Hardy Fuchsia Attracts Hummingbirds to the Garden

Virtues: Hardy fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica) lends a tropical look to gardens with its profusion of hot-colored flowers. These are very attractive to hummingbirds. This fuchsia is a perennial in gardens as cold as USDA Zone 6.

Common name: Hardy fuchsia

Botanical name:Fuchsia magellanica

Exposure: Part shade

Season: Summer, for flowers

Flowers: Downward-facing, lantern-like flowers in shades of pink and red hang from the ends of the branches from early summer into autumn.

Foliage: Toothed, oval, medium green leaves appear in pairs along the branches. Hardy fuchsia can be evergreen where winters remain warm, but it dies back to the ground after the frost in colder climates.

Habit: Hardy fuchsia has a shrubby habit. It can reach up to 10 feet tall and wide in the warmer ares of its range. Smaller named varieties exist.

Origins: Chile and Argentina

How to grow hardy fuchsia: Site in partial sun and average soil with good drainage. Hardy fuchsia prefers regular watering, be it from rainfall or irrigation. Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy. Good air circulation is key to preventing foliar diseases like mildew, so set your hardy fuchsia where it can receive good air flow. Thinning out the stems can help promote air circulation. Other ways to prevent leaf diseases include avoiding wetting the foliage and watering only in the early part of the day. Deadhead the flowers to promote continuous bloom. Apply an extra layer of mulch after the ground freezes in the northern part of hardy fuchsia’s range. USDA Zones 6–10.

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