Description

🔥 Bougainvillea Chilly Red – Description

Bougainvillea ‘Chilly Red’ is a highly popular ornamental variety known for its fiery bright red bracts that look like glowing flames in sunlight. The plant blooms heavily, producing dense clusters of papery red bracts with tiny white flowers at the center.
It grows as a fast-spreading, semi-woody climber with strong branches and rich green foliage, making it perfect for garden walls, pergolas, arches, fences, and large pots.

This variety is heat-tolerant, drought-resistant, and low-maintenance, ideal for Indian climate conditions.

Key Features

• Bold bright red bracts
• Very heavy bloomer in warm weather
• Fast-growing and vigorous variety
• Excellent for landscaping and decorative barriers
• Suitable for pots, bonsai, and ground planting

🌿 Bougainvillea Chilly Red – Care Guide

1. Light

• Needs full sunlight (6–8 hrs daily) for strong red color and heavy flowering.
• Shade reduces color intensity and bloom quantity.

2. Watering

• Water when the top 2–3 cm of soil is dry.
• Do not overwater; bougainvillea roots are sensitive to excess moisture.
• Reduce watering during rainy season.

3. Soil

• Prefers well-draining, slightly acidic soil.
• Ideal potting mix:
  • 40% garden soil
  • 30% river sand/perlite
  • 30% compost
• Good drainage is the MOST important factor.

4. Fertilizer

• Fertilize every 25–30 days during the growing season.
• Best fertilizers:
  • NPK 5-10-10 or 10-26-26 (for blooming)
  • Seaweed extract (foliar)
  • Vermicompost in small quantity
• Avoid heavy nitrogen to prevent leafy growth without flowers.

5. Temperature & Climate

• Ideal temperature: 22–36°C
• Thrives in hot and dry climates
• Cannot tolerate frost or long cold exposure

6. Pruning

• Prune after flowering to maintain shape.
• Remove dead or weak branches.
• Bougainvillea blooms on new growth, so pruning encourages next cycle of flowering.

7. Support

• Provide fence, arch, trellis, or pergola for climbing.
• Also suitable for shaping as a shrub or bonsai.

8. Pests & Diseases

• Susceptible to aphids, mealybugs, and caterpillars.
• Treat early with neem oil spray every 10–15 days.
• Avoid waterlogging to prevent fungal issues.

🌼 Flowering Tips

• Give maximum sunlight
• Keep soil slightly dry
• Use bloom-boosting fertilizer
• Avoid big pots—bougainvilleas bloom more when root-bound
• Light pruning encourages fresh flowering shoots