Be aware that if you want to enjoy fuchsia berries, single-flowered cultivars usually produce better fruit.

With thousands of hybrids and cultivars to choose from, you’ll need to decide whether you want a trailing type to spill out of pots on your patio or a hardy upright variety to plant in the garden.

And then you’ll need to choose from the dazzling array of colors!

Hardy

Hardy fuchsia (F. magellanica) is a favorite among many home gardeners because it lives up to its name. It can handle a freeze and a little bit of dry soil won’t send it into a death spiral.

That’s not the only reason to love it, however. Of all the fuchsia species, it has some of the best-tasting berries, with a ripe grape flavor followed by a peppery afterbite.

Also known as hummingbird fuchsia, the hardy species can be overwintered outdoors in locations as far north as USDA Hardiness Zone 6.

This cultivar is an ideal option if you want something that will act as a centerpiece in your patio garden since it does well in containers.

Peruvian

Peruvian fuchsia (F. corymbiflora) is a beautiful plant with bright pink or red and white flowers. The blossoms are long and narrow.

While it’s perfectly lovely as a garden specimen, I recommend it because it has delicious fruit as well, with a sweet fig-like flavor. It doesn’t have the peppery afterbite that the fruit of many other species has.

Thyme-Leaved

Thyme-leaved fuchsia (F. thymifolia) is a variety from Mexico. It has tiny leaves and miniature dark pink flowers, which makes it ideal if you want a plant for bonsai or one that will grow well as an accent in a container garden.

It blooms from April to November in temperate regions, but note that it can’t handle even a light frost.

Creeping

Want all the fuchsia goodness, but wish you could grow it as a ground cover? Meet creeping fuchsia, F. procumbens, a New Zealand native.

Not only does it spill over the sides of containers, trail down walls, or creep along the ground, it has orange-yellow blossoms in summer and red berries in the fall. It can even handle a bit of drought.

Managing Pests and Diseases

Here’s the good news: deer and rabbits avoid fuchsia. You don’t have to worry about these fuzzy critters nibbling on your plants.

The bad news is, bugs aren’t afraid to take a bite. There are a few diseases to look out for, too.

Insects

Insect infestations can damage your plants and leave them vulnerable to bacterial or fungal infections.

Aphids

Aphids are particularly bothersome for plants growing indoors, but they can also attack outdoor plants. There are multiple types of aphids that will feed on these plants, most notably the potato aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae).

These bugs use their sucking mouthparts to draw out the juices from plants. They leave behind honeydew, which attracts ants and encourages sooty mold. Plants can become wilted and yellow.

To start, spray your plants with a blast of water to knock the aphids loose. If that doesn’t do the job, sprinkle your plants with flour to constipate them.

You can also spray with a product containing neem oil or insecticidal soap if the first two options don’t work to solve the problem.

Fuchsia Gall Mites

Fuchsia gall mites (Aculops fuchsiae) are nearly invisible to the naked eye, but the damage they leave behind isn’t. They cause flowers and shoots to become disfigured and swollen.

To control the problem, prune away infected branches to an inch below the damage.

You’ll have to keep at it, but eventually, you should be able to prune out all of the plant material that has been affected by the mites.

Also, be sure to wash and sanitize your tools every single time you work on the plant because mites are easily transmitted by gardening gloves, pruners, and other gardening implements.

Apply an insecticidal soap following the manufacturer’s recommendations. This won’t kill all the mites, but along with pruning, it can help you to get things under control.

Whiteflies

Whiteflies are common, and a pain to get rid of. There are dozens of species that attack plants, both indoors and out. However, if you are diligent, it’s possible to be victorious against this foe.

Mix a cup of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol with a few drops of dishwashing liquid and three cups of water. Mix well and spray plants daily until the infestation is gone.

The spray must come in contact with the bugs to kill them, so keep an eye out and spray all parts of the plant.

Disease

If you keep aphids away and are cautious about watering, you can generally avoid the diseases that most commonly attack this plant. Still, there are a few things you should watch out for.

Botrytis Blight

This disease is caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea. It likes low temps and high moisture – just like fuchsia does.

If your plant contracts this disease in the spring, it can cause the flower buds to be aborted. It can also cause yellowing of the leaves and may cause leaves to drop off. You’ll often see brown, decayed areas on the leaves and stems.

Remove any infected parts of the plant. In humid conditions in particular, make sure you’re only watering at the base, not on the leaves. Water in the morning so plants have time to dry during the day.

Damping Off

Damping off is caused by a variety of species of fungi (Fusarium spp., Rhizoctonia spp., and Pythium spp.), which can cause seeds to fail to germinate or seedlings to wilt, become water-soaked, and even die off entirely. If an affected seedling does survive, the plant will likely never be healthy and robust.

The first step is to try your best to avoid it. You can do this by cleaning your tools and pots before planting and use only fresh potting soil.

Keep whiteflies and aphids away, and keep seedlings at around 70°F. Don’t fertilize seedlings.

Finally, if you do notice signs of this disease, dispose of the seedlings and the soil, and sterilize your tools and containers before using them again.

Rust

Fuchsia rust is caused by the fungus Pucciniastrum epilobii. At first, you’ll notice leaves starting to turn yellow or brown, and rusty pustules will appear on the undersides. The leaves will begin to shrivel up and fall off the plant.

If you notice this happening, prune away any infected leaves. Thin plants out so they get better air circulation and only water at the base of plants.

Best Uses

These plants have a variety of uses in the garden.

You can train them as standards with a treelike form, grow them in pots or hanging baskets, or plant them in the flowerbeds and allow them to develop into their natural habit as attractive specimens in the garden.