Hardy fuchsia

Sun

Full sun to partial shade. Give afternoon shade in warmer areas; flowering is best with good light.

Water

Keep the root zone evenly moist but not waterlogged. Water deeply during dry spells, especially in the first growing season.

Soil

Fertile, moisture-retentive soil with good drainage. Avoid dry, shallow soil and ground that stays saturated in winter.

Height

4-10 ft (1.2-3 m), usually shorter where winter frost kills the stems

Spread

3-6 ft (0.9-1.8 m)

Flowers

Summer to the first hard frosts; slender hanging flowers with red sepals and a purple inner skirt.

Foliage

Small, pointed, toothed green leaves on slender, often reddish stems. Usually deciduous, though some leaves may remain through mild winters.

Growth

Moderate to fast once established

Care needed

Medium

• Plant in spring in colder regions so roots establish before winter.
• Water at soil level when the surface begins to dry; do not let newly planted shrubs dry out.
• Apply compost in spring; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding, which encourages leafy growth at the expense of flowers.
• Mulch the root zone annually, keeping mulch clear of the stems.
• In colder gardens, add a deeper loose mulch over the crown after the ground cools in autumn.
• Choose shelter from cold, drying winds and intense afternoon heat.

Pruning. In spring, once buds show where growth has survived, cut dead stems back to healthy wood or to the base. Thin congested older stems if needed; avoid hard autumn pruning because the old growth helps protect the crown.

Early spring

Inspect for winter damage, but wait for visible new growth before deciding which stems are dead.

Spring

Prune frost-damaged growth, plant new shrubs and spread compost around established plants.

Late spring

Take softwood cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Summer

Water during dry spells and inspect shoot tips for aphids or distorted growth.

Early autumn

Remove berries before they ripen where unwanted seedlings or local spread are a concern.

Late autumn

Leave stems standing and protect the crown with loose mulch in colder gardens.

• Use as a loose flowering hedge along a sheltered boundary where it is not invasive.
• Place behind hardy geraniums and lady's mantle in an informal mixed border.
• Plant beside a woodland-edge path, where the hanging flowers can be seen close up.
• Use with ferns and hostas in bright shade for a contrast between fine stems and broad foliage.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, English country, Woodland, Wildlife garden, Coastal and Pacific Northwest woodland.

Plant it with: Hardy geraniums, Lady's mantle, Hostas, Japanese painted fern, Astilbes and Hydrangeas.

Wildlife: Flowers attract hummingbirds where these occur, and some bees visit or pierce the flowers for nectar. Birds may eat the berries and disperse the seeds.

• Winter dieback: protect the crown with mulch and wait until spring growth appears before cutting back apparently dead stems.
• Drought or heat stress causes wilting, leaf drop and fewer flowers: water deeply, mulch and provide afternoon shade.
• Fuchsia gall mite causes swollen, distorted shoot tips and flowers: remove affected growth promptly, dispose of it securely and do not take cuttings from affected plants.
• Fuchsia rust causes orange pustules beneath leaves and premature leaf fall: remove affected leaves and fallen debris, improve airflow and avoid wetting foliage.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. The ripe berries and flowers are edible, although flavour varies; avoid eating material treated with unsuitable pesticides. Eating large quantities of plant material may cause digestive upset.

Where it spreads. Spreads aggressively in parts of western Ireland and western Britain, especially in mild, wet coastal districts. It is also naturalised and locally weedy in New Zealand and southeastern Australia, including Victoria and Tasmania. Check local environmental-weed guidance before planting near natural areas.

• Cape fuchsia (Phygelius capensis)

  Its long tubular flowers are carried in branching clusters above the foliage, rather than as individual dangling flowers along the stems. It lacks the distinct purple inner skirt of hardy fuchsia.

• Bolivian fuchsia (Fuchsia boliviana)

  Has much larger, softly hairy leaves and long clusters of narrow tubular flowers. It is substantially less frost-hardy.

Fuchsia honours the German botanist Leonhart Fuchs, while magellanica refers to the Strait of Magellan region of southern South America.

Propagation. Take softwood cuttings in late spring or early summer, or semi-ripe cuttings later in summer. Seed can also be grown, but seedlings may vary, particularly where other fuchsias grow nearby.

Accepted botanical name

Fuchsia magellanica

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Hawaii and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Argentina South, Chile Central and Chile South.

Measured

Average height 300 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.