Fuchsia

Fuchsias are tropical to sub-tropical plants [zones 6 to 9] that come from the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. Three species are found in New Zealand and Tahiti. Some grow as far south as Tierra del Fuego. They make delightful hanging baskets and good houseplants.  They should be kept indoors in winter, placed outside for the summer, after the danger of frost is passed, and brought back indoors in the fall, after they are cut back.  Fuchsias like a dappled sunlight, not full sun or full shade. They do not like to be dry or too hot and enjoy being fertilized for best blooms.

Fuchsias will bloom continuously from summer into autumn with long slender colourful blooms, usually in pinks, purples, reds, and white, that hang down on the plant. The plants will produce edible berries that can be eaten as is or used for jams, jellies, pie and cakes.

There are over a hundred species of fuchsia, all members of the plant family Onagraceae, the evening primrose family.  They can be categorized into Trailing/Cascading/Hanging Basket Varieties or Upright-Growing/Bush-Type Varieties.

The different flower-types of fuchsia hybrids are: single – having 4 petals, semi-double – having 5 to 7 petals, double – having 8 or more petals, and Triphylla – having long tubes, short sepals & small single corollas.  The parts of a fuchsia flower are illustrated below.  The flowers are usually described by the color of their four SEPALS and their COROLLA [the petals forming the skirt].  The sepals can be flared, or recurved [as shown].  The stamens are the pollen producing part, consisting of 8 filaments, each supporting an anther.  The pistil consists of the ovary, the style and the stigma.  The ovary becomes the seed pod or berry.