How to Cut the Canopy of a Bougainvillea

Wear protective gloves, eyewear, clothes and shoes when trimming bougainvillea plants. Use gloves made out of leather or a thick material. Wear sun or safety glasses and a long-sleeve shirt, as the plant’s thorns can cause skin irritations and are very sharp.

Sterilize pruning tools such as loppers or hand clippers before cutting the bougainvillea branches. Pour enough bleach or alcohol onto a cloth to moisten it. Wipe the pruning blades with the treated cloth to kill any lingering bacteria.

Spread a tarp onto the ground where you are pruning the bougainvillea. Use a large trash can if you do not have a tarp. Clean up the cuttings as you work to contain the thorny branches in one location. This lessens the chance of getting scratched or entangled.

Prune the bougainvillea canopy starting at its bottom and working toward the top. Use loppers to cut thick branches and inner ones that are hard to reach. Use hand clippers to snip outer and easily reached branches. Place the cut branch into the trash can or on the tarp.

Reach the top of large canopies using a ladder. Set the ladder next to the bougainvillea where you will start pruning. Stabilize the legs on the ground so it does not tip over. Use loppers or hand clippers to trim the canopy into its desired size and shape.

Clean the area after the pruning is complete. Pick up large branches by hand. Rake the remaining debris, making sure no thorny branches remain on the ground.