Fuchsia Procumbens

Fuchsia (named after Leonhard Fuchs, a 16th century German botanist) is a genus of over 100 species of shrubs and small trees. Although there are four New Zealand native species (colensoi, excorticata, perscandens and procumbens) and one from Tahiti, the vast bulk of the genus occurs in Central and South America.

Think of fuchsias and chances are the fancy garden hybrids come to mind first. Showy as they are, it is not difficult to see they are related to wild species such as Fuchsia magellanica, Fuchsia denticulata and Fuchsia triphylla.

Some species, however, are less easy to distinguish. Our common native tree fuchsia (Fuchsia excorticata) has fuchsia-like flowers, though it can be hard to see the connection with the garden plants when it is not in bloom. But the likes of Fuchsia arborescens from Central America, with its panicles of tiny flowers, scarcely matches the common idea of a fuchsia.

The most widely grown of New Zealand's native species is Fuchsia procumbens and it too is quite unlike the garden cultivars. It is a low spreading plant with small rounded leaves and can be very hard to pick as a fuchsia until it flowers. Indeed, my initial experience of the plant was with cultivated specimens and I have to admit that I didn't immediately recognise wild plants when I first saw them.

This species was discovered in Northland in 1834 by Richard Cunningham. (some authorities call him Robert; in any case he should not be confused with his better known brother Allan.) However, it wasn't introduced into Europe until 40 years later in 1874. It has at times also been known as Fuchsia prostrata and Fuchsia kirkii.

The species occurs naturally in the north of the North Island down to northern Coromandel, often in coastal areas, and is now endangered in the wild. Though wild specimens can spread to several metres wide, cultivated plants are usually quite compact.

The flowers, which appear from mid to late spring are sometimes hard to see among the dense, sprawling foliage. The blooms are not the usual fuchsia colours - green and yellow, not red and purple - and most unusually, they face upwards rather than being pendulous. The blue pollen-tipped anthers are also very distinctive.

Upward facing flowers are scarcely surprising in a plant that grows so close to the ground. Nevertheless it is a feature that hybridisers have long been trying, with limited success, to breed into garden hybrids.

The real feature, and the reason why Fuchsia procumbens is grown by enthusiasts world-wide, is the berries that follow the flower. All fuchsias bear berries, but none can match the fruit of Fuchsia procumbens. While the bright red berries of wild plants are scarcely larger than redcurrants, cultivated plants may have fruit the size of small plums. The fruit has a grape-or plum-like bloom and is particularly showy because it is carried on top the foliage, not hanging below it. Fuchsia procumbens is a plant that likes to show off its wares.

This little trailing plant makes a superb hanging basket specimen and is very easy to grow. Despite its northerly natural distribution, it tolerates frosts and even withstands some drought. But strangely enough it is one of those New Zealand natives that is better know abroad than at home. British and American growers wouldn't be without it, but how often do you see a good specimen in a local garden?

I am a garden book author and horticultural photographer based in Christchurch, New Zealand. I run a stock photo library called Country, Farm and Garden (http://www.cfgphoto.com). This article may be re-published provided this information is published with it and is clearly visible.

Car Insurance Rates | Dental Insurance | Health Insurance | Home Owner Insurance | Life Insurance Quote

| 1 |

Cat Repellent Or How To Keep Cats Out Of Your Garden
Do cat repellents work? How to stop a cat from using garden as litterbox? Tell me how to keep cats out of my garden. These are common questions...(related: Raised Bed Organic Gardening)

Kirengeshoma Palmata

Kirengeshoma palmata

Sometimes known as yellow waxbells, Kirengeshoma palmata is a late-flowering rhizomatous perennial up to 1.2m high with arching stems and is native to the woods and mountain lowlands of Korea and the Japanese islands of Shikoku and Kyushu.

The unusual name? No, it doesn't come from an obscure Danish botanist called Kirengeshom. It's really just a Latinised version of the original Japanese name. Palmata, a common specific epithet, means shaped like a hand and refers to the foliage.

Formerly classified in its own family, it is now a member of the hydrangea family, although its flowers, which are around 3cm long, are more reminiscent of those of a single-flowered Japanese anemone. The flowers of most of the plants see...(related: Raised Bed Organic Gardening)

Fall Pond Cleaning
Doing a full pond cleaning during the colder winter months can bevery stressful on your fish. However, if the pond is reallydirty and full of 'muck' - then you may want to consider itbecause all of the decaying organic matter in the pond can causeproblems if the pond ices over, and this begins to de-gas androt.So, I think the best solution, and what we used to do for ourclients was do a partial Fall pond cleaning.Here's how to do it:First, get a contai...(related: Raised Bed Organic Gardening)

Keeping The Balance Of Nature: Pond Water Maintenance
You might be tempted to let Mother Nature, tend to your backyardpond, and who could blame you? After all, she does a pretty goodjob of taking care of really big ponds, so why would yourbackyard ecosystem pose much of a challenge to her?Unfortunately, the fact is your backyard pond is only going toget some cursory attention from Mom; the rest of the work isgoing to be left up to you.In the "real world" chlorinated water doesn't find its way intoponds very often. "Big" pond water passes through a great manynatural filtration and oxygen...(related: Raised Bed Organic Gardening)

Teak Patio Furniture Is The Perfect Choice For Your Terrace
You have spent hours of time and quite a lot of money on getting your back yard just right. The trees are lush and green, the flowers are blooming and everything looks beautiful. The only thing missing is somewhere to sit down and enjoy your beautiful yard.There is nothing like the look of natural wood in your yard or on your patio. Many prefer the look of natural wood to aluminum or plastic,...(related: Raised Bed Organic Gardening)

Protecting Your Garden Pond From Pesky Predators
Notice any fish disappearing lately? While herons are presentyear-round, water gardeners notice the challenges they bring tothe pond in spring and early summer when herons feed their yo...(related: Raised Bed Organic Gardening)

Hot Feeding Tips
Summer is the most enjoyable water gardening season and the timeto watch for potential problems caused by high water temperaturesduring extreme or extended hot periods.It's important to feed food that is easily digestible so fishbenefit from fully absorbing the nutrients. Fish that activelyseek food should be fed 1-3 times a day. To ensure they'veconsumed all of their food, feed small amounts at each feeding inthe summer heat. This will prevent uneaten food from decomposingat the high temperatures and polluting your pond water. If yourfish show no interest in food, don't feed them!The solubility of oxygen depends on temperature. In the winter,oxygen readily dissolves into cold water, readily available forfish. In the summer, as the water temperature rises ...(related: Raised Bed Organic Gardening)

Wooden Greenhouses
An important addition to any British back garden, the greenhouse is firmly established in the British way of life. It's probably the inclement weather that drives the british gardener 'inside'. If you are visiting this site then you are probably thinking about obtaining a new greenhouse. It is possible you don't know the type of greenhouse you need or even how to decide on the type of greenhouse. This site has a series of articles on many of the different things to consider when installing a greenhouse.For example, you need to decide o...(related: Raised Bed Organic Gardening)

How To Choose Between Goldfish And Koi
Many people have asked us over the years "Should I addgoldfish or KOI (or both) to my pond? The answer is "itdepends."Goldfish are better suited to smaller water gardens andponds, in the 50 - 500 gallon range. Goldfish areextremely hardy and easy to care for, which makes themthe perfect choice for the new pond owner or watergardener.KOI FeedingKOI, on the other hand, require a little more knowledgeand better water quality in most cases, than goldfishand are better suited to the more experienced pondkeeper. KOI generally thrive best in ponds over 500gallons (the bigger - the better.)This is becuase KOI can grow quite large and thereforerequire more water in the pond for proper biolo...(related: Raised Bed Organic Gardening)

Fuchsia Procumbens

Think of fuchsias and chances are the fancy garden hybrids come to mind first. Showy as they are, it i...(related: Raised Bed Organic Gardening)

Ship Ahoy! The Nautical Touch In Your Outdoor Living Space
Would you rather be sailing or are you strictly a shore bird? Whether you're land-locked or seaside, you can create a nautical look in your outdoor living space by following a few easy principles. You'll find that even landlubbers can answer the siren song of the sea.Although any outside space can be adapted to this motif, wooden decks are particularly suitable. And if you can manage to install a water feature so that the deck overhangs it, you'll increase the "on-board" feel. Be sure to include the following elements.ColorFor a real yacht-club feel, think navy, as in uniforms. Not only does navy recall the color of the ocean at night, paired with cream accents and brass "buttons", it looks as classy as a ship's captain. You can also add red accents for ...(related: Raised Bed Organic Gardening)

Wooden Greenhouses
An important addition to any British back garden, the greenhouse is firmly established in the British way of life. It's probably the inclement weather that drives the british gardener 'inside'. If you are visiting this site then you are probably thinking about obtaining a new greenhouse. It is possible you don't know the type of greenhouse you need or even how to decide on the type of greenhouse. This site has a series of articles on many of the different things to consider when installing a greenhouse.For example, you need to decide o...(related: Raised Bed Organic Gardening)

Growing Vegetables In Containers - The Compact Solution
Container vegetable gardens are a great alternative for those that don't have access to backyards. There can be a range of reasons to grow your vegetables in containers...easy access to the kitchen, safer environments for...(related: Raised Bed Organic Gardening)