Fuchsia

A fine hardy hybrid from Deb and Ron Monnier whose nursery, Monnier's Country Gardens in Woodburn, OR closed in 2009. This knockout will keep the memory alive for years to come. Maroon tube and sepals embrace a corolla that is black velvet eggplant in color with an optical texture that is almost 3D. To 3' and hardy in the PNW. Mulch in winter.

This hardy bush Fuchsia is quite a pleasing addition to the garden where it performs admirably in a sunny spot with lots of narrow hanging white flowers which are touched in faintest green on the tepal tips. Recent winters have put a whupping on reliably hardy plants so if it is going to turn nasty, mulch the base and trunk well. Easy and gratifying.

A petite hardy Fuchsia whose smaller leaves and short pancake mounding habit which plays well with the numerous narrow flowers that have reddish-pink sepals and a purple corolla. This small but mighty Fuchsia is quite free flowering all summer and is of a size that works in containers or front of the garden bed. Mulch in cold winters as with all hardy Fuchsias.

Tiny little gem with bright variegated leaves and teeny yet brilliant cerise flowers. This would look smashing in a mixed container of summer annuals. Someday we'll do an Elvish Fantasy garden with plants of diminutive scale that are cute beyond their physical proportion and this would be one of the centerpieces.

A hardy upright Fuchsia for our Northwest gardens which has good sized red flowers with a prominent rich purple corolla. We always mulch our fuchsias for the winter and expect them to be cut to the ground in a normal hard winter but they regrow and bloom like nothing happened the following summer.

This hails from the mild Crinodendron tucumanum/Podocarpus parlatorei cloud forests of northern Argentina. It thrives as an understory plant and competes well in the tangle of rampant growth clothing shaded banks along the road. Pendulous bright red clusters of long flowers give way to edible-if-the-fruit-stand-is-closed fruits.

This is not a Fuchsia to which one can remain indifferent. A tender species from South America, this is a winter-bloomer with long, thin flowers appearing at leaf fall and then adorning the 3'-5' bare stems. The distinctly softly lavender-pink flowers lack an inner corolla presenting a very pleasing minimalist design aesthetic and the large orange fruit which follow are an unexpectedly discordant delight. We're not sure how this species came by its name but it will totally rule your greenhouse in winter. Here in the PNW, flowering is punctuated by ongoing street fights among factions of overwintering Anna's hummingbirds vying for control. Viva la revolucion!

A bushy hardy Fuchsia with arching branches and largish leaves which is good because they are one of the good things about this selection being richly colored in red if grown in ample sun. The flowers are no slouch either and they have to bring it to keep up with the leaves and that they do with a red exterior and a double purple interior corolla. Winter mulch.

A cold-tolerant species from Brazil that was discovered in 1934. This not-so-common species gives the effect of a smaller Fuchsia magellanica with the small deep pink and purple flowers but on a smaller scale. In our cooler climate, this will get to 3' or so while in warmer, longer season zones, perhaps to 5'. Once well established, this will spread gently via rhizomes but easy to keep in bounds and perfect for sharing, furthering your propagation reputation.

Odd Fuchsia hybrid which we got as cuttings from an old Heronswood employee. Actually she's not very old but we were referring to the original Heronswood. It appears to be a procumbens x excorticata cross with small reddish leaves on a low mounding plant. The narrow flowers are a metallic red and while not especially showy, gets credit for being structurally interesting. The foliage alone makes this very worthy of growing. This came with the name of 'Ruby Wedding' but that seems to be already in use with another Fuchsia cultivar so who knows. Probably someone in New Zealand.