I know a few people who lost their plants recently. One guy had them for about 4 or 5 years to divide a driveway/chain link fence. He ended up cutting them down completely and is going to put a wall up instead. My neighbor in the back has had his for 15 years growing over a pergola. He recently cut it back a bit but there is NO new growth anywhere. Someone else here at work has told me that there Bvillas are dead also.

At the very least, you'll have to cut it WAY back before you dig it up. When you compare what you'll be left digging up with buying a new one-gallon start, it might not seem like such a loss. It's worth a try -- if you have some heavy-duty gloves -- but bougainvilleas don't like root disturbance. You'll have to try and dig a big enough clod of dirt to keep the fine roots together and functioning.

If it won't freeze, it should be OK at the new place. If it would freeze, then a friend's unheated garage (see above) would be OK, if the cat would beat it up or try to eat it (I don't know if it's toxic to cats or not). It will probably die back to the "ground" anyway, so you could cut it back hard, label it, and save it in a spare corner, if you have such.

Thanks for all the input, guys! Lellie, that pic is beautiful, and looks a lot like the Imperial Delight. But are the leaves in the FRONT the foliage, or the ones in the back? The front ones look like pepperomia or something, yet they do seem to be growing on the stem of the plant. I'm surprised at the unexpected coloring. Katkin, you amaze me with your standards (your plant TREES, not your actual ethical STANDARDS, of course...though those might be amazing, too!) ;o) That was the thing I was most impressed with in your garden...your fantastic increase in bed space that you gained by making so many plants into standards, and underplanting them with other good stuff. So clever! And you are GOOD at it, too. I think this spring, I might try a bit of it, myself. Thonotorose, I'd like to try some more in hanging baskets, myself, even though I killed the one I bought last year. I think I was probably way too good for it, and I also think I handled the roots too roughly when I transplanted it. Thanks again, everyone. I can't wait to pick up a couple of these new and beautiful varieties. Marcia