Bougainvillea 'Torch Glow'. This unusual, showy, shrubby bougainvillea boasts beautiful reddish pink blooms atop stiff, upright branches. A wonderful accent shrub or screen when massed; requires no support. Evergreen in frost-free regions; can be used in colder climates as a colorful summer annual for patio containers.
Good drought tolerance once established, but will look better if watered during dry spells. Water freely in summer and sparingly in the winter.
Use complete, balanced fertilizers with a nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K) ratio such as 5-5-5 or 10-10-10 to promote good bougainvillea health and plentiful flowers. Too much nitrogen promotes vegetative growth at the expense of blooms, so slow-release fertilizers that moderate nitrogen release are best.
Shape the "Torch Glow" bougainvillea in the autumn after the flowers have faded. Walk around the shrub and identify any branches that are growing out of proportion to the rest of the plant. Trim these off at a lateral bud. Trim off 2 to 6 inches from the top of the tallest trunks to decrease the height of the plant.
