Bougainvillea 'Torch Glow'

RHS Plant Profile

bougainvillea 'Torch Glow'

RHS

Synonyms

Bougainvillea 'Lord Willingdon' misapplied
Bougainvillea 'Smartipants'
Bougainvillea 'Mini-Thai'
Bougainvillea 'Pixie'

Shrubs

An unusual, shrubby Bougainvillea, with many upright, woody, thorny stems growing from the base. These are densely clothed with pointed, oval leaves, and topped with clusters of petal-like, red-pink bracts surrounding the tiny white flowers

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 1-1.5 metres
Max Height: 1.5-2.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: West–facing or South–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H2

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Nyctaginaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Bougainvillea are scandent evergreen shrubs, sometimes thorny, with simple ovate leaves and clusters of small tubular flowers each enclosed by 3 showy, brightly coloured ovate bracts
Name Status: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Needs well-drained soil in a warm, sunny position. Should survive outdoors in sheltered frost-free areas, or grow in a tub and take under glass in winter, or keep in a conservatory

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings in summer or softwood cuttings in early spring.

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Mediterranean climate plants
Patio and container plants
Sub-tropical

Pruning

Shape in the autumn after flowering. Trim off untidy branches at lateral bud. For taller plants, remove around 2-6 inches from tallest part of plant to reduce size

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse whitefly, mealybugs, aphids and glasshouse red spider mite under glass

Diseases

Generally disease-free