Overview
Fuchsia cordifolia is a bushy or arching shrub; trailing in basket cultivars shrub in the genus Fuchsia, part of the Onagraceae family, with deciduous, or evergreen in mild areas; oval, toothed, mid to dark green foliage. Fuchsia cordifolia grows best in partial shade to full sun; light shade gives the best flower colour, and tolerates fertile and moisture-retentive loam soils and acid and neutral or alkaline pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H2-H3 for tender kinds; H4-H5 for hardy shrubs. It is native to Chile and Argentina.
About
Fuchsia cordifolia is a shrub in the Onagraceae with an arching, well-branched habit and forms that trail for hanging baskets. It comes from Chile and Argentina and carries oval, toothed leaves that are mid to dark green and may be deciduous or remain evergreen in milder areas. Flowering runs June to October, and plants suit partial shade to full sun, with light shade tending to improve flower colour.
About the genus
Fuchsia is a genus of flowering plants that consists mostly of shrubs or small trees.
Wikipedia contributors, "Fuchsia", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Fuchsia
In the garden
Fuchsia cordifolia is a member of the genus Fuchsia (family Onagraceae) native to Chile and Argentina. Plants can be well-branched and arching, and some cultivars are selected for a trailing habit suited to baskets. Leaves are oval with toothed margins and usually mid to dark green, and in milder UK locations foliage can remain evergreen. Position it where it receives partial shade through to full sun; light shade generally produces the best flower colour. It prefers a fertile, moisture-retentive loam and tolerates acid, neutral or alkaline pH, but the soil should remain moist yet well drained. Choose a west- or east-facing situation and shelter the plant from strong, cold exposure. Hardiness varies with form: tender kinds are rated H2–H3 (half-hardy to borderline in UK terms), while hardier shrubs sit at H4–H5 (average to hardy). That range means tender forms will need winter protection in the colder parts of the UK, whereas H4–H5 selections can be planted where winters are milder and sheltered. Use trailing cultivars in hanging baskets or containers, and place upright, hardier plants in mixed borders or against a sheltered wall; light shade often produces the best flower colour on Fuchsia cordifolia.
Growing conditions
Best soil and position for Fuchsia
- Sunlight
- Partial shade to full sun; light shade gives the best flower colour
- Soil type
- Fertile, moisture-retentive loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, neutral or alkaline
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well drained
- Aspect
- West or east facing for preference
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H2-H3 for tender kinds; H4-H5 for hardy shrubs
Plant details
Fuchsia cordifolia size, habit and characteristics
- Plant type
- Shrub
- Habit
- Bushy or arching shrub; trailing in basket cultivars
- Foliage
- Deciduous, or evergreen in mild areas; oval, toothed, mid to dark green
- Native to
- Chile, Argentina
Care notes
Pruning and caring for Fuchsia cordifolia
- Cultivation
- Hardy fuchsias behave as herbaceous plants in cold gardens, dying back to a woody base and reshooting in late spring, so plant them a little deeper than usual to protect the crown and be patient before assuming a loss. Feed and water freely, since continuous flowering is hungry work. Tender cultivars need frost-free winter quarters or annual replacement from cuttings.
- Pruning
- Leave top growth over winter as crown protection, then cut hardy kinds back to a low framework in mid-spring once new buds break. Pinch young shoots to build a bushy plant, and prune tender kinds hard in spring after overwintering.
- Propagation
- Softwood cuttings root with unusual ease in spring and summer and are the standard method for every cultivar. Species can be grown from seed.
- Pest resistance
- Vine weevil in containers, capsid bug distorting shoot tips, and fuchsia gall mite, which causes severely deformed growth and has no chemical cure.
- Disease resistance
- Fuchsia rust produces orange pustules on leaf undersides in humid conditions, and grey mould affects plants overwintered under glass.
Frequently asked questions
How do I grow Fuchsia cordifolia?
Hardy fuchsias behave as herbaceous plants in cold gardens, dying back to a woody base and reshooting in late spring, so plant them a little deeper than usual to protect the crown and be patient before assuming a loss. Feed and water freely, since continuous flowering is hungry work. Tender cultivars need frost-free winter quarters or annual replacement from cuttings.
Where is the best place to plant Fuchsia cordifolia?
Fuchsia cordifolia prefers partial shade to full sun; light shade gives the best flower colour. It suits sheltered positions.
What soil does Fuchsia cordifolia need?
Fuchsia cordifolia grows best in fertile and moisture-retentive loam soil. It prefers acid and neutral or alkaline soil. Aim for soil that stays moist but well drained.
How do I prune Fuchsia cordifolia?
Leave top growth over winter as crown protection, then cut hardy kinds back to a low framework in mid-spring once new buds break. Pinch young shoots to build a bushy plant, and prune tender kinds hard in spring after overwintering.
Is Fuchsia cordifolia hardy in the UK?
Fuchsia cordifolia has an RHS hardiness rating of H2, meaning it is tender, tolerating 1–5°C, and needs frost-free protection over winter.
How do I propagate Fuchsia cordifolia?
Softwood cuttings root with unusual ease in spring and summer and are the standard method for every cultivar. Species can be grown from seed.
More in the Fuchsia genus
- Fuchsia 'Caroline'fuchsia 'Caroline'
- Fuchsia 'Henri Poincaré'
- Fuchsia 'Lancashire Lass'
- Fuchsia 'Maxine's Smile'
- Fuchsia 'My Little Sparkler'
- Fuchsia 'Turkish Delight'
- Fuchsia 'Adrienne' (d)fuchsia 'Adrienne'
- Fuchsia 'Angela Leslie' (d)fuchsia 'Angela Leslie'