Help. I have a bougainvillea indoors which is getting rather large. Last year it was quite happy out on the patio during the summer as it gets a lot of sun - but I brought it back indoors for the winter where it bloomed. What I'd like to know is - would it be possible to leave it outside all year round? I live near London, UK.

From I know about these plants they are tropical, so don't leave it out all year long in London. I used to know someone from England and it gets too cold there in the winter. It would do well in a sunny window probably.

I keep mine in my cold GH it probably goes no lower than 30& is briefly.I keep it on the dry side also.It useually stays in bloom durring the winter too till the days start getting longer then the flowers are done,it loses it leafs.Its been growing new leaves for 3 weeks now.I'm coastal zone 8B in TX.
you can trim its tips back some to shape it& it will make it a fuller plant also.I've had some limbs get over 20 inches.I have mine in a hanging coir basket.

mine just has the grow light for lighting in cold GH.the plastic blocks alot.

steph6150 and njoynit
Thank you both for your help. Much appreciated.

Hi crisnuge. Although this is a tender tropical may I hold out some hope for the future? If your patio is really well protected you may risk leaving it out in future years. (Note I'm from somewhere about 250 miles north of you). I wouldn't risk it here but we just had the second mildest winter on record and I think that London is now on the border of USDA 9a equivalent. In Scarborough we are happy to have made 8b. I would buy a load of hessian sacking and maybe some bubble wrap and watch the weather forecast next winter (if you can't trust the beeb who can you trust?---yes I know you can't trust the beeb). If there is even the slightest chance of a frost then give it the sack. If you do this and then we get a freak cold winter, I'm sorry. Please don't sue. But I'm into growing exotics even this far north and I am leaving plants outside that even 5 years ago would have perished. Depends how adventurous you are.

Hi there. We love these plants in Arizona they are everywhere. This winter we had three consecutive days in the 20's and teens F. My personal 60year old Boug's are coming back from the trunk only. In a container the roots would have frozen too and maybe killed the whole plant, instead I have to cut these massive creatures down completely. They are native to tropical South America and do well in warm weather but not so in the cold. It might have a chance if planted so the roots are protected but in the painfully cold UK I think it is a roll of the dice.