Fuchsia flowering gooseberry

Both you and the hummingbirds will love this easy-to-grow shrub -- as long as you don't have to get too close to it. Sharp spines line the stems and fruits of fuchsia flowering gooseberry. Plant it in a mixed border, away from a walkway or entry. Or tuck it in the back of a border where you can enjoy its flowers and fruit from a distance. The brilliant red fruits dangle like jewels from the stems for weeks. Its red, fuchsialike flowers bloom January through May in temperate climates and attract hummingbirds.

Fuchsia flowering gooseberry grows best in part shade or shade. It does not tolerate reflected heat well and grows best in a planting area that receives morning sun and afternoon shade. It will grow in a variety of soils and will remain evergreen when watered regularly during the summer.