Native fuchsia

Sun

Partial shade or full sun; give afternoon shade in hot inland gardens and shelter from cold, drying winds.

Water

Water regularly while establishing. Once established, water deeply during prolonged dry spells, allowing the soil to dry somewhat between waterings.

Soil

Well-drained sandy or loamy soil, preferably slightly acidic to neutral. Avoid waterlogged ground and heavy applications of fertiliser.

Height

2-6.5 ft (0.6-2 m), depending on the form

Spread

2-6.5 ft (0.6-2 m), depending on the form

Flowers

Mainly autumn through spring, with occasional flowers at other times; tubular red flowers with green or yellow-green tips, or entirely green flowers, depending on the form.

Foliage

Evergreen. Opposite, small oval leaves, usually dark green above and paler beneath, with a variable covering of fine hairs.

Growth

Slow to moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   2 ft (0.62 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.4 ft (0.75 m)

4. After 3 years

   2.9 ft (0.87 m)

5. After 5 years

   4 ft (1.1 m)

About 7 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

Australia

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant in autumn in mild climates or in spring where winter frost is a concern.
• Water the root zone regularly through the first growing season; avoid keeping it constantly wet.
• Apply a light mulch, keeping it clear of the stem base.
• If growth is weak, feed lightly in spring with a low-phosphorus fertiliser suitable for Australian native plants.
• In colder regions, grow in a pot and move it to a bright, cool, frost-free place for winter.

Pruning. Lightly trim after the main flowering flush to encourage branching and keep the shrub compact. Remove dead or damaged stems, but avoid cutting hard into old, leafless wood.

Spring

Plant in frost-prone areas once hard frosts have passed; feed lightly if needed.

Late spring

Trim lightly after the main flowering flush, adjusting the timing if your plant flowers later.

Summer

Check soil moisture during dry spells and water deeply rather than little and often.

Summer

Take semi-ripe cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Autumn

Plant in mild regions while the soil is still warm, and refresh mulch without covering the stem base.

Winter

Protect from severe frost and check that pots and planting beds drain freely.

• Plant beneath open-canopied trees for evergreen structure and flowers in light shade.
• Combine with lomandra and other small Australian shrubs in an informal, low-water border.
• Use a compact form beside a path or seating area where the hanging flowers can be seen closely.
• Grow in a well-drained container in a sheltered courtyard, with winter protection where necessary.
• Include in a mixed wildlife border to provide nectar during the cooler months.

Garden styles it suits: Australian native, Wildlife garden, Woodland, Coastal, Low-maintenance and Winter interest.

Plant it with: Lomandra, Flax lily, Coastal rosemary, Waxflower and Crowea.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar for honeyeaters and other nectar-feeding birds in Australia, and may attract hummingbirds where grown in North America. Bees also visit the flowers, and dense foliage offers cover for small birds.

• Root rot and sudden collapse in wet soil: improve drainage before planting, avoid frequent irrigation and discard badly affected plants.
• Frost scorch: choose a sheltered position, cover young plants during cold snaps and wait until spring to remove damaged growth.
• Scale insects: inspect stems and leaf undersides; remove small infestations by hand or use a labelled horticultural oil as directed.
• Sparse, leggy growth: provide brighter light and lightly trim after flowering rather than cutting back hard.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. Species-specific safety information is limited, so do not treat the leaves, flowers or fruit as food.

• Salmon correa (Correa pulchella)

  Usually has smaller, smoother leaves and salmon-pink to orange tubular flowers, generally without the strongly contrasting green tips common in Correa reflexa.

• Rock correa (Correa glabra)

  Usually has smoother, less hairy leaves that are aromatic when crushed; its tubular flowers are often greenish yellow, though some forms have red colouring.

• White correa (Correa alba)

  Has rounded, grey-green leaves and white flowers whose petals spread open rather than remaining in a long, narrow tube.

Correa honours the Portuguese botanist José Correia da Serra, while reflexa means bent back and refers to the turned-back calyx lobes.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer or early autumn and root them in a free-draining propagation mix under humid conditions. Seed germination can be slow and erratic; cuttings are the better choice for retaining a particular flower colour or growth habit.

Accepted botanical name

Correa reflexa

Native range

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.

Measured

Average height 100 cm.

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