Fuchsias are very popular among flower lovers. With good care, they bloom for a long time and are not demanding in terms of location. The fuchsia currently has around 107 species. Most show their flowering splendor throughout the summer months and overwinter frost-free. If they are planted in the window box or in the garden bed, moving to the winter quarters involves a lot of effort. Fuchsias that are hardy would make the job a lot easier. But does it exist? The Plant Advisor enlightens.
Are there hardy fuchsias?
The question is clearly with one Yes to answer, even if most fuchsia varieties do not tolerate sub-zero temperatures. The hardy specimens are under the type of "outdoor fuchsia" to find. Some varieties of them can spend the winter outdoors without any problems. Whereas other varieties have to be relocated to the warmer winter quarters in autumn at the latest.
Flowering season of hardy fuchsia varieties
Even if home gardeners aren't concerned with the amount of work involved in repotting/transplanting, a hardy outdoor fuchsia is still a great addition to the outdoors compared to the non-hardy fuchsias. It blooms from late summer to late autumn and thus brings color to the mostly dreary, gray autumn days. Many specimens of hardy varieties flower as early as May or June. They then take a break from flowering at the end of July/beginning of August, during which they collect new energy for the autumn blossom.
They are ideal for single planting between lower plants, but also between perennials, shrubs and small hedges. When the garden or balcony loses color in late summer, it looks great in the gaps, where it prolongs the summer feeling with its strong, fresh color.
Frost-resistant does not equal robust winter hardiness
Nurseries and garden retailers often only indicate the property "hardy" or "frost-resistant". As a customer, you should not rely on this alone, because it can be an immense difference present. Although hardy fuchsia varieties are advertised as suitable for outdoor planting in the Central European winter months, this is in many cases heavily dependent on the sub-zero temperatures and the length of freezing temperatures.
Winter temperature is crucial
Frostproof Specimens often only show up down to -5 °C insensitive to cold. However, since the winter temperatures have been significantly lower in recent years and experts assume that the temperatures will continue to drop, it will be difficult for these fuchsia varieties to survive the winter with weeks of icy temperatures unscathed.
Other varieties, on the other hand, are significantly more frost-resistant. When purchasing a hardy or frost-resistant fuchsia, you should inquire about the temperatures up to which it is winter hardy or limit yourself to purchasing the varieties listed at the bottom of the guide. Anyone who buys seeds can usually find this information on the description of the packaging.
Caution despite suitable winter hardiness
If you have decided on a fuchsia that is characterized by high frost resistance, you should still be careful. Under certain conditions, it reacts much more sensitively at low winter temperatures. For this reason, you should always keep the following tips in mind:
- No overwintering outdoors for young plants
- Outdoor fuchsias should not be planted in the garden bed or balcony box until they are two years old at the earliest
- There must be a strong rootstock
- Best planting time: between June and July, so that the roots can take root until winter
- Put the root in a planting trough at least 20 centimeters deep
- In the case of diseases or suspected growth disorders, frost-free overwintering as a precaution
- On rainy days in late autumn, make sure to avoid waterlogging if frost is imminent
Preparation for the winter season
Despite its hardiness, the fuchsia requires some preparation for overwintering outdoors. You should absolutely refrain from the following:
- In the second year of life: cover the soil above the root area with leaves, brushwood or straw
- Do not cover with foil under any circumstances, as this greatly increases the risk of rotting
- From the age of three: Plants are usually so robust that they can do without thermal insulation
- In autumn, only cut off faded flowers - cut back in spring
- Stopping fertilizing from late summer could reduce flowering for the coming garden season
Outdoor fuchsias suitable for cold winters
Magellanic fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica)
The Magellanic Fuchsia is one of the most frost-resistant Fuchsia species. It can easily spend the winter outdoors at temperatures between -15 °C and -18 °C. Above all, the "Georg" variety from Danish breeding is very robust. In some gardens, this strain has happily survived winter temperatures of -23°C.
Other hardy varieties of Fuchsia magellanica are:
- Riccartonii - has an impressive color brilliance and an extremely long flowering period
- Hawkshead - the only hardy fuchsia variety with white flowers
- Tricolor - has white, green and pink colored leaves
- Bouquet - flowers in blue and red, upright growing to a height of 30 cm
- Lovebird - impresses with two-tone flowers
- Lady Thumb - dwarf fuchsia with a maximum growth height of 40 cm, red-violet flowers
- Whiteknight Pearl - soft pink flowers that shimmer white from a distance
- Fuchsia "Alice Hoffmann" - enchants with bronze colored foliage and semi-double flowers
- Fuchsia regia ssp. reitzii
magellanic bouquet
The fuchsia survives severe frosts well. While other fuchsia varieties "freeze back" and retreat to the ground near the rootstock, this variety's branches stay up all winter. In the spring it drives out again. In combination with an extraordinary vigour, it can reach a height of several meters. For this reason, it is very popular as a tendril plant and privacy screen.
Fuchsia microphylla
Hardy, but possibly more sensitive than the Fuchsia regia ssp. reitzii presents the Fuchsia microphylla. It is a relatively new breed that impresses with bright pink flowers and a strong contrast to the dark green foliage. So far, all that is known about outdoor wintering is that it has survived temperatures from -7 °C to -8 °C without any problems. If the temperatures drop lower, a root insulation in the form of straw, brushwood or thick bark mulch.
Fuchsia microphylla
Fuchsia procumben
A wild species is the Fuchsia procumben, which originally comes from New Zealand. It grows wild with yellow calyxes surrounded by green petals as a groundcover. In the garden and on balconies it is planted in tubs and hanging baskets as a hanging plant.
Fuchsia procumben
It tolerates mild winter temperatures down to -5 °C without special protection. If it gets colder, it needs protection against the cold. Here it is advisable to always procumben the Fuchsia to a sheltered location to place. In addition, a bucket should always be placed on a wooden or styrofoam board for thermal insulation.
Tip: Always bear in mind that potted plants are much more affected by the cold, because it hits them from all sides and, in the worst case, can freeze the substrate from top to bottom. Thermal insulation and a wind-protected location are therefore generally recommended.
Fuchsia hybrid "Madame Cornelissen"
This hybrid variety comes from Belgium. It blooms in red and white from July until late October. In addition, it has an upright, bushy growth and reaches a height of up to 80 cm with a maximum growth width of between 70 cm and 90 cm.
It is extremely hardy, because temperatures down to -10 °C do not bother it. If it is protected from cold winds, it will survive even cooler winter temperatures without freezing to death.
Fuchsia hybrid "Madame Cornelissen"
Fuchsia "Delta Sarah"
The "Delta Sarah" is not yet widespread in Germany, but has good frost resistance. It impresses with its hitherto unique flower color in white with violet. Without protection against the cold, it can easily handle temperatures of -8 °C. With winter protection from brushwood, straw or leaves over the root area and in a wind-protected location, it will sprout again in spring even after hibernating with temperatures of more than -15 °C.
Fuchsia "Delta Sarah"