Ever since their introduction to Europe in the 19th century, fuchsias have fascinated home gardeners and growers alike. The pretty, uniquely structured flowers of these plants are eye-catchers in garden beds and window boxes. Contrary to a widespread opinion, the woody shrubs are perennial species, which are not usually hardy and therefore have to be overwintered frost-free. With the right care, you can enjoy the lush flowers for many years.

Fuchsias impress with their filigree flowers

Table of Contents

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  1. origin and distribution
  2. use
  3. appearance and growth
  4. leaves
  5. flowering and flowering time
  6. fruit
  7. Is fuchsia poisonous?
  8. Which location is suitable?
  9. floor
  10. pot culture
  11. Plant fuchsias properly
  12. What is the best planting time?
  13. Water fuchsias
  14. Fertilize fuchsias properly
  15. Cut fuchsias properly
  16. multiply fuchsias
  17. hibernate
  18. How do I plant correctly?
  19. diseases and pests
  20. Fuchsia does not bloom, what to do?
  21. species and varieties

    22. origin and distribution

    With around 100 species and around 12,000 cultivars, fuchsias (Fuchsia) are a very species- and variant-rich genus within the evening primrose family (Onagraceae). Many of the wild species originate from the forests of the Andes in Central and South America, but are now widespread on both American continents and, through garden refugees, in climatically favorable regions of Europe. A few fuchsia species - such as the tree-like Fuchsia excorticata or the dwarf Fuchsia procumbens, which we like to cultivate in rock gardens - are native to New Zealand and only one species to Tahiti in the South Pacific.

    The Cape fuchsias (Phygelius capensis and Phygelius aequalis), which are native to South Africa and although externally very similar, belong to the figwort family and are not related to the Fuchsia genus. Cape fuchsias are pretty but still quite rare pot and bedding plants that, in contrast to true fuchsias, need a sunny and dry location.

    use

    In Central Europe, fuchsias are mainly cultivated as balcony and container plants due to their lack of winter hardiness. They are mainly interesting for planting on terraces and balconies in the shade, because they primarily thrive in bright, but not directly sunny and rather cool locations. In addition, fuchsias are among the species that bloom particularly lavishly in rainy summers - high humidity and temperatures between 16 and 24 °C are perfect growth conditions for the flowering plants.

    If you want to associate fuchsias with other flowering plants in a border, you can bury the shrub and pot in the ground. In autumn, simply lift the plants out again and overwinter them in a frost-free and bright place. However, most species and varieties are not suitable for growing indoors in living rooms that are heated all year round, as the humidity here is far too low. Above all, the plants do not like a location directly on the window sill and above a heater.

    If you want to keep fuchsias as houseplants, you should place the plants in a very bright place, but not in direct sunlight. Make sure there is enough moisture by placing the pots in a bowl of water - be careful, the roots must not be permanently wet! - and spray the plants with an atomizer every two to three days.

    appearance and growth

    Fuchsias are a very diverse genus, with most of the varieties we cultivate growing as woody shrubs up to about half a meter high. There are also low forms such as Fuchsia procumbens, which is also known as creeping fuchsia and only grows to around five centimeters in height. Other species such as the New Zealand tree fuchsia - seeds of which can sometimes be bought in specialist shops for hobby cultivation - on the other hand grow as small trees and reach heights of up to ten meters in their natural environment. Shrub or semi-shrub growth forms are often also suitable for training on a trellis.

    Fuchsias can also be grown as semi-stems or tall trees, as well as bonsai.

    leaves

    The green fuchsia leaves are typically elliptical in shape, sit on long stalks and have a slightly serrated leaf edge. As a rule, the foliage remains on the plant during the winter months and is only shed in dark wintering locations.

    flowering and flowering time

    The most striking feature of fuchsias, however, are their often two-tone bell-shaped flowers, which sit on flower stalks that are up to eight centimeters long. The usually quite large flowers consist of an ovary, the subsequent tube or the calyx tube (hypanthium) and the four sepals attached to it, from which the four to seven corolla called petals protrude. The style also protrudes far from the corolla, while the sepals are typically slightly reflexed.

    The sepals and petals vary in coloration in most varieties, with the color spectrum covering a wide range of reds, pinks, purples, even blues, and white.

    With good care and a sufficiently bright location, fuchsias bloom for a very long time: the first flowers appear in May or June, then the plant tirelessly produces new ones until the first frost.

    fruit

    Small berries develop from the flowers, which are black when ripe. These are not edible raw, but can be processed into an unusual jam. In Britain, where fuchsias thrive in the typically southern English climate, fuchsia jam is a popular delicacy.

    However, the ripe berries often contain enough seeds to be able to grow fuchsias yourself. However, the seeds are only germinable for a short time and should therefore be planted as soon as possible.

    Is fuchsia poisonous?

    Fuchsias are not poisonous, but - if eaten in large quantities - can cause stomach and intestinal problems such as nausea and diarrhea. In such a case, it is advised to drink plenty of water and possibly swallow activated charcoal. Both the ripe berries and the flowers are considered edible.
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    Which location is suitable?

    Most fuchsias prefer a light, but not full sun and rather cool location. On partially shaded and off-sun - not directly shaded! - The plants therefore feel most at home in squares. However, there are also some varieties that do well in the sun and can therefore also be planted well in sunny locations. These include the Triphylla hybrids, which are also known as grape-flowered fuchsias. How sun-tolerant the individual plants are depends not only on genetics. Basically, a high level of humidity and an adequate supply of water and fertilizer help the flowering plants to feel comfortable even in sunny places.

    However, make sure that the planters and thus the roots of sunny fuchsias do not heat up. To do this, shade the containers or, in the case of planted specimens, cover the root area, which can be done by mulching with bark mulch or underplanting with ground-covering perennials such as ivy, Waldsteinia, fat man or small periwinkle.

    floor

    Fuchsias prefer loose, well-drained, fresh and humus-rich soil. Use nutrient-rich compost for potted plants.

    pot culture

    Since most fuchsia species and varieties are not hardy, pot culture is recommended. If possible, choose plant pots made of natural materials such as clay, because these do not heat up as quickly as containers made of plastic or even metal. The root balls of these plants do not tolerate heat and should therefore remain as cool as possible. Clay that "breathes" and therefore naturally heats up less is particularly well suited. Furthermore, fuchsias can be kept in balcony boxes (€109.00), provided they have good drainage. You can plant between five and seven fuchsias in a box of about one meter in length. In hanging baskets, on the other hand, the hanging varieties are particularly effective.

    Plant fuchsias properly

    However, there are also some hardy varieties that can be planted in the flower bed or in the perennial border. Varieties such as 'Beacon Rosa', 'Caledonia' or 'Delicate Purple' can be planted out, but they must always be provided with light winter protection - such as a cover with spruce or fir branches. In addition, the above-ground parts of the plant freeze back in the event of frost and must therefore be cut off in the spring. The plants usually sprout again from the root system in the following spring.

    However, this does not apply to fuchsias cultivated in planters, even if the variety is declared as hardy. Due to the small amount of soil in the pot, the roots also freeze, which can usually be prevented by covering them with gardening fleece or a similar winter protection.

    Even tall stems should always hibernate frost-free, as they freeze back to the ground - and of course the stem form is lost in the process.
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    What is the best planting time?

    Plant hardy fuchsias in beds between June and July, while potted plants can be planted on the balcony or terrace after the last late frosts - i.e. from the end of May. The plants remain there until September/October, but should definitely be brought back inside before the first frost. One or two frosty nights let the parts of the plant above ground freeze back, but the plant can survive temperatures below 0 °C for a short time.

    Water fuchsias

    Fuchsias kept in pots are only watered when the substrate has dried a little. Avoid watering root balls that are still damp, as this leads to waterlogging and causes the plants to die. If it is dry and hot, you can also use a spray bottle to spray specimens that are standing outside, because the plant sheds leaves and flowers prematurely if the humidity is low.

    Also, don't be fooled by drooping leaves in hot temperatures: fuchsias tend to behave this way to protect themselves from excessive evaporation. However, additional watering is not necessary as long as the root ball is still moist. The leaves will straighten up again as soon as the heat subsides.

    If possible, water with lukewarm rainwater or well stale tap water, which must not be cold either.

    Fertilize fuchsias properly

    Between March and August you should fertilize fuchsias regularly, for which a liquid fertilizer is best. Give this every one to two weeks together with the irrigation water, but never fertilize on dry substrate or in high heat.
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    Cut fuchsias properly

    In order to be able to enjoy the abundance of flowers for as long as possible, you should regularly - i. H. once a week - brush out. Do not remove the flowers, but above all the ovary. Otherwise, berries will form instead of new flowers.

    Hardy fuchsias are also cut down by about a third in autumn. In the spring, remove all parts of the plant that have frozen back and provide the plants with a booster fertiliser. Even non-hardy specimens that hibernate frost-free should be cut back before they are put away in winter quarters, otherwise they will become too woody and no longer grow so densely.
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    multiply fuchsias

    The varietal propagation of fuchsias is very easy using top cuttings, for which you cut off soft, flowerless shoots about ten centimeters long in July. Put them in a nutrient-poor growth substrate and keep it warm at around 20 °C - then the shoots will root particularly quickly. It is also important to keep the substrate slightly moist at all times. Cultivation in a greenhouse or similar is not necessary, and rooting in a glass with water is basically an unnecessary step. As soon as the young plants develop new leaves, the roots are strong enough to be transplanted into nutrient-rich compost.

    You can get seeds from the ripe berries, but you should carefully remove the surrounding pulp and rinse them under running water. Then sow them immediately and cover the seeds with soil - fuchsias belong to the dark germs. The substrate should be kept warm and moist as with the propagation of cuttings.
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    hibernate

    Fuchsias that are not hardy overwinter best in a bright and frost-free place at five to a maximum of ten degrees Celsius. Do not fertilize the plants during this time and water them sparingly. Hardy, planted specimens, on the other hand, receive a light winter protection, for example in the form of a cover with spruce or fir branches.

    How do I plant correctly?

    Fuchsias cultivated in pots are repotted into fresh substrate every spring, whereby the planter should only be slightly larger than the root ball. Otherwise, the plants will only develop loose roots with which they will not find enough support in the pot.

    diseases and pests

    Fuchsias are quite sensitive to unsuitable locations and care errors. Waterlogging, root rot and diseases caused by fungi such as fuchsia rot, powdery mildew and downy mildew and gray mold (botrytis) are common. Whiteflies, spider mites and aphids are particularly well represented as pests, and the vine weevil is also found in planted specimens.

    Fuchsia does not bloom, what to do?

    If fuchsias do not want to bloom, it is often too dark at their location. The plants need light to develop flowers, which is why the splendor is particularly lush with sufficient care in sunny places. Furthermore, a lack of nutrients also leads to flowering laziness, because fuchsias have a high nutrient requirement.

    tips

    Sticky leaves are not a sign of pest or disease, but are due to the very nectar-rich flowers. Outdoors, this layer is washed away by the rain, indoor cultivation requires wiping the leaves by hand.

    species and varieties

    The most beautiful types and varieties for pots and gardens are not easy to choose from the great variety. Nevertheless, we have put together a few fuchsias that we recommend for you.

    Fuchsia magellanica

    The species, also known as scarlet fuchsia, grows to a height of about one to one and a half meters and stands out with its slender, colorful flowers. Scarlet fuchsias are generally hardy. Examples of good varieties are:

    • 'Alba': two-tone white and light pink flowers, upright habit
    • 'Alice Hoffmann': red and white flowers, low habit
    • 'Lady Thumb': red and purple flowers, dwarf form
    • 'Tricolor': red and blue flowers, upright habit

    Fuchsia triphylla

    The coral fuchsia has remarkably long, slender inflorescences. The species is not hardy. The following varieties are well suited for keeping in containers on balconies and terraces:

    • 'Gartenmeister Bonstedt': red and orange flowers, upright, very branched growth
    • 'Leverkusen': two-tone pink flowers, upright and low habit
    • 'Mary': pretty dark red flowers, upright and low habit

    Other fuchsia species

    In addition to those mentioned, other species - such as Fuchsia paniculata or the ground-covering Fuchsia procumbens - can be cultivated both in the garden and in pots. In addition, there are now many hardy new breeds that can be easily planted in the garden.

Category:

Indoor plants