Fuchsia magellanica var. garcilis

Scientific name: Fuchsia magellanica var. garcilis

Synonym: Fuchsia gracilis

Family: ONAGRACEAE

Common names: “Hardy fuchsia”

Plant Type: Deciduous shrub

Conditions:

Zone: 6-9

Light: Full sun – part shade

Exposure: Sheltered

Soil: Fertile

Moisture: Moist well drained best – dry, will survive drought but not happily

Aesthetic:

Plant Size: H 10′ W 6-15′

Leaf and Stem shape: Slender, arching branches and small ovate leaves

Flower: Small flowers with red sepals and a purple corolla, long blooming period; it’s not unusual to see them flower until Christmas

Pruning: Best to not coppice annually but it can be done and they will return with flowers, it delays the flower period, prune out some older stems to base once a year and can tip prune to control size

Maintenance: Zero-low, prefer to be planted a little deep, 2″ deeper than pot, benefits from fertilizer in Spring, mulch with compost or aged manure, enjoys being mulched right around stem

Landscape use: Containers, flower borders, cottage gardens

Propagate: By cuttings

Pests & Disease: Pest free, but can get rust in too dry conditions

*Deer resistant ?  ♥Attracts hummingbirds

Comments: ~AGM winner, full hardy in the ground, if in a pot it may be killed by a particularly hard winter

Cultivars:~AGM winners: F. m. v. g. ‘Versicolor’ -Dense cover of red purple red blooms, dark green with cream variegation, sturdy arching, prone to reversion, H 36-48″ W 24-36″

F. m. v. g. ‘Aurea’ – Red purple flowers, chartreuse foliage on on red stems, arching habit, bleaches out in full sun, best protected from afternoon sun, H 24-36″ W 36″

F. m. v. g. ‘Variegata