Fuchsia

Colorful Combinations

The two different-color sets of petals that make up the intricate blooms of fuchsia actually aren't petals. Instead, the four outer "petals" are called sepals. These protect the inner parts of the flowers from damage. Once the sepals open, the actual petals are revealed. There are usually four petals inside, often a deep purple color. However, there are now many varieties with petals that swirl and twist to even more interesting shapes and color combinations.

Fuchsia Care Must-Knows

Fuchsias, as a whole, can be a little temperamental. Many species stop producing flowers in too much heat. In warmer climates, look for heat-tolerant selections so they don't wither away in the summer heat. One way to help prevent problems during the hottest months is to make sure your plants have shade from the afternoon sun.

Another important note is that fuchsia doesn't like to sit in water. The plant does, however, like to be consistently moist. Finding the right amount of water can be a little tricky. Plant them in a well-drained potting mix and keep them always watered.

To help maintain the constant blooms of fuchsia, pinch off spent flowers. This will allow plants to focus more energy on creating new buds instead of producing seed. If left on the plants, blooms may produce dark purple berries. These edible berries are often used to make a fuchsia berry preserve. Unfortunately, while all varieties are edible, many modern types aren't tasty.

Plant Habit

With over 100 known species of fuchsia, there are wide varieties of growth habits. For example, fuchsias with a semi-trailing habit work well in hanging baskets or spilling over the side of a container. In more tropical climates where fuchsia can be overwintered as a perennial, they can be trained as shrubs and, in some cases, even small trees. This is typically done with upright varieties. These same varieties are great in garden beds, especially cultivars like the tried-and-true 'Gartenmeister Bonstedt'. Fuchsias can also be trained into small novelties like topiary plants and bonsai specimens.

More Varieties of Fuchsia

'Black' fuchsia

Fuchsia 'Blacky' is an upright shrub with semidouble flowers that have red sepals and a skirt of almost-black petals. It grows 2 feet tall and wide. (Zones 8-10)

'Diva Coral and White' fuchsia

Fuchsia 'Diva Coral and White' features bright coral blooms with pendulous white petals on a compact, floriferous plant that grows to 10 inches tall and wide. (Zones 8-10)

'Miss California' fuchsia

Fuchsia 'Miss California' is an upright grower that offers semidouble pink flowers and grows 18 inches tall and wide. It has good heat tolerance. (Zones 8-10)

'Voodoo' fuchsia

Fuchsia 'Voodoo' is a floriferous variety with large double, red-and-violet flowers and good heat tolerance. It grows 15 inches tall and 24 inches wide. (Zones 8-10)

Fuchsia Companion Plants

Browallia

Browallia earns its nicknames amethyst flower and sapphire flower for the richness of its small blue flowers, which pop out like jewels against the bright green of its foliage. A tidy mounding plant, it's great in containers or planted as edging in a neat row at the front of the border.

Plant in a shady spot in spring after all danger of frost has passed. It likes rich soil high in organic matter, so add some compost at planting time. Keep well watered and mulch to keep soil cool and moist. It may not flower in areas where summers are very cool.

However, it may overwinter in the warmest regions (Zones 10-11), especially if covered with loose autumn leaves, straw, or any other light, airy winter mulch.

Dichondra

This striking new trailing annual gives you a fresh way to add elegant silver foliage to your container and other plantings. Perfect in a hanging basket, window box, or other containers, this plant can trail up to 6 feet with showy, soft foliage like no other. Native to areas of the Southwest, it's also very heat- and drought-tolerant, so you can count on it to look good all season long, even if it wilts a few times.

It's a perennial in the warmest parts of the U.S. but is treated like an annual elsewhere. It needs well-drained soil (another reason it's great for containers), so be careful to avoid wet spots if you're planting it directly in the ground.

Impatiens

What would we do without impatiens? It's the old reliable for shade gardens when you want eye-popping color all season long. The plants bloom in just about every color except true blue and are well suited to growing in containers or the ground. If you have a bright spot indoors, you may be able to grow impatiens all year as an indoor plant.