Fuchsia appreciation thread?

[Clorgan]

I just love a fuchsia!

Been searching and there doesn't seem to be many threads of them here. Thought it'd be nice to make one? Here's mine, I definitely have a problem

The first one I bought today. Needs a lot of development for sure but I haven't seen many around with a bigger base, and not a bad price at all at £13. Should have lovely small flowers too being a magellanica. The last 3 were recently acquired from @AJL (thanks again!)

I'd love to see some of yours! Only people I can think of off the top of my head who might like this thread are @AJL @Leo in N E Illinois and @Carol 83 but I'm hoping there's more people on here who love them too

 

[rorror]

Here is a Fuchsia lover.
The one you got today is a winderhard Fuchsia. Easy to handy, and nice little flowers. Are the others from the pictures also winterhardy?
I like the non-hardy with double skirt flowers. I keep them in the dark basement over the winter. I did not bonsai them.

You might like this species, its the Fuchsia Microphillia(winterhardy). Smallest flowering fuchsia.
The one in the picture is about 7cm high. They can get to 100cm in 10years time.
Got this one as a cutting without roots of 4cm in spring 2020. As it growed out end of summer as this little guy in the picture.
I did protect it 5weeks ago with the snow/freezing storm. Your in uk so you most have had the same weather as i (the netherlands)
Kept in the basement for a week and put it back outside. Leaves are now "lilac / bordeau red / darkiss purple/ pink" like leaves. Guess the leaves got a tan of the cold weather. It did not shed it leaves, don't know if that is normal for this species.

 

[Clorgan]

Here is a Fuchsia lover.
The one you got today is a winderhard Fuchsia. Easy to handy, and nice little flowers. Are the others from the pictures also winterhardy?
I like the non-hardy with double skirt flowers. I keep them in the dark basement over the winter. I did not bonsai them.

You might like this species, its the Fuchsia Microphillia(winterhardy). Smallest flowering fuchsia.
The one in the picture is about 7cm high. They can get to 100cm in 10years time.
Got this one as a cutting without roots of 4cm in spring 2020. As it growed out end of summer as this little guy in the picture.
I did protect it 5weeks ago with the snow/freezing storm. Your in uk so you most have had the same weather as i (the netherlands)
Kept in the basement for a week and put it back outside. Leaves are now "lilac / bordeau red / darkiss purple/ pink" like leaves. Guess the leaves got a tan of the cold weather. It did not shed it leaves, don't know if that is normal for this species.

Thanks for sharing

Yes it's hardy and all the others are too. They've all be outside all winter. Did move a few into slightly more sheltered areas of the garden, fingers crossed they'll all be fine.

I haven't looked into any non-hardy species to be honest - beautiful flowers on some but protecting them would be another job in an already busy life

I love that one, the flowers look lovely (and tiny!) I'll have a look into them! Haven't tried any cuttings, are they easy to root? I'm assuming they must be, I've seen a few people do.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Fuchsia's root when you look at them wrong, or right.
I can't say I love them, but I do appreciate them! I had a couple that were sold to me as quince. Put those in the ground for my dad.

 

[Clorgan]

Fuchsia's root when you look at them wrong, or right.
I can't say I love them, but I do appreciate them! I had a couple that were sold to me as quince. Put those in the ground for my dad.

Good to know! Ah lovely, any photos? I have one in the ground which has a few buds, the others in pots all still look dead haha.

They remind me of being a kid - there used to be a huge fuchsia bush on my walk to school, was lovely. Used to enjoy popping a flower bud or two as I walked past

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I don't have any photos. They died back to 25cm above soil level after the last frosts, and they're sprouting again. I'll keep in mind to show them to you when there's something worth showing.

 

[Carol 83]

I do love them, but they are only sold as small annuals here, certainly nothing with a trunk like you have. They are definitely not hardy in my climate, would have to come in with the tropicals. I'll still pick up a few this spring. They seem to get snapped up quickly here.

 

[Clorgan]

I do love them, but they are only sold as small annuals here, certainly nothing with a trunk like you have. They are definitely not hardy in my climate, would have to come in with the tropicals. I'll still pick up a few this spring. They seem to get snapped up quickly here.

That's a shame, very lucky with our climate here. Excited about the new one

 

[Clorgan]

The new fuchsia (first two photos) ...I'm thinking it's got to be a sumo styling? So I'm thinking...

-Mid/end of April repot, doing major rootwork/clean up the trunk of any roots (learned that root work always comes first!)

-wait for branches to take off and see which are in a good place

-then select keepers (not sure roughly how many yet) and then cut the others back (right to the trunk or leave stubs?) and seal. Checking that fushcias can handle top and bottom work close together? I'm presuming so since they often need repotting yearly?

-use clip and grow rather than wiring for movement of branches

Any answers/corrections to my thoughts appreciated

 

[rorror]

@Carol 83
Last year my non-hardy fuchia was for 5months in the dark basement. (Exctually i forgot it a bit). As long as you keep them above 5celcius, they won't die outside. So for the winter period, you can put them away, in a dark cool place (water every 2weeks). Don't cut them back before putting them away, because that will allow some dieback. They will grow some watersprouts in the dark. When you bring them back outside, just remove that white growth, and cut it a bit back.
I have added a picture of a fuchsia from this year, it was 3and half month in the basement. Brought it back up last week. This is how it looks when you put the plant back outdoors. Almost lost all it leaves. Look at the new growth, almost complety white, even the flower buds, are white. You can still see some green leaves. After i took that picture, i have cut the plant back.

@Clorgan
They root very easy. I just put them in a bit of water and within 2 to 4weeks you have roots. If the root is about 2cm in put them in a small pot. Up size the pot as it grows. I have the new plants now growing indoors on a south-facing window.
You can do root work and top pruning at the same time. But do that before buds / new growth comes. Exctually it is the right time to do it now. Or in the next two weeks.
You wrote that all your fuchsia's are winterhardy, but the one in you avatar is a non-hardy?? Or at least i assume it is non-hardy. The attached foto to this post, has the exact same flower and mine is non-hardy.
You can leave a bit of a stump, it will die back. I have never sealed the wounds. I do find the twigs brittle when they are aging(buxes like), so wire them early on. Otherwise it will break.

 

[rorror]

Also did you know fuchsia produce sweet eatable fruits? I usually pick of the green fruits, so i get an other lush of flowers. But when you find a big purple fruit, you should try and taste it!

 

[Clorgan]

@Carol 83
Last year my non-hardy fuchia was for 5months in the dark basement. (Exctually i forgot it a bit). As long as you keep them above 5celcius, they won't die outside. So for the winter period, you can put them away, in a dark cool place (water every 2weeks). Don't cut them back before putting them away, because that will allow some dieback. They will grow some watersprouts in the dark. When you bring them back outside, just remove that white growth, and cut it a bit back.
I have added a picture of a fuchsia from this year, it was 3and half month in the basement. Brought it back up last week. This is how it looks when you put the plant back outdoors. Almost lost all it leaves. Look at the new growth, almost complety white, even the flower buds, are white. You can still see some green leaves. After i took that picture, i have cut the plant back.

@Clorgan
They root very easy. I just put them in a bit of water and within 2 to 4weeks you have roots. If the root is about 2cm in put them in a small pot. Up size the pot as it grows. I have the new plants now growing indoors on a south-facing window.
You can do root work and top pruning at the same time. But do that before buds / new growth comes. Exctually it is the right time to do it now. Or in the next two weeks.
You wrote that all your fuchsia's are winterhardy, but the one in you avatar is a non-hardy?? Or at least i assume it is non-hardy. The attached foto to this post, has the exact same flower and mine is non-hardy.
You can leave a bit of a stump, it will die back. I have never sealed the wounds. I do find the twigs brittle when they are aging(buxes like), so wire them early on. Otherwise it will break.

Thanks for the info, very helpful

My avatar is a snowcap, hardy ish!

 

[Daniel_UK]

I grew from seed a Fuchsia Arborescens and one year later it is 1 metre tall, seems to flower all year and has a trunk that is nearly 1 inch thick. I haven't cut it back yet as I want it to thicken a lot more, but I am concerned that it won't bud back as all the grow seems to be at the top. I always grow species from seed in multiples of 3 and 4 and use the other ones to experiment with and sacrifice to see how far I can go with trunk chopping. It is worth saying that this Fuchsia has never been outside and seems to enjoy being inside.

 

[Carol 83]

@Carol 83
Last year my non-hardy fuchia was for 5months in the dark basement. (Exctually i forgot it a bit). As long as you keep them above 5celcius, they won't die outside. So for the winter period, you can put them away, in a dark cool place (water every 2weeks). Don't cut them back before putting them away, because that will allow some dieback. They will grow some watersprouts in the dark. When you bring them back outside, just remove that white growth, and cut it a bit back.
I have added a picture of a fuchsia from this year, it was 3and half month in the basement. Brought it back up last week. This is how it looks when you put the plant back outdoors. Almost lost all it leaves. Look at the new growth, almost complety white, even the flower buds, are white. You can still see some green leaves. After i took that picture, i have cut the plant back.

@Clorgan
They root very easy. I just put them in a bit of water and within 2 to 4weeks you have roots. If the root is about 2cm in put them in a small pot. Up size the pot as it grows. I have the new plants now growing indoors on a south-facing window.
You can do root work and top pruning at the same time. But do that before buds / new growth comes. Exctually it is the right time to do it now. Or in the next two weeks.
You wrote that all your fuchsia's are winterhardy, but the one in you avatar is a non-hardy?? Or at least i assume it is non-hardy. The attached foto to this post, has the exact same flower and mine is non-hardy.
You can leave a bit of a stump, it will die back. I have never sealed the wounds. I do find the twigs brittle when they are aging(buxes like), so wire them early on. Otherwise it will break.

I'll pick up a couple this spring if I can find them. They get snapped up quickly around here. Thanks for the info. If they don't make it through the winter, at least I'll have had some nice patio plants for the summer.

 

[Clorgan]

Also did you know fuchsia produce sweet eatable fruits? I usually pick of the green fruits, so i get an other lush of flowers. But when you find a big purple fruit, you should try and taste it!

Had some of the purple on a couple last year - didn't eat them though! Are they nice??

 

[Clorgan]

I grew from seed a Fuchsia Arborescens and one year later it is 1 metre tall, seems to flower all year and has a trunk that is nearly 1 inch thick. I haven't cut it back yet as I want it to thicken a lot more, but I am concerned that it won't bud back as all the grow seems to be at the top. I always grow species from seed in multiples of 3 and 4 and use the other ones to experiment with and sacrifice to see how far I can go with trunk chopping. It is worth saying that this Fuchsia has never been outside and seems to enjoy being inside.
View attachment 360928

Very nice! I'd never heard of it - just looked it up... it's other name 'tree shrub' makes sense looking at yours! I like it a lot, lovely flowers and good growth too

 

[AJL]

Ive not found Fuchsia Microphila to be winter hardy outdoors here in UK- in fact It even died when I kept it over winter indoors - it seems to be very fussy,

IMHO Fuchsia Lady Bacon is one of the best hardy varieties. Totally hardy, outdoors in UK, small leaves, and prolific small flowers all summer:- Its only downside is it gets a bit shaggy when you leave it to flower like this , but it responds well to clip and grow!!

 

[AJL]

Heres another true mini flowered Fuchsia ' Fuccie Fugie' I was given last year( photo last November). I dont know how hardy this is but Ive overwintered it in my greenhouse so will find out soon enough when hopefully it puts on new leaves

 

[Dryad]

I'm fortunate in that I have an overgrown small-leafed fuchsia with thick branches in my garden - last May I took an air layer as an experiment and one of the branches rooted very easily. Air layering seems to be the best way to produce fuchsia material as it is difficult to find them with thick trunks otherwise. I plan on giving this its own thread down the line but here is an image of the air layer with roots (roughly 3 months after I set it up):


Here is the (rather large) air layer post-chop:


And lastly, here it is after chopping the trunk back in January:


Currently, buds are popping all over so I'm looking forward to doing some branch selecting this summer. I'm leaving the long lower branch to grow out as a sacrifice, but I might even use part of it in the final design - who knows!

This May I plan on taking another 2 or 3 air layers, as they just root so easily. Free trees!

 

[rorror]

@AJL Nice tree's! Will start to look at those species too!
@Clorgan After you told me about some more witherhardy fuchsia, i went looking around for a grower. Found one in the netherlands with about 3600species of fuchsia's. With a few 100 winterhardy species. After the lockdown, going there to buy a few more nice looking species.

Only ships to EU: https://www.fuchsiakwekerij.nl/web-fuchsia-s/winterharde-fuchsia-s (If you you google chrome, and right click the page, you can translate it to your own language.)