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Fuchsia corymbiflora
Onagraceae FAMILY

Fuchsia corymbiflora

Fuchsia corymbiflora

Edibility
3/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Shrub
Growth—

Fuchsia corymbiflora requires a minimum winter temperature of 5°c in order to succeed, it does well in a cool conservatory[1, 2]. Plants have survived outdoors on our trial ground in Cornwall (hardiness zone 8) since 1992, with no losses even in colder winters. The plants die down in late autumn and will start to regrow during mild spells in the winter and spring. This new growth is usually killed by the next period of cold weather, but this does not seem to cause lasting damage, the plants growing away well in late spring. It is a good idea to apply a good mulch of organic matter as soon as the plant dies down, so that the roots are protected from any periods of severe cold[PFAF]. Succeeds in any fertile well-drained circum-neutral soil[3]. Requires a moist position[1]. Prefers semi-shade and a sheltered site[4]. Succeeds in a good loam if leafmold and sand are added[5]. 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[3]. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[6]. A good bee plant[7].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe[3] though it can also be sown in the spring[5]. Surface sow the seed in pots in a warm greenhouse and do not allow the compost to dry out[3]. 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]. Plants have a tuberous root system and produce suckers. These can be removed and potted up at any time during the growing season. Keep them in a greenhouse for at least their first winter[PFAF]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Fuchsia+corymbiflora>

Pollinators

Insects

References

  1. [1]Growing Unusual Fruit. — Simmons. A. E. · David & Charles; Newton Abbot. · 1972 · ISBN 0-7153-5531-7 ↩︎A very readable book with information on about 100 species that can be grown in Britain (some in greenhouses) and details on how to grow and use them.
  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 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.
  4. [4]Edible Ornamental Garden. — Bryan. J. and Castle. C. · Pitman Publishing · 1976 · ISBN 0-273-00098-5 ↩︎A small book with interesting ideas for edible plants in the ornamental garden.
  5. [5]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 ]).
  6. [6]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.
  7. [7]Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. — International Bee Research Association. · International Bee Research Association. · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎The title says it all.
  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]Flowers of India — http://www.flowersofindia.net/ ↩︎A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
  10. [10]Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 69 — Missouri Botanical Garden · 1982 ↩︎An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains a treatment of section Fuchsia in the Genus Fuchsia.
  11. [11]Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. — Hedrick. U. P. · Dover Publications · 1972 · ISBN 0-486-20459-6 ↩︎Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
  12. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎