground space. It suits a narrow side yard, a courtyard wall or a hot west wall. It takes full sun and reflected heat, and blooms in flushes from spring through fall. Keep tying new stems to the frame as it grows.
Best for: narrow side yards and courtyard walls with little ground space, hot west walls, and a flat panel of deep purple color on a block wall. It arrives already trained flat on its trellis.
An espalier is trained to grow in one flat plane against a wall, fence or trellis. That puts color on the wall while using very little ground space. It works where a spreading shrub will not fit.
Bougainvillea is one of the few flowering plants that handles a hot west-facing wall. It takes the reflected heat and wants at least six hours of direct sun. Plant it where the soil drains well.
Tie new stems to wire or the trellis with soft ties, since it has no tendrils. Cut back stems that grow out from the wall or past the frame. Pinching tips keeps the panel dense.
Frost around 28 to 32°F can burn it back, though it usually regrows from the base. The stems carry large thorns, and fallen bracts blow around. Keep it away from pools and busy walkways.
- Faster wall coverage6 ft apart
- Standard wall run6-8 ft apart
Guide the new shoots along the frame and tie them in with strong ties, since it does not cling. After each flush of color, trim lightly to push new growth, which carries the next bloom. Heavier pruning waits for spring, after frost. 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 an espalier bougainvillea?
It is a bougainvillea trained to grow in one flat plane on a trellis. It goes against a wall or fence and covers it with color while taking up very little ground space.
How do I attach it to a wall?
Set masonry nails in the wall and stretch wire between them, or fix a trellis to the wall. Tie the stems on with plastic tape or plastic-coated wire. Check the ties now and then so they do not cut into thickening stems.
How do I keep it flat?
Tie new stems where you want them to grow. Cut back stems that grow out from the wall or past the frame. Do the main pruning in spring, after frost danger has passed.
Will an espalier still bloom well?
Yes. It blooms on new growth, so pinching tips and cutting back long summer shoots can push more color. Keep water and fertilizer light, since too much of either gives you leaves instead.
Which wall is best for it?
A sunny west-facing wall works well, since it is one of the few flowering plants that handles the reflected heat there. It wants at least six hours of direct sun.
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 faster coverage. The Spacing tab counts plants for your wall length.
How big will it get?
With support, bougainvillea commonly reaches about 10 to 20 feet. This purple type is a vigorous grower, so it takes regular trimming to stay inside the frame.
How do I plant it?
Handle the root ball gently and do not break it apart, since bougainvillea roots do not like being disturbed. Plant in soil that drains well. Water regularly through the first summer while it gets rooted.
How often should I water it?
Water deeply, then let the soil dry out before the next watering. Past its first summer it rarely needs water more than once a week.
What happens in a freeze?
Frost around 28 to 32°F can burn the stems and strip the leaves. It usually regrows from the base once it warms up. Leave the damage until frost danger has passed, usually by March.
Is it safe around kids and pets?
It is not known to be poisonous to pets. The stems carry sharp thorns, so wear gloves when you tie it and keep it off play areas and dog runs.
Is bougainvillea messy?
Yes. It drops a lot of litter, and the papery purple blooms blow around. Plan on regular sweeping if it grows next to a patio or pool.
Purple Bougainvillea Espalier for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Purple Bougainvillea Espalier is a deep purple bougainvillea trained to grow flat against a trellis. It is the way to get bougainvillea color onto a wall where there is no room for a spreading shrub. Below is how to hang it, tie it, prune it and keep it blooming in the Valley.
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 bougainvillea?
An espalier is any plant trained to grow in a flat plane against a wall, fence or trellis. A bougainvillea espalier puts a panel of color on a wall. It needs very little ground space, which suits narrow side yards.
How do you espalier bougainvillea on a wall in Arizona?
Fix wire between masonry nails, or mount a trellis, then tie the stems flat as they grow. Use soft ties like plastic tape or plastic-coated wire. Bougainvillea has no tendrils, so every stem needs a tie.
What is the best wall for a bougainvillea espalier?
A sunny west-facing wall suits it well. Bougainvillea is one of the few flowering plants that holds up to the reflected heat there. Give it six or more hours of direct sun for the best color.
How do you prune an espalier bougainvillea?
Do the main pruning in spring, after frost danger has passed, usually by March. Cut back stems that grow out from the wall or past the frame. Pinching tips between bloom flushes keeps it dense.
What is the difference between espalier and staked bougainvillea?
Both are the same plant, trained differently. A staked plant grows up a single stake to climb or become a small tree shape. An espalier comes already spread flat on a trellis, ready for a wall.
When does purple bougainvillea bloom in the Valley?
The purple bracts come in flushes from spring through fall. Color is often heaviest in the cooler months and can slow in the hottest part of summer, and deep but spaced-out watering brings more bloom.
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.