Fuchsia – Riccartonii 5 litre pot

Fuchsia are so worth having, they are problem free and flower continuously for months… We only stock the hardies; Mrs. Popple, Riccartonii and finally the magnificent Fuchsia Magellanica Molinae with very pale pink slender flowers which grows in Cornwall as a hedge.

Fuchsia ‘Riccartonii’ is one of the most popular Fuchsia,  you can also see it growing wild on roadsides. It was raised in 1830 by a Mr Young, the head gardener at Riccarton in Scotland and was noted for its hardiness.  It is widely used as a hedging plant or as a large shrub. Its blood-red sepals and deep purple or blue-violet petals, in the form of a petticoat, make this plant one of the best known summer shrubs. It is a very impressive, long-flowering variety that’s ideal for adding a splash of colour to borders.  ‘Riccartonii’ is extremely tough and hardy.  Remember to prune back in the late springtime, having allowed the frost to damage what it will of the plant, leaving the branches attached protects the crown and growth point of the shrub – just take off any obvious dead wood and it will re-grow.  We know that all Fuchsia do not like soggy bottoms, they also prefer to be kept in the ground where they can access water and develop their root system.

Obviously, from the view of a pollinator they are great, providing food for a long season.  Here in Kent we NEVER prune our fuchsia before springtime when we can see that the fuchsia is producing new shoots, either from old wood or from the base.  Sometimes out winters can prove to be extremely cold and even though she does not have leaves at this time and is safely asleep the harsh frosts can penetrate the growth point of the plant, so still having branches attached helps to keep the central crown protected.  Fuchsia do enjoy the sun but are fine in semi shade too. I remember one year seeing that each flower of one of my “old ladies” had a neat hole at its base – those Lazy Bees with tongues too short to reach the nectar simply bit through the base of the flower rather than go without – Ingenious!