Bougainvillea Yellow Leaves: Drainage, Pot Feet, and Gordon Braswell's Guide

Yellow leaves on your potted Houston bougainvilleas = drainage issues. Even with drain holes, pots on flat ground let roots grow into soil, then tear when lifted.

Critical Fixes

• Remove saucers—standing water rots roots.
• Elevate pots on feet/bricks/styrofoam—air prunes roots.
• Don't repot often—bougainvilleas bloom better pot-bound.
• Full sun (5+ hrs). Afternoon sun best.
• High humidity pre-bloom, then drier.

Expert Resource

Read Gordon Braswell’s "Bougainvillea Information" (retired nursery specialist). Covers containers, soil, bloom cycles, climate. Your yellowing is almost certainly wet feet.

Fix drainage, elevate pots, and follow Braswell. Blooms will return.