I bought this bougainvillea in December in Florida and since coming back to Virginia have learned a hard but valuable lesson. You shouldn’t take trees out of their native ranges unless you have the means and knowledge to care for it.
Since getting back I have been waiting for the outside temperatures to consistently be in the 45+ F range. I have been trying to strike the balance of water and oxygen and had it in the brightest window I have. I am unsure if I have been over or under watering (probably both). Some leaves have shriveled and dried up while others remained soft and turned black. It sent out several new shoots but some of those have also started to die back. Recently the temperatures reached the range I was comfortable putting it outside to get morning sun and afternoon shade as it got used to being back outside. Last night there was a lot of wind and it snapped the last remaining branch off of the taller trunk. I brought it inside to prevent further wind damage.
Needless to say I am now very crestfallen. Does anyone have advice or a moral raising experience to share.
Picture of tree after purchase
Sad state now