Fuchsia Thalia Fuchsia triphylla

Firecracker Fuchsia is a shade loving, easy to grow, small, flowering, deciduous shrub in the Onagraceae family and is native to Haiti and the Dominican Republic.  Because of its long bloom period and attractive foliage and flowers, it is often grown as an ornamental and is the parent of many Fuschia hybrids. The plant's leaves are whorled with a red or maroon tint on the underside. The flowers are drooping, long, tubular, and red-orange or red-purple. While a perennial in its native environment, the plant is typically grown as an annual in containers or in the ground after all danger of frost is gone. In fall, the plant can be cut back and overwintered in a dark, cool room with minimal watering until spring. Alternatively, stem cuttings taken in late summer can be potted up for the winter and put into the garden in spring. The genus name honors Leonhart Fuchs (1501-1566), a German physician and herbalist who published a book on herbs with unusually beautiful woodcuts of plants. The species name refers to the plant's leaves that are borne in sets of three.

Firecracker Fuchsia does well in fertile, well-drained soil and prefers soil rich in humus, although it does tolerate heavy clay soils. It does best in cool moist conditions with partial to full shade. The ideal growing conditions (temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees F, a PH range of 6 to 7, and some shade from direct sunlight) are typical of its native environment. You can also plant Firecracker Fuchsia in hanging baskets, containers, or window boxes. It will die back to the ground during a hard freeze. If it doesn't die back, you may wish to prune the stems to the ground to rejuvenate growth in the spring.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

No known diseases. Whiteflies can be problems.