How to prune butt's bougainvillea

After each flowering flush; main structural prune in late winter/early spring. Cut flowered laterals back by one-third to a healthy bud after each flush. In late winter, remove dead or crossing stems and shorten the main framework by up to half. Use loppers and thick gloves — this hybrid is very thorny.

After each bloom flush (2–3 times a year) plus one annual structural prune. Yes, Butt's bougainvillea (a vigorous hybrid) needs pruning to stay in bounds and reflower reliably. Blooms appear on new wood, so cutting back spent stems encourages repeat flushes. After each flowering period, shorten flowered stems by one-third. Give a harder structural prune in late winter before new growth begins to control size and shape.

Cut flowered laterals back by one-third to a healthy bud after each flush. In late winter, remove dead or crossing stems and shorten the main framework by up to half. Use loppers and thick gloves — this hybrid is very thorny.