Bougainvillea plants are a well-known species of tropical plants which are famous for their beautiful blooms. These plants grow outdoors in warmth and news direct sunlight as long as they get enough water.
If you find that the flowers of your Bougainvillea plants are falling off, there can be a chance that the plant isn’t getting these important elements. Blooms also suffer due to the very cold climate. Read below to know other reasons why flowers of your Bougainvillea plant are dropping off.
What causes Bougainvillea flowers to drop off?
If your bougainvillea plant is losing flowers in the growing season, it needs your attention. Bougainvillea is a strong and strong plant species that can survive years after years. It gives out a lot of flowers in the growing season if gets the required amount of care. You can adjust the cultural practices and check if the problem gets solved.
When you water the plant, soak the entire soil in water thoroughly and then let it dry before watering again. If the climate is very cold for your bougainvillea plant, move it into a pot and keep it indoors.
Just like the rest of the plants, bougainvillea has some specific growing requirements which must be fulfilled if you want the plant to produce flowers. If these requirements are not met, you will not get desirable flowers. To begin with, you first need to know the causes why the flowers of your bougainvillea plant start falling off. The reasons are:
1. Low light exposure
One of the main reasons why bougainvillea flowers start dropping off is due to low light levels. Bougainvillea is a sun-loving plant that requires 6-8 hours of sunlight daily. It produces the best flowers when kept in a warm environment.
Solution
Sunlight is the most crucial factor that helps in the proper growth of your Bougainvillea plants. You must keep the plant in such a position that it can get 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every day. Sunlight is something that you can’t provide artificially. So, you must ensure that your Bougainvillea plant gets ample sunlight so that flowers stop dropping.
2. Improper soil
Bougainvillea plants are not so choosy about the soil type but they can’t grow well in sandy or clayey soil. Another thing you should keep in mind is that the soil in which you plant them must drain properly. If the soil doesn’t properly, it will cause water to be stagnant and as a result, the large roots of these plants will start rotting. Rotting of rooting can also cause the dropping of flowers.
Solution
You must plant your Bougainvillea in soil that drains well. The best kind of soil suited to these plants is a mixture of organic and loam compost mixed into the soil where you plant them. You can either plant it directly in the soil or a pot but don’t forget to add the proper soil to let your Bougainvillea grow well.
3. Cold weather
Bougainvillea plants don’t grow well in a cold climate as they are more suited to dry and hot climates. They need the weather to be warm as the flowers of bougainvillea plants can drop off if the temperature is lower than what the plant is habituated to. Usually, the pants are raised in humid, dry, and warm climates or greenhouses. If planted in any other climatic region, the flowers of your bougainvillea plant will start falling off.
Solution
If you are living in winter prone region, you must plant your bougainvillea just after the onset of the summer season to make sure that it can receive the required time to grow and nurture. Always try to keep your plant away from cold climates. Even if it is cold outside, keep your plant indoors in a warm room.
4. Imbalanced watering
Both under watering and over watering can cause your bougainvillea plant to drop off flowers. Bougainvillea is a plant that needs a moderate amount of water. Too much watering will lead to root rotting and less water will make them dry. In both cases, the blooming will get affected. When the flowers of your bougainvillea plant start falling off, check the irrigation. Though, these plants can tolerate dryness but only for a shorter period. The plant needs proper watering regularly to bloom as it absorbs water very quickly.
Solution
You must water your bougainvillea plant only as much as needed. Keep a balance in watering and maintain the frequency too. Avoid watering them inconsistently as that way there will be high chances for the roots to rot. Don’t allow the soil to get dried completely or you will your bougainvillea plant to lose flowers.
5. Exposure to ethylene
Another important factor that leads to flowers dropping off the bougainvillea plant is their exposure to ethylene. Ethylene is a gas that is produced by barbecue pits and ripeness fruits. This gas is quite harmful to your bougainvillea plant as it won’t allow the flowers to grow. As soon as the flowers get exposure to this gas, they will start dropping off.
Solution
There is no appropriate solution to this problem except planting your bougainvillea at a distance from other plants. You can also cover your bougainvillea plant using a thin layer of clothing to prevent them from getting exposed to the ethylene gas.
6. Chlorine from pool
The chlorine used for cleaning swimming pools also releases a toxic gas that is harmful to bougainvillea plants. This gas doesn’t allow the bougainvillea plant to hold its flowers and as a result, the plant starts dropping off flowers.
Solution
The solution to this problem is planting your bougainvillea away from swimming pools. Try to plant it as far as possible to prevent the chlorine gas from affecting your plant. This is the best and most effective solution you can use to keep your bougainvillea flowers safe.
7. No pruning/ trimming
If you find that the flowers of your bougainvillea plant are dropping off suddenly without any proper cause, just know that the plant needs trimming. Pruning or trimming a bougainvillea plant will promote new growth and if a plant is left for a long time without pruning, it will gradually lose all leaves and flowers.
Solution
Start trimming your bougainvillea plant and let the plant grow newly. Trim it back by a maximum of 50% based on your preference. If you want a compact-looking plant, trim it more and if you want a bigger plant, trim it less.
8. Wrong location
Apart from all other requirements, bougainvillea plants need a bright, sunny location to grow. One of the main causes of bougainvillea flowers dropping off can be a lack of sunlight. Before planting a bougainvillea, make sure to check that the location has good sunlight and all other conditions required by your bougainvillea plant.
Solution
Try to fulfill the light levels of the garden store from where you bought the plant. This can be done by using suitable grow lights if you’re keeping the plant indoors. The best thing you can do is undeniably keep the plant outdoors where it can get adequate sunlight and proper irrigation.
Conclusion
These are some of the major causes why your bougainvillea plant may start dropping flowers. Bougainvillea is a plant that is popular for its blooms and if it doesn’t bloom properly, the plant won’t look happy at all. To make sure that this plant blooms the way it should, you must fulfill all the requirements which are mentioned above in this post. Every cause mentioned above in this post has its solution and you must follow the right solution to get rid of that particular cause. Only then, you can expect your bougainvillea plant to stop dropping its flowers.
