Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Torch Glow Bougainvillea
Torch Glow Bougainvillea grows straight up on stiff, woody stems and stands on its own, with no trellis or ties needed. Its pink bracts come in dense clusters at the ends of the branches, so each stem looks like a lit torch. It stays about 5 to 8 feet tall and fairly narrow. That makes it a bougainvillea for pots, entries and tight beds.
Best for: pots and patios, tight beds by an entry, and hot sunny spots where a sprawling bougainvillea vine would take over. It grows upright on its own without a trellis.
Torch Glow grows upright and fairly narrow, so it suits a large pot on a patio or by a front door. Use a pot with drainage holes and water when the top 2 to 3 inches of mix are dry. A pot is also easy to cover on frost nights.
Most bougainvillea sends long canes 10 feet or more and needs a wall to lean on. Torch Glow stands on its own at about 5 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. It fits narrow beds along a walk, a corner by the garage or a small courtyard.
Like other bougainvillea it loves summer heat and takes reflected sun off walls and paving. Give it at least six hours of direct sun for the best color. Too much water or fertilizer gives you leaves instead of bracts, so keep it on the dry side once rooted.
Frost near freezing burns the stems, though it usually grows back from the roots in spring. Its roots are fragile, so do not break up the root ball when you plant. The stems still carry thorns, so keep it a few feet back from busy walkways.
- Low hedge or border4-5 ft apart
Water often while it gets rooted, tapering to about once a week through the first summer. Once established, soak it about every 7 to 10 days in summer and about once a month in winter. Let the soil dry between waterings, since extra water means fewer bracts.
Do the main shaping in spring once frost danger has passed. Give it light trims after each bloom flush, because it flowers on new growth. Wear gloves and long sleeves for the thorns.
Cover it with frost cloth, not plastic, on frost nights. A freeze can drop its leaves, and it rests until spring. Leave any damage in place until new growth shows, then cut back to just above it.
Give one light feeding in spring and none in winter. Heavy feeding pushes leaves instead of color.
Small green or brown inchworms chew ragged leaf edges at night and leave tiny black droppings. Healthy plants shrug it off, so treat only young plants or heavy damage with BT.
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.
How is Torch Glow different from other bougainvillea?
It grows upright on stiff stems and supports itself, instead of sprawling as a vine. The bracts bunch at the branch tips like torches. Plant it where you want bougainvillea color in a narrow space, with no trellis to build.
How big does Torch Glow get?
It usually reaches about 5 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. Trim it lightly after a bloom flush if you want to keep it shorter.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes. Its upright shape makes it one of the better bougainvilleas for a large container. Use a pot with drainage holes and a free-draining mix, and water when the top 2 to 3 inches are dry.
What color is Torch Glow?
The bracts are bright pink, sometimes described as magenta-pink or reddish-pink. The true flowers are the tiny white ones in the center of each cluster.
How often should I water it?
Water often while it roots in, tapering to about once a week through the first summer. After that, water deeply every 7 to 10 days in summer and about once a month in winter. Let the soil dry between waterings.
Why is it not blooming?
Too much water or fertilizer keeps it growing leaves instead of color. Cut back on watering, skip extra feeding and make sure it gets at least six hours of sun.
Will frost kill it?
Frost around 28 to 32°F can burn the stems and drop the leaves, but it usually grows back from the roots. Cover it with frost cloth on cold nights. Wait until frost danger has passed, usually by March, before cutting off damage.
How do I plant it without hurting it?
Its roots are fine and easily damaged. Slide the plant out of the pot carefully, set the root ball in whole and do not loosen or break it apart. Plant in spring after frost for the best start.
When should I prune it?
Do the main shaping in spring after frost danger has passed, and light trims after each bloom flush. It blooms on new growth, so heavy cuts late in the season cost you color.
Does it have thorns?
Yes, it has thorns like other bougainvillea. Wear gloves and long sleeves when you trim it, and keep it back from walkways and play areas.
Is it safe near a pool?
Keep it several feet back from the water. The papery bracts drop and blow around and end up in the pool. A pot on the deck, set back from the edge, makes cleanup easier.
Is Torch Glow poisonous to pets?
Bougainvillea is not known to be poisonous to pets. The thorns are the main risk, so keep it off pet paths.
Torch Glow Bougainvillea for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Torch Glow Bougainvillea grows as an upright shrub on stiff stems instead of a sprawling vine, with pink bracts bunched at the tips like torches. Below: size, where it fits, pots, watering, frost and pruning.
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Upright bougainvillea for small spaces
Torch Glow grows upright on stiff stems and stands on its own. It fits pots, entries and narrow beds where a sprawling bougainvillea would take over.
Torch Glow bougainvillea size
It usually grows about 5 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. Light trims after bloom flushes keep it compact.
Torch Glow bougainvillea in pots
Use a large pot with drainage holes and a free-draining mix. Water when the top 2 to 3 inches are dry, and cover the pot on frost nights.
Watering Torch Glow in Phoenix
Water deeply, then let the soil dry. Once rooted, about every 7 to 10 days in summer and monthly in winter is plenty.
Frost and Torch Glow bougainvillea
Frost near freezing burns it back, but it usually regrows from the roots. Wait until frost danger has passed before pruning the damage.
Planting Torch Glow
Plant in spring after frost and keep the root ball whole. Its fine roots do not like being disturbed.
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