Description

🌸 Bougainvillea Lilac Formosa – Description

Bougainvillea ‘Lilac Formosa’ is a beautiful ornamental bougainvillea variety admired for its elegant soft lilac-purple bracts. The plant produces clusters of delicate papery bracts that glow under sunlight, giving a pastel and soothing floral display.
It is a vigorous, heat-tolerant climber with dense branching, making it perfect for fences, arches, pergolas, terraces, and large pots.

This variety is known for consistent blooming, good growth speed, and a unique lilac color not commonly found in bougainvilleas.

Key Features

• Soft lilac to lavender bracts
• Long and heavy blooming in warm seasons
• Strong, fast-growing climber
• Drought-tolerant and low-maintenance
• Ideal for landscapes, vertical gardens, and pots

🌿 Bougainvillea Lilac Formosa – Care Guide

1. Light

• Requires full sunlight (6–8 hours daily).
• More sun = more bracts and stronger color.

2. Watering

• Water moderately. Let the top soil dry between waterings.
• Avoid overwatering as bougainvillea roots are sensitive to soggy soil.
• During rainy season, reduce watering.

3. Soil

• Needs fast-draining soil to prevent root rot.
• Ideal mix:
  • 40% garden soil
  • 30% coarse sand/perlite
  • 30% compost
• Slightly acidic soil helps better blooming.

4. Fertilizer

• Apply fertilizer once every 25–30 days.
• Best options:
  • NPK 10-26-26 or 5-10-10 for flowering
  • Seaweed extract (foliar)
  • Vermicompost in small amounts
• Avoid too much nitrogen → it causes leaf growth instead of flowers.

5. Temperature & Climate

• Ideal temperature: 22–35°C.
• Thrives in Indian tropical and semi-tropical climates.
• Cannot tolerate frost.

6. Pruning

• Prune after flowering to shape the plant.
• Remove weak, dried, and tangled branches.
• Bougainvilleas bloom on new growth, so pruning encourages more blooms.

7. Support

• Provide a trellis, arch, or fence for climbing.
• Can also be trained as a bonsai or kept compact in containers.

8. Pests & Diseases

• Watch for mealybugs, aphids, and caterpillars.
• Spray neem oil every 10–15 days during pest season.
• Ensure good air flow and avoid waterlogging to prevent fungal issues.

🌼 Flowering Tips

• Give maximum sunlight
• Keep soil slightly dry—not soggy
• Use bloom fertilizer with low nitrogen
• Light pruning improves bloom cycles
• Choose a small pot size if growing in containers (bougainvillea blooms more when root-bound)