Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Purple Bougainvillea Staked
Purple Bougainvillea Staked comes trained up a stake, ready to climb a wall, fence, arbor or pergola. Its deep purple bracts come in flushes from spring through fall. This purple type is a vigorous grower that takes full sun and reflected heat. Tie it to its support as it grows, and it fills in quickly once spring warms up.
Best for: covering a sunny wall or fence in deep purple, climbing an arbor or pergola, and a small tree shape pruned up from the stake. It is a vigorous climbing bougainvillea for full sun and reflected heat.
It has no tendrils and does not cling, so tie the stems to wire, a trellis or the fence. Space plants about 6 to 8 feet apart along the run, even along a hot west wall with reflected heat.
Tied up the posts, it can spread across the top of an arbor or pergola. With support it commonly reaches about 10 to 20 feet. Keep adding ties as the long stems grow.
Staked plants can be pruned up into a small tree shape. Keep it tied to the stake while it is young, since it needs support early. As the stems thicken it can stand on its own.
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 back from pools, walkways and play areas.
- Faster wall or fence coverage6 ft apart
- Standard wall or fence run6-8 ft apart
Bougainvillea does not cling, so tie the stems to the wall, fence or trellis as they grow. Branches get big, so use strong ties. Do the main pruning in spring after frost, with light trims after each bloom flush. Wear gloves and long sleeves for the thorns.
Water deeply on a set schedule through the first summer, starting often and easing to about once a week. Once rooted, soak it about every 7 to 10 days in summer and about once a month in winter. Let the soil dry between soaks, since too much water gives you leaves instead of color.
Frost damage starts around 28 to 32°F, and a freeze can strip the leaves. Cover it with frost cloth or an old sheet on frost nights, not plastic. Leave damaged stems alone until frost danger passes, usually by March, then cut back to the new growth. It regrows from the roots.
One light feeding in spring is enough. Do not feed it in winter. Heavy feeding gives lots of leaves and fewer flowers.
Ragged, chewed leaf edges and small black droppings point to bougainvillea loopers. These small green to brown inchworms feed at night and are hard to spot. A healthy plant handles the damage. Treat 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.
Does bougainvillea climb on its own?
No. It has no tendrils and does not cling to walls. Tie the stems to wire, a trellis or a fence as it grows, and keep it tied to its stake while it is young.
How tall does purple bougainvillea get on a wall?
With support it commonly reaches about 10 to 20 feet, and it spreads wide over time. This purple type is a vigorous grower, but you can keep it smaller with pruning.
Can I grow it over a pergola or arbor?
Yes. Tie it up the posts and guide the long stems across the top. It needs ties all the way, since it cannot grab on by itself.
Can I grow it as a small tree?
Yes. Staked plants can be pruned up into a small tree shape. It needs the stake early on, then the stems thicken and it can stand on its own.
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 or wall length.
Why is my vine all long green shoots, and how do I get more color?
Cut back long, fast shoots during summer to push more blooms, and pinch the tips for denser growth. It blooms on new growth. Also cut back on water and fertilizer, since both feed leaves instead of color.
How should 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 much water does it need once it is growing?
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 it and strip the leaves. It usually regrows quickly from the base in spring. Wait until frost danger has passed, usually by March, before cutting off the damage.
Is it thorny?
Yes. The stems carry large, sharp thorns. Wear gloves and long sleeves when you tie or prune it, and keep it back from walkways.
Can I plant it near the pool?
It is better kept back from the pool. The papery bracts drop and blow around the yard. The roots are not known to be aggressive.
Is it safe for 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.
Purple Bougainvillea Staked for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Purple Bougainvillea Staked is a deep purple bougainvillea trained on a stake so it can climb a wall, fence or pergola. It is sold in Arizona as Bougainvillea brasiliensis and grows with plenty of vigor. Below is how to train it, space it, water it and keep it blooming.
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 grow purple bougainvillea on a fence in Arizona?
Purple bougainvillea is a vigorous climber, but it has no tendrils. Tie the stems to the fence, wire or trellis as they grow. With support it commonly covers 10 to 20 feet in full sun.
How do you grow bougainvillea on an arbor or pergola?
Tie the stems up the posts first, then guide the long shoots across the top. Keep adding ties as it grows. Give it full sun for the most purple.
How do you get more blooms on a bougainvillea vine?
Cut back long, fast shoots in summer and pinch the tips to push new growth, which is where it blooms. Water deeply but less often. Go easy on fertilizer, since too much gives you leaves.
How far apart do you plant bougainvillea along a wall?
Space plants about 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center, along a wall or fence. Go closer to 6 feet for faster coverage. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your length.
What is the difference between staked and bush bougainvillea?
Both are the same plant, trained two ways. A staked plant is grown up a stake so it can climb or be pruned into a small tree shape. A bush is kept low for beds, borders and pots.
Does bougainvillea recover from a freeze in the Valley?
Established plants usually regrow from the base, even after a frost around 28 to 32°F burns them back and strips the leaves. Leave the damage until frost danger has passed, usually by March.
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.