The first mention of the tropical plant Fuchsia dates back 300 years. Over such a long period of time, breeders have developed more than 100 varieties of such a beautiful flower as Fuchsia. Flower growers and gardeners all over the world consider Fuchsia to be the queen of their floral collections, and this is well deserved. Large, bright inflorescences of the plant will decorate any landscape and become the center of the design composition.
Description of the plant
The evergreen, perennial shrub Fuchsia was brought from South America. The plant belongs to the fireweed family and loves warmth and good lighting.
By crossing different species of Fuchsia, hybrid varieties of shrubs have been developed, which are used both for decorative purposes by gardeners and gardeners, as well as by amateur flower growers for growing at home.
Features of the plant:
- Fuchsia bushes come in different shapes and sizes. A flower grown in open ground can be the size of a small standard tree.
- Large inflorescences in the form of a multi-tiered bell reach sizes of 8-10 cm.
- Large and varied range of colors. Some varieties may have several shades of blooming flowers at once.
- The leaves of the shrub are small, oval with small teeth along the edges.
- The stems are flexible and thin, depending on the species they come in different colors, from green to dark burgundy.
- Flowering is long and abundant. With proper care, it begins in early spring and ends in late autumn.
Fuchsia is an unpretentious plant, pleasing to the eye and uplifting the mood with its bright colors and luxurious flowering.
Important! After flowering, small berries are formed that are edible. Jams and preserves are made from the fruits of the flower..
Popular types and varieties of fuchsia
Elf flower, which is what Fuchsia is called, has many different hybrid species obtained by crossing varieties of this plant. Every year, breeders in different countries of the world develop new varieties and species of a beautiful and sought-after representative of the flora.
Magellan
The Magellanic Fuchsia shrub grows up to 3 meters in height. Numerous branches and shoots have a burgundy or red tint, the leaves are small, oval in shape with small teeth along the edge.The inflorescences are solitary; in rare cases, small clusters of 3-5 buds are formed. Flowering is abundant and long, from the end of June until the first frost. Magellan Fuchsia is the most common species for creating new hybrid plant varieties, because it easily and persistently survives low temperatures and even frosts.
Bolivian
A small evergreen shrub, no more than 120cm high. In its natural environment it grows in the highlands of Argentina, Guatemala and Bolivia, and is also found in the mountains of Ecuador. Bolivian Fuchsia has large, pointed, oval-shaped leaves with teeth along the edges. The plant blooms with large red tassels, in which several buds are collected at once.
In ornamental gardening, this type of Fuchsia is used in warm latitudes or bred at home.
Thin
Thin Fuchsia is an evergreen shrub. In its natural environment it grows up to 3 meters. The leaves are small, oval-shaped with jagged edges. The branches and stems have a green, reddish or burgundy tint. This species blooms with lush inflorescences, in the brush of which several purple buds are collected at once.
The active flowering phase of the bush is from mid-May to the end of September. The beautiful, spreading Thin Fuchsia will be the center of attention throughout the summer.
Recumbent
A creeping plant will decorate any flower arrangement. Recumbent Fuchsia has single flowers that are always directed towards the sunlight. The wide range of colors includes shades from soft pink to bright orange.
The plant has a long flowering period from early spring to late autumn.
Thyroid
The alpine shrub Corymbose Fuchsia grows in South America. The plant has large leaves, and the height of the bushes reaches 5 meters.The clusters of red inflorescences are drooping and contain several buds at once, which do not stop blooming throughout the summer and autumn.
Graceful
The Graceful Fuchsia variety attracts special attention from flower growers and gardeners. Large, spherical buds are collected in large inflorescences. The blooming flowers resemble large bells of different colors. In the natural environment, the bushes grow up to 3 meters, but in the decorative version the flower does not exceed 1 meter. Active flowering of this type of Fuchsia begins in spring and ends in late autumn.
Hybrid
Hybrid or ampelous Fuchsia includes many species of this plant. The hybrid was bred specifically for growing in pots and special containers. Long stems with multiple inflorescences of various colors and shades hang down in a beautiful cascade.
White, red, purple, blue, yellow, and this is not the entire color spectrum that is represented by this variety of Fuchsia. The early onset of flowering continues until late autumn.
Planting and propagation
Fuchsia is a heat-loving plant, but thanks to hybrid varieties it is also grown in regions with cold, harsh winters.
Fuchsia planting rules:
- Protect the plot of land from winds and drafts.
- The landing site should have good access to sunlight, but direct exposure to the rays should be darkened.
- As soon as the night frosts have stopped, it is fashionable to plant the tropical guest in open ground.
Important! The plant needs to be dug up for wintering after the first sub-zero temperatures. Thus, the plant hardens and correctly enters hibernation mode..
When planting, the root system is placed 20 cm from the surface of the earth. It will take two to three weeks for the Fuchsia to take root and prepare for the flowering period.
You always want to get as many beautiful flowers as possible to decorate your garden, plot or loggia. To do this, Fuchsia can be propagated. There are several methods for this procedure.
Seed method
To grow a flower from seeds, you will need the following steps:
- Purchase seeds of the desired variety from a specialized store.
- At the end of March, plant them in pots or peat tablets.
- For 3 weeks, moisten the soil as needed.
- The temperature in the room where the germinating seeds are located should not exceed 18 degrees.
- As soon as the first shoots appear, the young plants can be transferred to a warm room and wait for favorable weather conditions for transplanting into open ground.
Flowers grown from seeds have high immunity and are considered stronger.
Vegetative propagation
- Shoots measuring 10cm or large leaves are cut from the mother flower.
- Each cutting should have several buds.
- A young cutting is placed in water or sand, covered with film or a jar until the first roots form.
- After the emerging root system has been discovered, wait 2-3 weeks and transplant the cuttings into pots with prepared soil.
The cutting procedure is done at the end of winter, when the bush is just beginning to wake up.
Important! To get plants with a lush and spreading crown, several cuttings are planted in one pot at once. Planted plants will begin to actively bloom in the first year of planting..
Care instructions
Fuchsia is an unpretentious plant, but you still have to follow the necessary recommendations for caring for it. Although the plant originates from countries with a tropical climate, it cannot tolerate extreme heat.Therefore, you need to place the elven flower in dark areas of the garden or vegetable garden. At high temperatures, the plant stops the active flowering phase and the leaves fall off.
Watering and spraying
During the period of active growth and flowering, the plant needs abundant watering. Therefore, starting from spring and ending in late autumn, the flower should receive the maximum amount of moisture, but without its excess. You need to water the plant in the morning or evening, after sunset.
In winter, fuchsia is watered no more than 2 times a month. Moistening and spraying the leaf stems is also important.
Trimming
To form the crown, the flower is pruned twice a year. The first pruning occurs before the plant goes into winter dormancy. Withered flowers and excess shoots are removed. The second time Fuchsia is pruned is at the end of January. It is then that the crown and the necessary shape of the plant are formed.
Feeding
This beautiful representative of the flora loves careful care and additional nutrition. This plant equally loves organic and mineral fertilizers. Starting in early spring, Fuchsia begins to actively develop and bloom. This period will last until late autumn and requires large energy expenditures from the plant. Therefore, it needs additional feeding in the form of fertilizers every 2-3 weeks.
Transfer
It is best to replant house flowers in the spring. Replanting work is carried out annually, completely replacing the old soil. The root system of a pre-pruned plant is carefully examined. There should be no fungal growths or mold; damaged root shoots should be cut off.
Fuchsia is transplanted into open ground as soon as the night temperature is above zero.
Diseases and pests
The flower is susceptible to some diseases and pests:
- Due to improper care, the plant may begin to rot. This disease makes itself felt quickly, so the chances of salvation are great.
- If brown spots appear on the leaves, urgent treatment is required. The affected areas are removed, and the plant is thoroughly washed with the addition of a solution of laundry soap. Further treatment occurs with the help of special drugs.
- The whitefly quickly attacks the flower. The appearance of sticky droplets on the leaves is evidence that the larvae are sucking the juice out of the plant. Thorough washing under running water and laundry soap will stop the death process.
- Beautiful bushes are attacked by aphids. To eliminate the parasite, the leaves are wiped with an alcohol solution and then treated with special preparations.
Careful care of the plant will avoid troubles.
Possible difficulties when growing fuchsias
Gardeners and flower growers often encounter the following difficulties when growing flowers:
- Heavy watering during the cold season causes spots on the leaves.
- If the buds fall off, the plant is not getting enough light or moisture. Fuchsia also does not like frequent movements.
- Leaves fall, improper care, too high temperature.
- Greenhouse conditions in winter affect the lack of flowering. In winter, Fuchsia should be kept cool.
Enjoying life surrounded by beautiful and bright Fuchsia flowers is the dream of many gardeners and flower growers. But making your dream come true is not at all difficult.
