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Bougainvilleas are among the most exotic looking plants you can grow. These bushy vines can be so prolific in flower that their vivid colors hide the leaves. Many are also vigorous in growth, but respond well to simple pruning.
Having said that bougainvilleas are hardy only to USDA Z9, in cooler zones they will not survive the winter outdoors. However, in areas where the winters are too harsh for bougainvilleas to survive outside, bougainvilleas can be grown in containers, pruned every year to restrict their size and moved into a frost-free environment as winter approaches.
There is no doubt that bougainvilleas are colorful climbing plants with flowers in orange, yellow, apricot, red, purple, magenta, pink and white. But look closely and you will see that the true flowers are small and white and the color is provided by what look like papery leaves that surround them. These are known as bracts. They are much more colorful and longer lasting than the flowers themselves, and provide the color that attracts pollinating insects. The fact that these bracts are long lasting adds enormously to the intensity of the delay.
The vibrant pink and red bracts of the Barbara Karst bougainvillea make it a coveted ornamental plant. However, harvesting these colorful bracts at the right time and in the proper manner is key to maintaining plant health and continual flowering. This guide covers everything you need to know about effectively harvesting your Barbara Karst bougainvilleas.
Overview of Barbara Karst Bougainvillea
Native to Brazil, Barbara Karst bougainvillea is a woody, climbing vine that produces vibrant pink to crimson floral bracts. The actual flowers are small and white, but surrounded by the showy papery bracts. Barbara Karst is a prolific variety, blooming in flushes from spring to fall in warm climates. With its lush green leaves and cascades of color, this bougainvillea makes a dramatic statement in gardens.
Growth Stages
To determine optimal harvest times, it’s important to understand the growth cycle of bougainvillea:
- Spring: Vegetative growth phase after winter dormancy. Plant produces new leaves and branches.
- Summer: Peak flowering period. This is when floral bracts reach maturity and put on the best display.
- Fall: Secondary bloom period in some climates. Slowdown in growth as plant prepares for dormancy.
- Winter: Plant becomes dormant in cold climates. Growth halts as resources go to root storage.
Optimal Harvesting Time
For Barbara Karst bougainvillea, the optimal harvesting time is during the peak summer flowering season. Select mature bracts that have reached their maximum color intensity. Bracts continue to develop their color for 1-2 weeks after emerging, so don’t harvest too early.
- Look for fully colored, vibrant bracts as an indicator of maturity.
- Avoid harvesting during spring growth or fall dormancy period.
- Morning hours, before heat builds, is ideal.
Harvesting during peak flowering removes mature bracts but encourages new blooms simultaneously. Proper timing prevents disruption of growth cycles.
Harvest Techniques
Follow these tips for harvesting Barbara Karst bougainvillea:
Use Bypass Pruners
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Sterilize hand pruners in rubbing alcohol before harvesting to prevent disease transmission.
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Make cuts with clean, sharp bypass pruner blades for precision harvesting.
Identify Mature Bracts
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Look for fully colored bracts as your harvest markers.
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Gently turn bracts to inspect the backside and base color.
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Avoid half-colored, wilted or damaged bracts.
Snip at Bract Bases
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Grasp bract gently and snip at the base, where it meets the stem.
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Cut close but avoid damaging surrounding foliage.
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Bracts snap off cleanly when harvested at optimal maturity.
Selective Harvesting
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Don’t harvest all bracts at once. Leave some on the vine.
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Strategic harvesting preserves plant appearance and encourages rebloom
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Rotate harvesting from all sides of vines for even distribution.
Post-Harvest Care
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Inspect for stress or damage after harvesting.
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Maintain consistent watering and fertilization to support growth.
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Watch for pests attracted to pruning wounds.
Maintaining Plant Health
To sustain plant health and productivity, always harvest with care and moderation. Never shear off all bracts at once. This shocks the plant and removes its colorful display. Strategic, selective harvesting preserves its ornamental beauty while allowing it to continue flowering.
Uses for Harvested Bracts
The brilliant Barbara Karst bougainvillea bracts have many uses:
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Display in floral arrangements fresh or dried
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Craft into wreaths, garlands and bouquets
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Float in bowls or hang as decorations
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Press and frame as art pieces
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Use as natural plant dyes
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Root in water to propagate more plants
With proper timing and technique, you can enjoy harvesting vibrant Barbara Karst bougainvillea bracts while maintaining a healthy, vigorous plant that provides season after season of spectacular color.
How do you overwinter a potted bougainvillea in Zone 7?
Bougainvilleas in planters can be overwintered in any frost-free place, even in the dark. A garage or a basement is ideal, but it must be frost free. Water only every three or four weeks, so the plant does not become completely parched. All the leaves will drop off, but the plant will remain dormant – and alive.
In spring, move your bougainvillea to somewhere bright, but still frost free. A sun room is often ideal. Water more often, and as the first green shoots of growth begins, fertilize with a liquid bougainvillea feed.
After the last frost, move your plant outside.
How to choose bougainvilleas for your yard
Choosing bougainvilleas is a simple matter. Have you the space for a traditional type that grows to a large size, or do you need a modern dwarf variety for a container? Which color of these flowering climbers do you prefer? Finally, do you need a variety with colorful leaves that looks attractive even when there are no flowers?
Bougainvilleas can be conveniently divided into four groups according to the size of the plants as they reach maturity – dwarf, semi-dwarf, medium-sized and large. They can also be divided into two foliage groups – most bougainvilleas have green foliage, but some have attractive variegated leaves.
- Dwarf bougainvillias Maturing at a height and spread of about 3-6ft, these varieties are ideal plants for hanging baskets, container gardening for the deck or balcony, small backyards where space is very limited, or for ground cover in relatively small spaces. Look for ‘Pink Pixie’ (pink flowers, chartreuse leaves, available at Fast Growing Trees), Sunvillea Series (pink, rose or yellow flowers, bushy growth), Yanis Delight (cream and pink shades, superb in a hanging basket).
- Semi-dwarf bougainvilleas Reaching 6-10ft in height when mature, try one of these for large planters, as specimens in small and medium-sized yards, and for ground cover. Plants in this group are too large for hanging baskets. Look for Bengal Orange (pinkish-orange flowers, variegated leaves), Golden Jackpot (‘MonSam’) (purple flowers, variegated leaves), ‘Miss Alice’ (white flowers, few thorns).
Bougainvillea Miss Alice ( credit: Scenics & Science/Alamy Stock Photo)
- Medium-sized bougainvilleas Maturing at 10-120ft, these impressive varieties make spectacular specimens in large gardens, as well as colorful impenetrable boundaries and are ideal plants to hide ugly walls and fences. Look for ‘Imperial Delight’ (pink shades, takes hard pruning), Purple Queen (Moneth) (purple flowers, good ground cover), ‘White Stripe’ (white flowers, variegated leaves).
- Tall bougainvilleas These astonishing varieties are very vigorous and can reach more than 20ft in height, although they can be kept smaller with enthusiastic early spring pruning. Ideal scrambling over tumbledown buildings and other eyesores. Look for Camarillo Fiesta (Monle) (unusual combination of pink and gold flowers), ‘Barbara Karst’ (hot pink flowers, very reliable, available from Fast Growing Trees), Gold Rush (MONCliff) (sharp yellow maturing to gold).
- Variegated varieties Variegated bougainvilleas have yellow, cream or white margins to the leaves as well as colorful flowers. Look for ‘Blueberry Ice’ (rich, lavender-blue flowers, creamy white variegation, 3-4ft), ‘Bengal Orange (pinkish orange flowers, creamy variegation, 6-8 ft), ‘Golden Jackpot’ (purple flowers, gold variegation, 6-10ft).
Bougainvillea Barbara Karst ( credit: Martin Hughes-Jones/Alamy Stock Photo)
How to Grow Beautiful Barbara Karst Bougainvillea – Tips and Tricks for Success
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