Fuchsias are very popular and persistent summer bloomers, which are particularly striking due to the distinctive shape of their flowers. Originally from the rainforests of South America, the evening primrose family offers variety due to the variety of species and varieties, although not all fuchsias are hardy. In this article you will find out which fuchsia varieties are hardy in our climate and what you need to pay attention to when planting and caring for these gems.
Some fuchsia varieties are hardy
Proven hardy fuchsias
The overview below offers you an overview of recommended hardy fuchsia varieties, almost all of which are very old breeds - some dating back to the middle of the 19th century. These have proven themselves in German gardens to this day and are often planted. Of course, the list is not complete, as there are currently around 70 to 100 Fuchsia breeds that are hardy in our climate - apart from the mostly hardy wild forms or variants that are very similar to the wild forms such as Fuchsia magellanica, Fuchsia procumbens or Fuchsia regia.
| variety | blossom | flower color | leaves | growth | growth height |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alice Hoffman | half filled | light red / white | bronze colored | bushy, standing | 30 to 60 cm |
| Ballerina blue | simple | red / medium blue | dark green | upright | up to approx. 50 cm |
| Beacon pink | simple | pink | dark green | erect, richly branched | 50 to 70 cm |
| Caledonia | simple, very small | light pink / light carmine | dark green | hanging | up to approx. 50 cm |
| Cardinal Farges | plain or semi-double | Red White | green | upright | 50 to 60 cm |
| Chillerton Beauty | simple | light pink / violet | medium green | erect, richly branched | 70 to 90 cm |
| constance | filled | light pink / violet | medium green | erect, sometimes overhanging | 45 to 60 cm |
| Delicate Blue | simple | white / dark purple | dark green | hanging | up to approx. 30 cm |
| Delicate Purple | simple | dark pink / aubergine | dark green | hanging | up to approx. 40 cm |
| Dirk Van Delen | simple | light pink / pink | dark green | upright | up to approx. 60 cm |
| Empress of Prussia | half filled | red / violet | dark green | upright | up to approx. 90 cm |
| exoniensis | filled | Red | light green | standing | up to approx. 90 cm |
| Friends of Dortmund | simple | dark red / dark purple | dark green | bushy, upright | up to approx. 50 cm |
| Madame Cornelissen | half filled or filled | cherry red / white | dark green | standing | 60 to 80 cm |
| Beautiful Helena | half filled | creamy white / lavender | strong green | standing | up to approx. 50 cm |
Plant and care for hardy fuchsias
If you want to plant hardy fuchsias, pay particular attention to these points:
- If possible, only plant strong, well-rooted specimens.
- Planting is best done in June and July.
- The fuchsias are placed in a trough about 20 centimeters deep.
- This will be filled up by the following fall.
- The deeper planting protects the sensitive roots.
- In winter, even hardy plants always need winter protection!
For most hardy fuchsias, the parts of the plant above the ground will freeze back and should be cut back in early spring. The plants sprout again from the rootstock around April. An exception is Fuchsia regia, which does not freeze back, but sprouts from its wood again. Fuchsia regia is also much more resistant to frost than other fuchsia species.
tips
So-called dry freezing in winter can be a problem with hardy fuchsias, in which the plants can dry up due to a lack of soil moisture (e.g. in the case of frost).