There are currently around 107 different species and over 12,000 varieties of fuchsias known, with hybrids of the wild forms Fuchsia magellanica (“scarlet fuchsia”), Fuchsia triphylla (“coral fuchsia”) and Fuchsia paniculata among the fuchsia friends are common.
Which fuchsia varieties are recommended?
Popular fuchsia varieties include Alba, Alice Hoffmann, Bouquet, Jeanette, Madame Cornelissen, Lady Thumb, Thom Thumb, Tricolor, Thalia, Gartenmeister Bonstedt, Mary, Leverkusen, Pangea and Las Margaritas. These varieties belong to the species Fuchsia magellanica, Fuchsia triphylla and Fuchsia paniculata.
Recommended Fuchsia species and varieties
In the table below we have put together some recommended fuchsia varieties, some of which are real rarities. These are particularly suitable if you are looking for a special plant that not everyone has.
| Fuchsia | Fuchsia species | Flowers | Growth habit | Growth height | Flowering time | hardy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alba | Fuchsia magellanica | light pink / white | upright | up to 120 cm | July to September | yes |
| Alice Hoffmann | Fuchsia magellanica | red / white | bushy, upright | up to 30 cm | July to September | yes |
| Bouquet | Fuchsia magellanica | red / blue | upright | up to 30 cm | July to September | yes |
| Jeanette | Fuchsia magellanica | red | upright | up to 120 cm | July to September | yes |
| Madame Cornelissen | Hybrids | red/white | upright | up to 80 cm | July to September | yes |
| Lady Thumb | Fuchsia magellanica | red / violet | Dwarf fuchsia, upright | up to 40 cm | June to September | yes |
| Thom Thumb | Fuchsia magellanica | red / violet | Dwarf fuchsia, upright | up to 40 cm | May to August | yes |
| Tricolor | Fuchsia magellanica | red / blue | upright | up to 120 cm | July to September | yes |
| Thalia | Fuchsia triphylla | orange / red | upright, bushy | up to 75 cm | July to September | no |
| Gardenmaster Bonstedt | Fuchsia triphylla | orange / red | upright, bushy | up to 90 cm | July to September | no |
| Mary | Fuchsia triphylla | dark red | upright, bushy | up to 50 cm | July to September | no |
| Leverkusen | Fuchsia triphylla | pink / light pink | upright | up to 50 cm | July to September | no |
| Pangea | Fuchsia triphylla | orange red / dark orange red | hanging | up to 50 cm | July to September | no |
| Las Margaritas | Fuchsia paniculata | light violet / violet | upright | up to 70 cm | July to September | no |
Hardy fuchsias
Most fuchsias are not hardy, although there have been some reasonably hardy (but mostly not frost-hardy) varieties since the 19th century - since then fuchsias have also been bred in Germany. These can be planted out, but usually require winter protection. Recommended varieties are, for example:
- “Abbé Farges”
- “Beacon”
- “Delicate Purple”
- “Dollar Princess”
Basically, many varieties of Fuchsia magellanica, especially Fuchsia magellanica var. gracilis, are hardy.
Suitable fuchsias for standard trees
Many fuchsia varieties can be easily trained into standard stems, for which there are particularly suitable varieties. These include, among others,
- “Beacon” and “Beacon pink”
- “Dark Eyes”
- “Dirk van Deelen”
- “Dollar Princess”
- “Gardenmaster Bonstedt”
- “Leverkusen”.
Tip
Just as not all of the numerous fuchsia species are hardy, not all of them are suitable for every location. Some fuchsias prefer a sunny location, while others prefer a partially shaded to sunny location.
