Shrub
Hardy fuchsia
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Flowers in July | Flowers in August | Flowers in September | Flowers in October | ||||||||
| Plant | Plant in May | Plant in June | ||||||||||
| Prune | Prune in April | |||||||||||
| Looks good | Looks good in July | Looks good in August | Looks good in September | Looks good in October |
Overview
Unlike the bedding fuchsias sold for baskets, hardy types come back year after year, dying down or losing their leaves in cold winters and reshooting in spring. Fuchsia magellanica and its offspring carry slim red-and-purple dangling flowers in their hundreds. In the mild west of Britain and Ireland they form hedges; 'Riccartonii' is the classic choice there. 'Mrs Popple', 'Hawkshead' (white) and gold-leaved 'Genii' are reliable elsewhere.
Where to grow hardy fuchsia
Sun or light shade suits them, ideally with some shelter from cold winds. They enjoy moisture through summer but not boggy winter ground. Use them to bring late colour to a mixed border, alongside crocosmia, hydrangeas and hardy geraniums.
Planting
Plant in late spring or early summer, which gives roots a full season to settle before winter. Set the crown about 5 cm deeper than it grew in the pot, so dormant buds sit safely below ground, and water in well.
Care through the year
Spring
Wait for buds to break before pruning, then feed with a general fertiliser.
Summer
Water in dry spells and give a high-potash feed to pots every couple of weeks.
Autumn
Leave the stems standing after frost; they help shelter the crown.
Winter
In colder gardens, add a thick mulch of bark or leaf mould over the root area.
Pruning
In April, once you can see where new shoots are emerging, cut frosted stems back to live buds, or to near ground level if the top has died. In mild areas where the framework survives, simply trim to shape and remove thin, weak twigs. Hedges can be clipped in spring.
Propagation
Softwood cuttings root in a matter of weeks in late spring or summer. Take short, non-flowering tips, pot them in moist compost and keep them warm and shaded; pinch the tips once they are growing to make bushy plants.
Common problems
Fuchsia gall mite, which distorts shoot tips into swollen, reddish growth, has spread in southern England; cut off affected shoots and bin them, and look for varieties reported to be less susceptible. Capsid bugs and aphids also feed on young growth. Vine weevil grubs may damage roots of potted plants.
Guides to the problems most likely to affect hardy fuchsia:
Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.
Month-by-month reminders
Jobs for this plant come round in April, May and June. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.
Related plants
Sources
Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.