456 



PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS fuchsia 



or spreading, or reflexed. Stamens 8, 

 with slender filaments, often protruding. 

 Fruit a 4-celled pulpy berry. 



Along the southern and western 

 coasts the Fuchsia may be seen in all its 

 beauty and vigour, and it is astouishing 

 that such lovely flowering plants should 

 not be more in favour in the flower 

 garden. In less favoured localities than 

 those referred to many kinds of Fuchsias 

 will grow well, and although they may 

 have their shrubby stems cut down 

 daring the winter like herbaceous plants, 

 in spring new ones shoot forth with 

 renewed vigour from the rootstook. It is 

 probably owing to the numerous charm- 

 ing and tender varieties grown in green- 

 houses that many people have obtained 

 the impression that all Fuchsias require 

 indoor treatment. Such, however, is not 

 the case, and the kinds described below 

 will be found to grow very well out of doors, 

 and add a unique charm to the flower 

 border. In severe winters the roots may 

 be covered with a little coco-nut fibre or 

 ashes, to guard them from the frost. 



Culture and Propagation. — Fuchsias 

 thrive in rich sandy loam and leaf soil, 

 but grow well in ordinary garden mould. 

 They are easily increased by cuttings of 

 the young shoots inserted in sandy soil 

 under glass in spring. They root very 

 soon, and may be put singly into pots 

 and grown on until large enough for 

 planting out. By just pinching out the 

 tip of the main shoots, new branches are 

 caused to develop, and in a short time a 

 strong bushy plant is obtained. Fuchsias 

 cannot have too much light and air to 

 make them sturdy in growth, and water 

 should be given freely, except in winter, 

 when they will go for weeks without a 

 drop. 



Seeds are ripened freely on many 

 kinds, and may be sown in autumn after 

 being cleansed fi:om^ the pulp surroimding 

 them; or in spring, in pots or pans, under 

 glass. Unless new varieties are required 

 it is not worth while to sow seeds, as 

 cuttings are much quicker and better. 



Besides the natural species, all the 

 florists' varieties are useful for planting 

 out in the summer time, and those with 

 bronze or variegated foliage and dwarf 

 habit make effective groups by themselves 

 or in the front of a mixed border. 



F. coccinea.— A pretty Chilian bush, 

 with slender, downy branches, 3-6 ft. 

 high. Leaves bluntly ovate, toothed, on 



short hairy stalks, smoothish above, 

 downy beneath. Flowers in summer ; 

 petals violet, obovate ; sepals scarlet, 

 purple at the base, oblong acute. 

 Culture do. as above. 



F. conica. — A vigorous Chilian species 

 3-6 ft. high, with scarlet sepals, and deep 

 purple petals. Leaves 3-4 iu a whorl, 

 ovate flat, toothed, smooth ; stalks 

 downy. 



Culture do. as above. 



F. corallina. — In the South and West 

 of England this plant has produced thick 

 stems to a height of 20 ft., and is useful 

 for walls, or the sides of houses &c. 

 Leaves opposite, or in whorls of 4 or 5, 

 greenish-crimson above, dark crimson 

 beneath; the young stems dark red. 

 Flowers drooping ; sepals crimson ; petals 

 dark plum- colour. 



Culture do. as above. 



F. corymbiflora. — A Peruvian shrub 

 4-6 ft. high, with somewhat 4-angled 

 branches, reddish and downy when 

 young. Leaves large, opposite, oblong 

 lance-shaped, almost entire, with a rosy 

 midrib. Flowers in summer, scarlet, 

 about 2 in. long, in drooping terminal 

 clusters. 



Culture dc. as above. 



F. dependens. — A native of ChOi, 2- 

 4 ft. high. Leaves whorled, ovate-acute, 

 toothed, sUghtly downy above, paler and 

 more hairy beneath. Flowers in summer, 

 in drooping leafy racemes, at the ends of 

 the shoots ; calyx soft scarlet ; corolla 

 deeper in colour. 



Culture dc. as above. 



F. globosa. — A fine Mexican shrub 



5-6 ft. high. Leaves ovate-acute, small, 



toothed. Flowers from June to October, 



^■■fnning, globular, sepals pnrplish-red ; 



Pet^=^'»^'^-violet. 

 Culture dc. ... ^^^^^ 



F. gracilis (F. dcciisi,,.. ^ , 



Mexican shrub 6-10 ft. high^^^.^f^^ 

 pubescent branches. Leaves oppoSSiY, 

 on long stalks, smooth, distantly toothed. 

 Flowers in summer and autumn, axillary, 

 nodding; sepals scarlet, oblong acute; 

 petals purple. There is a beautiful 

 variegated form, with silvery foliage, not 

 so hardy as the type. Multiflora is a free- 

 flowering form, and tenella is a seedling. 



CuUiire dc. as above. 



F. macrosterama (F. magellanica). — 

 A beautiful Chilian sln-ub 6-12 ft. high. 



