Who would like to see a Fuchsia Forum!?

Hi Jan23 Yes, they do, don't they?
Hi Willowwind2 I am working on a list from various sources. As soon as I get my website up, I could give you a link and it will have the list. Or I could D-mail you the list. Just send me an D-mail here. It is a very long list and would take up allot of room here. I have got to get that website up and going. It is a major priority right now, so it might be a while before I can finish that list and get to you ;-)
But once the website on-line, hopefull I will be able to relax a bit and work on that list like I want to. Plus work on the list of fuchsia's here in Plant Files!
Meanwhile, I would be happy to send you the list I have so far.

I'm in no hurry on the list, it will just be neat to get it when it's ready. Thanks

OK, so my hardy fuschias are only a few inches tall after the hard winter (for us) that we had this past year. It will be quite a while before I can share any pictures but will be most willing when the time comes.
By the way, for those who don't already know, I am the "mom" Rarejem refers to.

Hi Rarejem's Mom :-D Glad to see another join us here!
How long does it usually take them to start blooming again? What varieties are they? I am hard at work on a big list of all upright hardies, so far it is over 500!! My friends Garenmeister that froze to the ground this winter is already over a foot tall, so I will be wondering how yours are doing as well.
The Northwest Fuchsia Society also lists the heights their fuchsia's get to. But I think allot depends on the conditions and the age of the plant, as many of mine get much taller than what their list has. It must depend on how much damage they sustain during the winter.
Do you mulch yours for the winter?

http://www.nwfuchsiasociety.com/

Do not mulch. Have adopted the philosophy long ago that, if it doesn't make it on its own, it doesn't belong in my yard. A few exceptions, of course, including the hardy banana and palms that Azorina has gifted. And, of course, lots of my potted stuff winters in the two greenhouses I have. I will take time later to document names as the tags are only in the yard. The major one I have is the "common" one that is quite prevalent in this area. I have tried to move it from its original location several times but only get new plants and the old one still comes back. The new ones are in several locations in Rarejem's and my yards.

Ha, ha! Well perhaps I will be able to inspire you to change your mind about a few of the upright hardy fuchsia's! Maybe you will see one worth a layer of mulch for the winter along with the hardy banana. Wow, it must really be hardy! I have seen people try and grow banana's down here and they are gorgeous until a really bad freeze. And then it is just so sad to see so much damage...... otherwise I'd be tempted to try one myself. The most tropical plant I have are Kahili Gingers from India. Even if they freeze to the ground, they always come back up and bloom by summer time. Then they scent the whole yard :-)

This message was edited Jun 12, 2009 3:49 PM

My "Fuschia tree" is budding out and blooms will probably open any day. This has always been the first and blooms a lot sooner around here then any others I have. Growth begins at the top. All my others are only about 4-6" high at this time and growth starts ground level. I will post a pic as soon as they open.

This is the view out my back door as of yesterday. Magellanica is the biggest one. Larry is to the right. Black Prince is in between it and Voodoo to the left. I love to stand and stare out the back window here while I drink my morning coffee.

I do so hope that we will all be able to encourage more fuchsia gardeners to come and share their experiences and photos with us :-)

PC, That is a stunning view! Unfortunately, like Azorina said, it will be a while until people in our neck of the woods can start sharing photos! When we can, however, it should be motivating for those who don't grow these beauties yet to add at least a few.

good chuckle: "Black Prince, VooDoo, and........Larry". (Where's Bob?)

I have mulched & lost despite my efforts.
But, last year - no mulch & all is good. Cannot explain this anomaly...

I wish there was a better selection of hardy Fuchsias here - very limited supply.
I share Sharon's philosophy about hardiness - if a plant cannot make it without extra measures, I probably won't grow it.
Our winters are wet & cold, but lacking insulation from any measurable snow accumulations. So, hardiness is dicey. My soil is well-amended, but I have lost plants due to the Freeze-Thaw phenomenon, particularly this past winter.
If Fuchsias were amenable to pot culture, that would make it easier. For example, I lost many zone 7 plants, but I have Z9's that survived. The Z9 plants were all in containers except for a couple. Weird.....

http://www.nwfuchsiasociety.com/

Hi Katye, have you seen this cool site? There are all kinds of upright hardy fuchsia's! I am compiling a list, and so far I have almost 500!! They show you have to plant them so they will winter over.
And even though I am in Zone 9b, we occasionally have winters where everything freezes solid and we sometimes get snow. If you go up to my post #6571658, you'll see a photo of my specimens in pots :-)
In the photo of Larry, and his friends, you can't see it, but Larry is in a 15 gallon pot and so is Voodoo. I just pile up leaves and the mulch I create from composting pulled weeds, all around them for the winter. Plus, I move them all together.
There are internet sources for many upright fuchsia's now. I am fortunate to live near a large nursery with an extensive collection.
For me, a little effort for these beauties is worth it. Plus, the berries are edible. I just had a handfull of Black Prince berries. So far, the best tasting ones have come from Lycioides. One of the reasons why I am collecting so many varieties, 75 now, is I am searching for the best tasting berry....But don't tell anyone.......

That's interesting. Didn't know they were edible.

Yes, the everyone will tell you to pull off the green berries before they ripen, to spur the plant to produce more flowers instead. But my bushes have never been adversely affected by allowing the berries to ripen. They are almost always blooming. Yeah, in South American fruit markets, you can buy fuchsia berries to eat. That is where fuchsia' are from! Last night, my nephew was looking into this fact and discovered there is a species growing in New Zealand now that the native people enjoy eating. Long ago, I even heard of them being made into jam!!
The flowers are also edible, but I don't know if they taste good, haven't tried one yet ;-)

My hardy is just beginning to have buds. With the warn weather we are having they will probably be open in a couple days. Every plant is just bursting out.

I'll be looking forward to seeing what it turns out to be! The berries from the Lycioides were about the size of small blueberries, but with very dark skins. So far, it seems like the smaller the berry, the better the taste. I need to get to work on an ariticle on fuchsia's for my website! Ha, ha, maybe I should see if I can find a recipe for making jam out of them :-)

There you go. Can you describe the taste?

Ha, ha, they taste like fuchsia berries! I have been eating them since I was a kid. Have you ever had a raw blueberry? Unless you love blueberries, raw blueberries aren't that exciting. But they are very good for you because of those dark skins.
I'd say the closest I could get would be a cross between a grape and a blueberry. But not as tart as a grape. And just like grapes, the taste varies.
The little black Lycioide berries were a great surprise to me the other day, I was reminded of raisins. But these weren't dried ;-)

I like both grapes and blueberries. If I have some berries I will try them.

I have not had these since I lived in Northern California, where the Fuchsias grow over a very long season.
The flavour is not easy to describe, but definitely NOT an "acquired" taste - just different.
Not too sweet - just right!

I really like them. They have a sweet floral essence. It really does depend on which fuchsia you tried. So far, the smaller the berry, the better the flavor.
Another very important detail, is to make certain they are ripe.
Wait until the entire skin is so dark it is almost black and the berry falls off into your hand. Like many other types of fruit, such as blackberries, if you have to pull, it isn't really ripe yet.

PedricksCorner- I just purchased a new fuchsia called "Paula Jane". Are you familiar with this variety? It has a big hole in my border to fill. You are right it is hard to find information on several varieties.

I hope it is okay to refer to my website in the forums. If not, then I won't in the future. If you are interested, I have made a page just for links to sources of information on fuchsias. Like societies in England, Australia, New Zealand, etc. But how tall a variety is going to get depends so much on the conditions it is grown in, that it is hard to go by what they say the height is going to be. From Paula Jane's corolla, or skirt as I like to think of them, she looks like she is related to the Duchess of Albany and Temptation. Or even Delta's Groom. They have that point on them. All three of those bushes are large and very vigorous! Another way to tell is the foliage.
Did you know that fuchsia foliage is as unique to each variety as it's flower? I can tell what my cuttings are in their trays even without tags or flowers. I think Paula Jane could turn out to be just what you wanted her to be. Ha, ha, now I need to go see if she is on the list I have compiled on the website. It is up to 792 varieties of uprights. As I go along, I am going to try and list heights and other details. Most of all, I am trying to post a photo of the full bush view for each of the varieties I grow. So people will be able to make choices based on more than just the photos of the flowers. Each variety takes such different forms!
I hope you will let us know how Paula Jane does!

No need for a Fushia forum they are really ugly scrubby bushes anyway and can be oohed and awed on the noxious weed forum.

That was not particularly nice. It is too bad that you have not been exposed to the lovely hardy fuschia's that those of us who have enjoyed them have. Mine are lovely and graceful, and are still blooming beautifully after all of my "noxious weeds" have faded away for the season.

I am surprised that someone would use one of the forums here to attempt to be hurtfull. If eweed is not interested in fuchsias, then there is no reason for them to waste their time in this thread.

Be patient.......not all of us are blessed with good taste and a generous nature.

Wow ... I was hoping that the PNW forums would be a graceful change from the spitefulness that invades others.

summerkid- PNW forums are are graceful long as we ignore the clumsy, Hee Hee

There Ya go an opinion that is different than yours is hurtful,spiteful,clumsy. lol sounds like name calling to me smile.

Summerkid, this is the first I've seen. Sorry, I didn't ignore it.

Sometimes the delivery of an opinion is 'clumsy'. It's so difficult cuz words are just words and we can't see the facial expression that goes along with the words.

I know I have written something and it was totally taken the wrong way. I try to preview now what I've written before sending and think whether or not it could be taken wrongly.

Back to topic - the NOID I got at a nursery (no label and the girls working didn't have a clue) is looking good. No pics, sorry. It has long, thin, red tubes and darkish, green leaves. I have it by some blue fescue. Nice contrast.

Meanwhile, a number of my new varieties are starting to show color and I am very excited about them! One of them is called Ain't She Sweet, and she is! The sepals are long, thin, and white, with a dainty little simple corolla beneath! And Glitters is living up to the description on it's tag very well. Sepals "Waxy White," and Corolla "Glowing Orange Red." My favorite color is blue, but for some reason, I keep seeking out the fuchsia varieties that have orange in them. My friend with the good camera should be by soon so I can post photos of the new kids in bloom :-)

PC, I am really excited to see your pics. I am still miles away from blooms, but all of my hardies and not-so-hardies are growing like crazy now!

I am tempted to try and take a few photos with my piece of junk camera, ha, ha! I take good photos with the 35mm, but who has time to get them developed, ya know?
Jan23, that sounds to me like Gartenmeister Bonstedt, it is a very hardy fuchsia that can come back up from underneath the ground if it happens to freeze completely above. Do the leaves almost have a reddish or purple tinge to them?

It is a good thing we are able to go back and edit our entries if we make a mistake, isn't it? I just noticed a correction I need to make above ;-)

The top of the leaves is dark green with a darkish midrib and the underside is dark reddish/purple tinge. I'll look that up.

Just looked in plant files and I believe you hit the nail on the head. Great, now I have a name for my NOID. Thank you.

Thanks! And I think your particular bush should still have the special name NOID, ha, ha! The huge bush I call Larry is probably Jupiter, but even when I find out what his real name is, this bush will always be Larry to me. He was just a cutting in April 2008 when I drove even farther out into the boonies to buy Jerusalem Artichokes and a man named Larry let me take a cutting from a huge bush growing next to his trailer in the six foot tall weeds. I wonder how big he'd be if I hadn't been using him for propigation twice already and if he was in the ground!

Hi, I hope I can ask my fellow fuchsia lovers for some help. Earlier this spring, a friend named Marion let me take a cutting from her fuchsia. She'd had it so many years, there was no longer a tag and she had no idea what it's name is. So I have decided to name it Marion until I find out otherwise.
I posted a photo of the fuchsia in my thread for California Gardening in which I am also trying to gain support for a fuchsia forum. It's called "Let's Get A Fuchsia Forum Going." Please take a look and see if you know the correct name :-)

Hi PC, I finally got a picture of one of my hardies.

And the whole bush

That is such a cute little flower! I love the dark blue skirt on it. Do you have any idea what his name is? I am thinking it could be Tiny Tim. It is on my list of uprights on the website and one that I hope to be adding to my collection. Are you interested in a trade?