Fuchsia procumbens
Creeping Fuchsia
This is the most unusual fuchsia in the world as it is the only species that holds its flowers upright - all the rest have pendulous flowers or flowers in trusses. Not only that the pollen is blue at the end of red filaments it is reputed to be the only yellow fuchsia. The flowers are small and sit upright on the stems. The cherry sized, showy, bright red, seed filled berries that follow are more noticeable. It is also believed to be the smallest fuchsia in the world as well.
The flowers are orange yellow in colour with the sepals’ dark purple (it does not have any petals). With its flowers, the calyx tube, changes from a lovely yellow to orange/red as they age and the purple sepals work well as a colour combination. The bright red filaments hold the pollen sacs which when open expose the world’s only blue pollen. The flowers are followed by large smooth redish pink berries for which it is also well known.
As a ground cover it grows fast and covers a lot of ground each year. It is easily pruned back each winter to keep it under control. The long trailing stems will also put down roots so that it can make a nice mat. Grow in part shade with average to low water and is excellent under rhododendrons. It grows well in hanging baskets.
Various descriptions suggest it flowers between December and February but I have seen it flowering right up to the first frost in May.
Apart from the naturally growing green leaved form there is a variegated cultivar with silvery white markings on the leaves. Fuchsia procumbens ‘Variegata’
It grows naturally in NZ in sandy, gravelly or rocky places near the sea in the north of the North Island. It was discovered by Richard Cunningham who collected it in 1834 at Matauri Bay between Whangaroa and the Bay of Islands and it was a form with a long style with a large globular stigma protruding from the flower. T Kirk collected a short styled form from Tryphena harbour, Great Barrier Island in 1867 and named it F. kirkii. However it was later noted that there is a great variation in the length of the style but it is all the same species. As Cunningham collected and named his species first Fuchsia procumbens is the official name.
While it is a rare native pant due to habitat destruction and it is listed as an endangered plant species it is easily propagated by cuttings.
In the garden in the south it survives well but will loose its leaves over winter becoming deciduous. Each spring new leaves appear rapidly making a nice fresh ground cover show.
The genus Fuchsia was named after Leonhart Fuchs (17 Jan 1501 to 1 May 1566) who is regarded as one of the three fathers of world Botany.
This is the most unusual fuchsia in the world as it is the only species that holds its flowers upright - all the rest have pendulous flowers or flowers in trusses. Not only that the pollen is blue at the end of red filaments it is reputed to be the only yellow fuchsia. The flowers are small and sit upright on the stems. The cherry sized, showy, bright red, seed filled berries that follow are more noticeable. It is also believed to be the smallest fuchsia in the world as well.
The flowers are orange yellow in colour with the sepals’ dark purple (it does not have any petals). With its flowers, the calyx tube, changes from a lovely yellow to orange/red as they age and the purple sepals work well as a colour combination. The bright red filaments hold the pollen sacs which when open expose the world’s only blue pollen. The flowers are followed by large smooth redish pink berries for which it is also well known.
As a ground cover it grows fast and covers a lot of ground each year. It is easily pruned back each winter to keep it under control. The long trailing stems will also put down roots so that it can make a nice mat. Grow in part shade with average to low water and is excellent under rhododendrons. It grows well in hanging baskets.
Various descriptions suggest it flowers between December and February but I have seen it flowering right up to the first frost in May.
Apart from the naturally growing green leaved form there is a variegated cultivar with silvery white markings on the leaves. Fuchsia procumbens ‘Variegata’
It grows naturally in NZ in sandy, gravelly or rocky places near the sea in the north of the North Island. It was discovered by Richard Cunningham who collected it in 1834 at Matauri Bay between Whangaroa and the Bay of Islands and it was a form with a long style with a large globular stigma protruding from the flower. T Kirk collected a short styled form from Tryphena harbour, Great Barrier Island in 1867 and named it F. kirkii. However it was later noted that there is a great variation in the length of the style but it is all the same species. As Cunningham collected and named his species first Fuchsia procumbens is the official name.
While it is a rare native pant due to habitat destruction and it is listed as an endangered plant species it is easily propagated by cuttings.
In the garden in the south it survives well but will loose its leaves over winter becoming deciduous. Each spring new leaves appear rapidly making a nice fresh ground cover show.
The genus Fuchsia was named after Leonhart Fuchs (17 Jan 1501 to 1 May 1566) who is regarded as one of the three fathers of world Botany.