Repotting of a Decade Old Bougainvillea Bonsai

Bougainvillea Bonsai

This close to10-year-old bougainvillea (locally known as 21 Jewels) bonsai has been in my caring since 2006. I was still in college when my father brought this home as a gift to me.  He acquired it from his friend’s garden.  After cleaning that new addition to my collection, I planted it in a recycled plastic water container pot. It has never been report since then.

Wiring and Styling

I just let it grow for years and years and did a few wiring and styling but have never really got a chance to focus on it because I had to leave our house for a job away from home.  It magically survived and has thrived even in the driest summers in our region over the past years.  With this material, I learned that Bougainvillea is a bonsai that won’t let you down.  Today, I decided to give it a treat and let it experience new fresh soil that I know its roots have been missing for years.

Removed from the old pot and got to trim some very old roots that does not contribute to a good nebari.

Unnecessary roots have now been cut off.

21 Jewels Bougainvillea Bonsai in its new pot with river sand as growing medium.

I have to keep it away from direct sunlight to give a chance to recover from the repotting.  it must be very dizzy from all those major cuts and shaking.  I’ll give it a few weeks to stay in this shaded area and it should be back to the sun.