Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Rosenka Bougainvillea
Rosenka Bougainvillea is a compact, mounding bougainvillea with bracts that open gold to apricot and turn pink as they age. Grown as a bush, it suits sunny beds, banks and slopes, and large pots on a patio. It takes full sun and the heat off a west wall. Give it deep, spaced-out watering and it colors up in flushes from spring through fall.
Best for: sunny beds and hot walls, covering a bank or slope, and big patio pots. It is a compact bougainvillea for gold and pink color where the heat is hardest on other flowering plants.
Rosenka handles full sun and the reflected heat off a west wall. Six or more hours of sun keeps the gold and pink bracts coming. Plant it in soil that drains well.
Its low, mounding habit makes it a common pick for covering a bank or slope. As a bush it runs about 3 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide.
Rosenka is one of the more compact bougainvilleas, so it fits a big pot. A pot also cuts the bract mess and lets you cover it on frost nights. Water once the top 2 inches are dry.
A frost around 28 to 32°F can burn it back, though it usually comes back from the roots. It has sharp thorns, and the papery bracts drop and blow around. Keep it back from pools and busy paths.
- Low hedge or border4-5 ft apart
- Standard spacing6-8 ft apart
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.
Do the main trim in spring after frost danger passes. Light trims after each bloom flush keep it neat and bring new growth, which carries the color. Gloves and long sleeves help with the thorns.
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.
What color is Rosenka Bougainvillea?
The bracts open gold to apricot and turn pink as they age. The color is in the papery bracts, which surround small white true flowers.
How big does Rosenka get?
It is one of the more compact bougainvilleas, with a low, mounding shape. Grown as a bush it runs about 3 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide. You can keep it smaller with pruning.
How fast does it grow?
It grows at a moderate to fast pace. It grows quickest once spring warms up, and a plant cut back by frost usually fills in again during the warm months.
How far apart should I plant Rosenka?
Plant them about 4 to 5 feet apart for a low hedge or border. For standard spacing, go 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center. The Spacing tab counts plants for your bed.
How often does it need water?
Water deeply, then let the soil dry out before watering again. Water regularly through the first summer while it gets rooted. After that it rarely needs water more than once a week.
Why is my Rosenka all leaves and no color?
Too much water or fertilizer is the usual reason. Rich, wet soil keeps it growing leaves. Water less often, skip strong fertilizer, and give it full sun.
When does it bloom?
It colors up in flushes from spring through fall, with growth spurts between. In a mild winter it can keep going. Color is often best in the cooler months and can slow in peak summer heat.
How do I plant it?
Handle the root ball gently and do not break it apart. Bougainvillea roots are fine and do not like being disturbed. Plant it in soil that drains well.
What happens when it freezes?
Frost around 28 to 32°F can burn it and strip the leaves. It usually regrows from the roots. Leave the damage until frost danger has passed, usually by March, then cut back to live wood.
Is it thorny?
Yes. The stems have sharp thorns, so wear gloves and long sleeves when you prune. Keep it off walkways, play areas and dog runs.
Can it go near the pool?
It is better set well back from the pool, since the papery bracts drop and blow around. Its roots are not known to be aggressive. In a pot it makes less mess.
Is it poisonous to dogs or cats?
It is not known to be poisonous to pets. The thorns are the bigger concern around dogs and cats, so keep it out of dog runs.
Rosenka Bougainvillea for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Rosenka Bougainvillea is a compact bougainvillea known for bracts that open gold and age to pink. It is grown across the Valley as a low bush for sun and heat. This page covers its size, spacing, water, bloom, pruning and winter care in an Arizona yard.
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 color is Rosenka bougainvillea?
Rosenka is grown for bracts that open gold to apricot and turn pink as they age. The color sits in the papery bracts around small white flowers. It comes in flushes from spring through fall.
How big does Rosenka bougainvillea get in Arizona?
It is one of the compact bougainvilleas, low and mounding. As a bush it runs about 3 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide. Light trims between bloom flushes keep it tidy.
Is bougainvillea good for banks and slopes?
Yes. Rosenka's low, spreading habit is a common choice for covering a sunny bank or slope. Plant it in soil that drains well, water deeply, then let it dry out between waterings.
How far apart do you plant Rosenka bougainvillea?
For a low hedge or border, space plants about 4 to 5 feet apart. For standard spacing, plant them 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your row.
Can Rosenka bougainvillea grow in a pot?
Yes. Its compact size makes it a good fit for a large container. A pot keeps the bract mess down and makes it easy to cover on a freezing night. Water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry.
How do you get more color from bougainvillea in Phoenix?
Full sun, dry spells between deep waterings and very little fertilizer bring the most color. Too much water or feeding keeps it growing leaves. A light feeding in spring is enough.
How do you prune bougainvillea after a freeze?
Frost around 28 to 32°F can burn it back. Wait until frost danger has passed, usually by March, or until new growth shows. Then cut back to live wood, wearing gloves for the thorns.
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.