Fuchsia Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster' (Fuchsia) — Bushy or arching shrub; trailing in basket cultivars

Overview

Fuchsia Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster' 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 Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster' 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.

About

Fuchsia Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster' is a well-branched shrub that produces an extended display of pendant flowers from June to October. It may be grown as an arching shrub or as a trailing basket form. Leaves are oval, toothed and mid to dark green and may remain through winter only in milder areas. Plants prefer a sheltered position on an east or west-facing site.

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

These garden hybrids trace to species largely native to South America, with a few related lineages reaching New Zealand and Tahiti; selected crosses have given rise to forms suited to temperate gardens. Fuchsia Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster' belongs to the Onagraceae and bears the characteristic oval, toothed leaves of the genus while producing pendant flowers over a long season from June to October. Position plants where they receive partial shade to full sun; a little light shade will tend to give the best flower colour. They favour fertile, moisture-retentive loam that is kept moist but well drained and tolerate acid, neutral or alkaline soil. Choose an east- or west-facing aspect and avoid exposed sites—these plants perform best in a sheltered spot. Hardiness varies among cultivars: tender forms sit in the half-hardy to borderline range (H2–H3), while the hardier shrub types rate around average to hardy (H4–H5) for UK conditions. Use trailing forms in hanging baskets and containers, and place upright types in sheltered mixed borders or patio beds. In mild areas 'Dr Foster' may retain foliage through winter, providing structure outside the flowering months.

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 Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster' 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

Care notes

Pruning and caring for Fuchsia Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster'

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 Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster'?

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 Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster'?

Fuchsia Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster' prefers partial shade to full sun; light shade gives the best flower colour. It suits sheltered positions.

What soil does Fuchsia Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster' need?

Fuchsia Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster' 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 Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster'?

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 Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster' hardy in the UK?

Fuchsia Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster' 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 Hybrids, Hardy 'Dr Foster'?

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

Browse all Fuchsia →