Fuchsia: a food plant
When we talk about food plants (interesting for all the inhabitants of the garden, like insects and birds), we often forget to talk about fuchsia. However, it is a plant that will interest many insects, on the one hand in summer, but also in late season. Indeed, the flowering of fuchsia will last until the first frosts, which can take us sometimes until late November or early December.
Hardy fuchsias
Hardy fuchsias are simple to grow. It is not necessary to bring them in during the winter, even if it is very cold (however, it is preferable to install a protection the first few winters). The mother plants of the nursery have already faced very low temperatures (-21°C), without protection.
Fuchsias and the sun
The sunnier the season, the longer and more important the flowering. Contrary to what has been assumed for a long time, the fuchsia is more of a semi-shade plant than a shade plant, because, of course, it needs coolness, but it also needs sun for its flowering.
Small and large hardy fuchsias
Hardy fuchsias offer a wide variety of plants, with small fuchsias that are no more than 60 cm tall and others that can reach 2.50 m tall.
In fact, the size of the fuchsia depends on the previous winter: the harsher the winter, the more necessary it is to cut back the branches that have taken the cold, while following a mild winter, the cuts are very light.
Two varieties of hardy fuchsias in the spotlight
- The fuchsia "Ville de Rocquencour" (French obtention, as its name suggests): a very decorative fuchsia, 70 cm high, is very well adapted to small gardens, to the front of flowerbeds, or to pots on balconies and terraces. Its flowering is long and beautiful, with its petals curved upwards and its long hanging stigmas.
- Magellanic fuchsia (Fuchsia riccartonii): the other name of this fuchsia is oat grain, referring to its small, long, hanging flower resembling an ear of oats. In some years, when the winter has been mild, this fuchsia can reach 1,50 m to 2 m. It is a fuchsia that can be installed in a shrubbery or as an isolated plant.
