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Fuchsia coccinea
Onagraceae FAMILY

Fuchsia coccinea

Fuchsia coccinea

Edibility
3/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Shrub
GrowthFast

Fuchsia coccinea is not very hardy outdoors in the temperate zone, only succeeding in the mildest regions[1]. A plant growing in a sheltered wall garden at Greenways Garden in Devon, UK (hardiness zone 8) had adopted a climbing habit and was 2 metres tall in May 1996. It is said to fruit freely[PFAF]. Our own plant, obtained as a cutting from Greenways Garden, has grown and fruited very well outdoors in Cornwall (hardiness zone 8), the stems have not been cut back at all in the winter, even when temperatures have fallen below -5°c, although new growth in the spring is susceptible to frost damage[PFAF]. In areas with colder winters the plants can be grown outdoors in the summer, then lifted and potted up in the greenhouse for the winter[2]. Succeeds in any fertile well-drained circum-neutral soil[1]. Requires a good soil and a moist shady position in the summer[2]. A fast-growing plant[3]. Fuchsia species flower and fruit mainly on new wood produced in the same growing season. Any pruning, therefore, is best carried out at the start of the growing season, cutting out old wood in order to encourage vigorous new growth[1]. Plants are very susceptible to whitefly when grown in a greenhouse[3]. This species is a parent of many of the hardy fuchsia hybrids[4]. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[5]. A good bee plant[6].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe[1] though it can also be sown in the spring[7]. Surface sow the seed in pots in a warm greenhouse and do not allow the compost to dry out[1]. Germination should take place in less than 6 weeks. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Inter-nodal cuttings of greenwood, 5 - 8cm long, May/early summer in a frame. Quick and easy, a high percentage take[8, PFAF]. Overwinter in the greenhouse for the first year and plant out after the last expected frosts. Inter-nodal cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame. Very quick and easy, treat as greenwood cuttings above[PFAF]. Cuttings usually succeed at any time during the growing season[PFAF]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Fuchsia+coccinea>

Pollinators

Bees, Humming birds, Self

References

  1. [1]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  2. [2]The Checklist of Species, Hybrids and Cultivars of the Genus Fuschia. — Boullemier. L. · Blandford Press · 1985 · ISBN 0-7137-1781-5 ↩︎Merely a list of names and the occasional elaboration.
  3. [3]The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers — Brickell. C. · Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. · 1990 · ISBN 0-86318-386-7 ↩︎Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.
  4. [4]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
  5. [5]Perennial Garden Plants — Thomas. G. S. · J. M. Dent & Sons, London. · 1990 · ISBN 0 460 86048 8 ↩︎A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.
  6. [6]Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. — International Bee Research Association. · International Bee Research Association. · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎The title says it all.
  7. [7]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  8. [8]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
  9. [9]Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 76 — Missouri Botanical Garden · 1989 ↩︎An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains a monograph of the genus Zapoteca (Calliandra) amongst other things.
  10. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎