There is a plethora of Fuchsias and many are hardy – while many are not. This spectacular Fuchsia has proven to be ultra hardy for us. An upright compact sub-shrub with masses of elegant deeply hued flowers for months. The sepals are a deep wine color- very dark and it pairs with a semi double corolla of the deepest smokey purple black. Full sun in rich soil with ample water adaptable to quite a bit of shade w/ a little less blooming and a lankier outline. It has even proven to be root hardy in containers. Regular water speeds growth through summer and establishment. Plant it w/ the crown about 2″ below the soils surface- this immediately increases the hardiness of the plant. Blooms prolifically from July to October. Often harassed by hummingbirds in our hoop house. To 2′ x 3′. The foliage is deep green, lustrous and healthy. Give it as much water in the ground as you would give it in a container for the first year and it will soar.
Genus: Fuchsia
Fuchsia magellanica ‘Aurea’
Striking and useful ultra hardy Fuchsia with brilliant lime/gold leaves and curtains of simple elongated red and purple flowers. This is a very tough sub-shrub and even tolerates quite dry conditions when established. To 3′ x 3′ forming a semi woody arching clump. Woody top growth is hardy to about 22ºF and below that this Fuchsia will likely freeze to the ground. In mid-spring an eruption of new growth arrives at the base and if winter was not too harsh woody stems may re-leaf. Best in part shade or morning sun and afternoon shade. Rich soil with regular summer irrigation. Completely hardy and very long lived. Glows in the landscape and the lipstick red flowers are very conspicuous. Blooms late June to frost. Loved by hummingbirds. Excellent even rambunctious performance at the Oregon coast. Wait to cut back frozen/dead growth until you see new growth in spring. This will tell you how much you need to remove. Establishes very quickly. Easy and hardy.
Fuchsia ‘Alison Patricia’
We adore this incredibly floriferous and compact Fuchsia with masses of flowers that point out and up. The sepals are coral pink with a corolla approaching light violet. This little 2′ x 2′ subshrub begins blooming straight away in June and continues like a powerhouse until frost. Almost always freezes to the ground but recovers its full stature by summer. Best in full sun or even better an open north exposure or easterly aspect with protection from late afternoon heat/sun. Very showy little plant that is a ball of color. Fits well in the borders or containers. Hardy Fuchsias are easily tucked into partly shady corners, though this plant is happier with more sun. Loved by hummingbirds and gardeners a like. Fun to grow Fuchsia that puts out in a big way. Amend the soil to enrich and plant slightly deep for added winter protection. Mulch in fall if you are in a colder garden. Excellent performance in full sun at the Oregon coast.
Fuchsia ‘Whiteknight’s Pearl’
Big, huge hardy Fuchsia with much larger and more conspicuous flowers than the similar F. m. ‘Molinae’. To 4′ x 4′ in a season. Continuously blooms from June to frost in rich soil with REGULAR irrigation. This is a thirsty Fuchsia and pairs wonderfully with other thirsty plants as Hydrangeas and Weigela. Large flowers have a sepal and corolla of the same chalk pink. The wood is hardy to about 24ºF and it will freeze to the ground below that. Vigorous regrowth in spring shoots up from the semi-woody framework. Very hardy and recommended for the coldest gardens. Excellent performance on the Oregon coast. Purportedly has some resistance to rabbits but I would not bank on that. Makes a great hedge in full sun to part shade. Excellent on an eastern exposure with afternoon shade. Amend the soil well to enrich for the most vigorous establishment. Excellent in concert with all white flowered Fuchsia ‘Hawkshead’. Hardy in containers. A large plant in full bloom is spectacular.
Fuchsia ‘Suikkerbosse’
We took a break from Fuchsias for a few years, but its time to bring back some of the best. This compact, dense growing Fuchsia is a blooming workhorse. Sepals emerge green then take on terra cotta tints while the downward facing corolla is made of intense velvet plum petals. Cold hardy and it returns as a robust clump. To 2′ x 2′ forming a rounded outline. Excellent performance in full sun to part shade. It becomes a little less compact in shade. This Dutch selection has survived all of the 16 years that we’ve grown it. An open north exposure is the best- open to the sky but no direct heat. Very good in containers. Rich soil and regular summer water. Do not cut back until new growth emerges in spring. Then remove frost damaged material. Wonderful Dutch selection. Beautiful plant.
Fuchsia ‘Zulu Prince’
Wonderful, large spreading hardy Fuchsia that falls in the aubergine clan. That means that at some point in its past the genes involved the deep purple black flowered Fuchsia excorticata. This lax growing plant sends curtains of slim flowers with a corolla of deep aubergine purple and sepals of merlot red. Established plants are about 30″ tall by 3′ wide for rich soil in light shade and regular summer moisture. This Fuchsia LOVES rich soil to perform at its peak. In full blooms its fairly spectacular. Blooms from June to frost. The pewter glinted leaves have deep wine red petioles. The whole plant is a good package. Freezes to the ground below about 25ºF. Mulch for the first winter and do not remove frost damaged growth until you see new growth emerge in spring. You’ll easily identify the material that has to go. Loved by hummingbirds. This cultivar lends itself to planting at the top of a shady wall where you can more easily view the curtains of rich flowers.
Fuchsia ‘Campopple’
We love ultra hardy Fuchsias, they are so carefree and they bloom and bloom. We found this Fuchsia in a garden near our shop. It was identified by our friend Annie Hayes at Annie’s annuals. Large growing subshrub to 5′ x 6′ in time. Red sepals surround a deep purple corolla with each petal marked with a strip of hot pink. Lovely. Flowers are large for a hardy Fuchsia and are profuse from June to frost. Fuchsia mite resistant. Very easy to grow in light shade to full sun. Rich, well drained soil with regular summer water is ideal. Very established plants can make due with less. Freezes to the ground in the low 20’s- but not every year. Wait until new growth emerges then remove the frozen material. Loved by hummingbirds as well as gardeners. Lustrous deep green foliage outlines the pendant flowers. You’ll never lose this long lived plant to winter. Good to try where rabbits are a problem.
Fuchsia ‘Insulinde’
Not the hardiest Fuchsia but by all means one of the showiest. This improved form of ‘Gartenmeister’ is taller with longer brilliant orange red flowers. Tubular pendant flowers in groups to 3″ long. They appear in a massive and continuous display for months petering out around frost. To 30″ tall and very upright- just half as wide. The foliage is a distinct maroon/burgundy which sets off the hot colored flowers nicely. Rich, well drained soil with regular summer irrigation. Part shade to full sun (but not against a hot wall) with water. Incorporate a handful of all organic fertilizer at planting. To over winter this more tender than normal beauty plant deeply, mulch in autumn heavily, and even pile some dry leaves around the crown. It may return from the base if we have a mild winter (above 20ºF). Otherwise its a stellar container constituent. Hummingbirds.
Fuchsia ‘Galfrey Lye’
Flowers! Flowers! Flowers! This extraordinary hardy garden Fuchsia produces masses upon masses of long tubular flowers. The floral tube and sepals are white and corolla is deep rose with distinct orange tints. To 2.5′ tall and as wide in a single season. Heavy bloom begins almost immediately and continues unabated to frost. Excellent container Fuchsia and in the garden give it rich soil that is moisture retentive but drains. Incorporate plenty of compost into the soil and add a handful of all organic fertilizer at planting. Mulch the first winter and plant deeply to protect the crown. Once established it is reliably hardy. Freezes to the ground below 26ºF. Returns in mid-spring from the base and almost immediately starts blooming. Regular summer water. Full sun to part shade. (Avoid the reflected heat of a wall). Excellent performance on open north exposures where there is bright light but protection from intense heat/sun.
Fuchsia ‘Ravenslaw’
Cool name for a cool garden Fuchsia. To 2′ x 3′ in a single season. The large, single flowers are “selfed”. That is both the sepals and corolla are the same color of soft red. Very profuse blooming and the large flowers have exceptional grace. Cold hardy, easy to grow Fuchsia that is also remarkably heat tolerant. Full sun to quite a bit of shade in rich, moisture retentive soil that drains. Regular summer water speeds growth and enhances bloom. Plant deeply for added winter protection in the first season and mulch with compost the first autumn. Add a handful of all purpose organic fertilizer in spring- Fuchsias dearly love fertilizer. Freezes to the ground below 26ºF, resprouts vigorously from the base in spring. Do not cut back until new growth emerges in spring. Very cold hardy. Full sun only with regular summer water. Avoid reflected heat.
Fuchsia ‘Preston Guild’
Excellent hardy Fuchsia with very pretty flowers. The sepals are white with a bit of green on the tips. The corolla emerges purple/blue and fades slightly to violet. Upon opening the sepals slowly open and then gracefully recurve over the top of the flower. It reminds me of origami. Very upright growing plant to 2.5′ tall and just 18″ wide in a season. Constant bloomer from June to frost and beyond. Freezes to the ground below 26ºF and returns vigorously from the base in spring. Plant deeply for extra winter protection for the first season. Mulch with compost in autumn. Add a handful of all organic fertilizer in spring. Regular summer water in full sun to part shade to quite a bit of shade. Easy garden Fuchsia with lovely flowers. Hummingbirds, bumblebees, be-sotted gardeners, big containers.
Fuchsia ‘Dying Embers’
Striking hardy Fuchsia with stunning deeply hued flowers. Sepals are deep wine colored and a corolla of nearly black fading a bit upon opening to deep maroon. Very floriferous Fuchsia with masses of small flowers over a bushy upright growing sub-shrub. To 3′ x 3′ in rich, well drained soil in part shade. Regular summer water and give it a handful of all organic fertilizer in spring. Dies to the ground in very hard freezes and resprouts vigorously in mid-spring. Wonderful plant for borders, the edge of woodlands and even containers. Glossy foliage is very handsome too. Do not cut back until new growth emerges in spring- then you’ll know what is dead and what to remove. Very hardy variety.
Fuchsia ‘Dancing Stars’
Adorable Fuchsia that is a prolific bloomer. Widely spreading diagonal stems support curtains of pendant small flowers. The sepals and floral tube are white and the corolla is violet purple. Each flower provides its own contrast but in masses they are beautiful. To 2′ x 3′ in a single season in rich, moisture retentive soil with good drainage. Regular summer water. Apply a handful of all organic fertilizer in mid-spring. Dies to the ground in the first hard freeze, resprouts from the base in mid-spring. Great container Fuchsia. Apply a thick mulch of compost for the first autumn and plant deeply for added winter protection.
Fuchsia ‘Thomasina’
One of our favorite garden Fuchsias for its unique flower color and prolific blooming habit. Sepals are terra cotta orange with green tips and the corolla is rich auburn red. Very nice. To 14″ x 2′ in a single season. Excellent container Fuchsia where you can match the cool flower colors for a great effect. Part shade to high overhead shade in a cool position. Rich, moisture retentive soil with mulch in fall. Dies to the ground with the first hard freeze and returns quickly from the roots in spring. Plant deeply to ensure greater winter protection for the first season. Fuchsias adore fertilizer- give ‘Thomasina’ a handful of all organic fertilizer in spring. They also respond heartily to liquid fish emulsion. Blooms June to frost.
Fuchsia magellanica ‘Hawkshead’
Fuchsias don’t have to be over the top with huge double flowers the size of wadded up tissue. Nope. This is one of the very best and it makes due with profuse all white flowers- the tips of the sepals are dipped in green. Vigorous hardy Fuchsia that reaches 4′ x 4′ in a single season in rich, well drained soil with consistent summer moisture. Full sun (but with regular water and no reflected heat) to part shade. Masses of pendulous flowers appear from June to October. Loved by hummingbirds. This light airy sub-shrub combines perfectly in lush borders or as a single stunning specimen. Dies to the ground below 20ºF- re-sprouts from the base vigorously in spring. Easy, hardy, beautiful.
Fuchsia hatschbachii
Regal, rambunctious and totally hardy climbing Fuchsia species with handsome long glossy green leaves and masses of small glossy red and purple tilted flowers on long stems. To 8′ tall in a single season it is one of the cold hardiest of the genus and wood is seldom frozen back all the way to the ground. its hardiness ensure early growth and subsequent bloom. Full sun to quite a bit of shade in rich, well drained soil with light, consistent summer irrigation. Though it will subsist on less. Long lived large plant that can increase by suckering as well as top growth. The vivid glossy flowers are tilted outwards beckoning nectar seeking animals. Wood is hardy to 15ºF- the hardiest of any Fuchsia that we grow. Give it room and support. May be grown as a free standing shrub. Its best application is to plant near a very large shrub or small tree and the canes will rise up through the branches to dizzying heights and add support.
Fuchsia ‘Jim Muncaster’
A truly cold hardy Fuchsia with excellent attributes. Wine red stems reveal single flowers with a raspberry red petals that surround an opulently deep aubergine purple corolla. Upright sub-shrub to 2′ x 2′ or larger following a mild winter. Perfectly hardy to cold down to 0ºF. Elegant, profuse blooming care free fuchsia for part shade and rich, moisture retentive well drained soil with regular summer water. Emerges quickly in spring growth surpassing damaged wood quickly and often in bloom by early June. Blooms non-stop until frost. Completely reliable garden Fuchsia.