614 



FUCHSIA 



FUCHSIA 



FtrCHSIA (Leouard Fuclis, ir.(ll-i:.(;5, German pro- 

 fessor of medicine, and a botanical author). OH'it/nlceif. 

 Sixry or 70 species, the e;reater part in tropical America, 

 but three or four in "New Zealand. Tliey are very va- 

 riable in obaraf'ter. The common Fuchyias are known 

 to us as small herbs, but some of them are shrubs in 

 their native countries. I'\ e.rcorticata , of New Zcaiand, 

 is a tree 30-40 ft. high , \Yh.ereas I^'. v roc mu hens, i)t the 



speciosa. 



Fuchsia ( X , 



same country, is a weak, trailing herb. The tls. are 

 showy ; calyx-tube prolonged beyond the ovary and 

 bell-shaped to tubular, with 4 spreading lobes ; petals 

 -1-, sometimes 5, or in some species wanting ; stamens 

 usually 8, often exserted ; style long-exserted, the 

 stigma prominent: fr. (seldoTu seen under glass} a 

 1-loculed soft berry. Of the many species, less than 

 half a dozen have entered largely into garden forms. 

 Tlie common garden kinds have come mostly from J^\ 

 .Uii'ir/laiiicti . This species was introduced into (ireat 

 l-iriJain from Chile in 1788, or altout that time. It is va- 

 riable in a wild state as well as in cultivation, and plants 

 subsequently introduced from South America were so 

 distinct as to be regarded for a time as distinct spe- 

 cies. Even at the present day some of the forms of 7*^ 

 i\[ii(!''Uani(:a ai-e commonly spoken of as species, so 

 much do they differ from the type. As early as 1848, 

 n41 species aud varieties — mostly mere garden forms- 

 were known and named f Porch er, "La Fuclisia, son HIs- 

 toiro et sa Culture"). The Fuchsia reached the height 

 of its popularity about the middle of this century. At 

 the present time it is prized mostly for w^indow garden- 

 ing and consei-vatory decoration. The garden forms of 

 tlie present day are with difficulty referred to specific 

 types. The long-tubed or so-called speciosa forms are 

 jirobably hybrids of F. Magellanica and F. fiihioi.'i 

 (Figs. 875, 870). Others are evidently direct varieties 

 from the stem types. There arc many full double forms. 

 For the history and the garden botany of the Fuchsia, 

 see Hemsley 'in the Garden 9:284 aud 11:70; also 

 Watson, the Garden .'3o:74. 



Fuchsias are amongst the easiest of bouse plants to 

 grow. The essential points are to have vigorous young 

 phints and not to overpot ; the plants bloom better if 

 the roots are somewhat confined from the time that the 

 plant reaches tlie required size. Any garden soil is 

 suitable. Give the temperature of an ordinary living 

 room, or that required for geraniums. Fuchsias grow 

 readily from seeds, when these are obtainable, aud 

 blooming plants should l>e secured in loss than a year. 

 They are commonly grown froni slips, or cuttings, of 

 the nearly matured growing wood. Make the cuttings 

 of one or two joints — preferably two.— allow two leaves 

 to remain, but snip them in two to check loss from 

 evaporation, and insert half their length in sand or 

 waslied gravel. ]n four or five mouths Idoonjing plants 

 sliould be obtained. For fall bloom, nuike cuttings in 

 spring. For spring bloom, take cuttings in early fall or 



late summer. After flowering, the plants may be 

 cool and comparative!}'- dry if they are to be bio 

 again ; but it is usually more satisfactory to si 

 new lot each year from cuttings. However, one o 

 old and large specimen plants, in tubs or large 

 may be a desirable addition to the conservatory, 

 plants may be cut back severely, and the young gi 

 which is thrown out will give profuse bloom. S 

 from full sunlight, keep the atmosphere moist, sy 

 if insects become troublesome, and give a rich 

 Most of the Magellanica types maybe left in the op 

 the South if protected with mulch. There are Fu 

 hedges in S. Ireland and parts of England belongi 

 this type. l_ pj_ 



One of the great merits of the Fuchsia is that 

 the strong an<l robust-growing t3''pes make exei 

 outdoor decorative plants in summer, and are espei 

 adapted for shady and half shady places whert 

 other plants will answer. This is particularly tr 

 plants which have been kept over winter and have 

 trained into large bush plants or standards. Aft€ 

 tirst year, they make line specimens, and they c; 

 "vopt and used in this manner and for these puri 

 for many years. They can be stored in a cool g 

 bouse, light cellar or any other cool, out-of-the 

 place, where hydrangeas, oleanders and such . 

 is wintered, leaving them in their pot-bound, : 

 dormant state all winter, giving just enough moi 

 to keep them alive. The latter part of March or th 

 ginning of April in the North, the plants can be st 

 into growth, and as soon as root action begins the 

 be repotted or retubbed, using rich, open loam, 

 plenty of good drainage, and can remain in those 

 or tubs for another year. When in bud or bloom 

 quent application of liquid manure is very bene! 

 Fuchsias are great feeders. They flower best ■ 

 ])Iunged with their pots or tubs iu the ground outd 

 and can be left out until very late in the season, as 

 are nearly semi-hardy, and stand a little frost wii 

 serious injury. ,;.^i|t. by H. A. Siebrec] 



Various Eatin names of horticultural forms occ 

 the trade, but the following represent all the impo 

 botanical types in cultivation in this country: 



A. Fh. (1 roopinr/. 



It. Cnlyx-f}ih(' mostly shorfer fJirni Ihe lobfs {i 

 F. spfciova i^ometiriii's os Jong lu/olii): ppinJh 

 ritfe a ikJ refuse , eonvulufe in f]u- hud. — Ea 



EAK-DlioPS. 



1. Magellanica, Lam. (F. macrostem)ii.a, Ruiz & 

 F. eocclnea, Curtis, not Alton). Calyx tube little k 

 than the ovary, oblong or short-cylindrical : petals 

 mally blue, and shorter than the red and oblong-la 

 late calyx lobes ; stamens long-exserted : Ivs. opj: 

 or in ;i\s, lance-ovate, verj' short-petiole<l, dentate. 

 and S. 1o Terro del Fuego. B.M.97. The leading ■ 

 are as follows : 



Var. glob6sa {F. glohdsa, Eindl. ). Fls. small and i? 

 the bud nearly globular and tlie tips of the sepa 

 hcring even after the flower begins to burst ; calyx 

 very short. A profuse bloomer, and a common 

 amongst old-fashioned Fuchsias. Probably of g; 

 origin. B.R. 18:1556. Gn. 55, p. 75. 



Var. c6mca {F. conim. Ijindl.). Small-fid., (lu 

 conical-oblong ; calyx tulie nearly as long as the I 

 petals nearlv equal to the calyx lobes. Raised 

 seeds l)rought from Chile. B.R. 13:1002. 



Var. discolor (F. cJi,scolor, Lindl, F. Ldwel, H 

 Dwarf and hardy: lis. small, with slender, short 

 and wide-spreading, rattier narrow calyx lobes, whii 

 somewhat longer than the tube : branches deep pu 

 Ivs. undulate-toothed. Falklan<l Isl. li.R. 21:1805 



