BOUGAINVILLEA

[Small Trees]

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I was just after some tips on pruning my bougainvillea. As you can see by the photos. One side of this tree has dropped flower and left light brown dead looking branches. I was curios as what to do with these dead looking branches after dropping flower. Please advise as I know Bougainvillea do respond to a harsh cut back but at the same time I am trying to develop some branching as this tree 12 months ago was cut back to bare trunk. Thanks in advance.

[matlea]

These can be trimmed off. I would be cutting / pinching off any flowers - even those small ones developing at the back - to direct energy into branch and leaf production.
I normally prune hard for back budding when the plant is actively growing in the warmer months.

[Andreas]

Just cut them off, if you cut the leaves too the new shoots come out on every knot. I will post a reply soon on mine, they where collected a year ago and all stages will be shown.

[kcpoole]

The petioles die back after flowering, so just cut back to the green stem and they will reshoot from there with more branching.

Ken