Genetically diverse fuchsias are hardy, versatile and beautiful – and well worth rediscovering
When it comes to horticultural fashion, it would be hard to pick a group of plants quite so resolutely in the style doldrums as fuchsias. Yet, while the pastel-coloured frills of the Barbara Cartland types we remember from 1980s pub hanging baskets might have a definite whiff of the doily about them, the huge genetic diversity of the genus means there is a fuchsia for almost any situation. From towering, hardy garden shrubs to tender houseplants, and even exotic candidates for the fruit and veg patch, here are some of the best reasons to ignore garden trends and rediscover these hard-working, versatile and beautiful plants.
Fuchsia magellanica from the southernmost tip of South America, in the cloud forests of Chile and Argentina, is the hardiest of them all. It can be grown outdoors almost anywhere in our analogous climate here in Britain. Although often cut back to ground level by gardeners to create a loose, suckering hedge, given a sheltered spot away from harsh winds, it will form a large shrub or even small tree. This can be encouraged by snipping off small suckers so the plant concentrates its energies on one or two central stems, and then “lifting” the canopy, by removing lower branches coming off this central stem(s) to encourage upward growth. This means its masses of slender purple and pink pendant blooms are above eye level and cascading dramatically down, and highlights its curious peeling bark. There is a beautiful pure white-flowered form, too, that might just rival it in terms of elegance called ‘Hawkshead’.
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