Hardy Fuchsia "Genii"

Day 287: Even when not in bloom, Hardy Fuchsia "Genii" adds a spectacular accent to the flower bed. Its chartreuse-gold foliage fairly glows against darker greens, and when the flowers emerge, it sets off the combination of pink and purple in a striking manner. "Genii" has the potential for becoming an unruly, leggy shrub, but can be pruned to a smaller size without detriment to the plant while keeping foliage production more concentrated. New leaves appear on both fresh and old stems, emerging somewhat later from last year's wood. I usually prune old stems back to a foot in height or take them out entirely. Hardy at least to 0°, "Genii" takes the cold better than many other hardy fuchsia cultivars and will reward you year after year with delicate flowers reminiscent of those of its larger annual cousins.

Fuchsia Flowers And Fruit

Day 359: Would it surprise you to learn that the fruit of hardy fuchsias is edible? Once again, I will remind my readers that the words "edible" and "desirable as food" have two entirely different meanings, but they're not as widely separated in this case as in many other instances. Fuchsia berries (the maroon lobes in the upper right of the image) are mildly sweet and bear a slight perfume to the palate. Oddly, I have never noticed any particular scent to the flowers of any of the ones I cultivate; the berries seem to be borne solely by the smaller-flowered varieties (Genii and Riccarotonii, presumably more closely related to the wild plant). I had planned to experiment with adding them to jelly this year, possibly using apple as the carrier as some people do when making mint or rose jelly, but despite the hummingbirds' best efforts (and they were very active), the plants have produced very little fruit when compared to past years. It was an experiment I was greatly anticipating, but unless the prodigious flowers still on the shrubs are fertilized and ripen quickly, it will have to wait until next autumn.

Hardy

Day 53: I don't think hardy fuchsias are supposed to be blooming when the snow flies, but three of my five varieties (Genii, above, Dollar Princess and Army Nurse) apparently didn't get the memo and are doing their best to bring holiday colour to the garden. All three plants have been in their present locations for a couple of years, i.e., they're firmly established. Riccartonii is hanging onto its leaves, but has no blossoms currently, and Erecta (the most cold-sensitive member of the family) has gone to sleep for the winter.

Many people find these woody plants sprangly and unattractive when they outgrow their allotted space, but I think they more than adequately make up for their shortcomings by attracting hummingbirds to the yard. Because they flower on old wood as well as new, they can be pruned back if desired, although few people ever bother. Next year, I plan to add several more along the fenceline, either new plants or ones I've divided. Gotta keep those hummers happy!

I Dream Of Genii

Day 357:  Not realizing that hardy fuchsias bloom on old wood as well as new, I gave Genii a radical trim in the spring, and for the longest time, I thought I'd killed the plant. Finally a few leaf buds began to emerge and by August, she had full foliage but no sign of a blossom. I'd pruned Dollar Princess at the same time, but she recovered nicely and was in bloom by July. In the interim, I had also added Army Nurse and Erecta to the garden, and they were in full, showy array, much to the delight of the hummingbirds. At last, late in the season, Genii opened up.

I first became aware of hardy fuchsias when a friend introduced me to Genii in her yard, framing in my mind an image of "hardy fuchsia" which endured until recently when I became aware of other larger-flowered varieties with blooms more like the annual fuchsia of hanging-basket fame. Some are less hardy than others, so I selected varieties which would endure temperatures down to 0° F. To date, Erecta has been the most prolific, lavishly covered with pale pink flowers all summer long. Genii, however, remains my favourite, and next year, I'll let her grow to her heart's content. I should have known you shouldn't try to confine a Genii.

Steering Toward Better Blooms

Day 226: Mother Nature had a substantial hand in bringing my flower garden into its best-ever display by providing several days of hard rain right after I'd laid down a thick layer of mixed compost and steer manure. I have to admit I've only made minor soil amendments in past years, and the application of fertilizer was instituted as a last-ditch effort to control the moss which was slowly taking over the flower beds. Almost overnight, I noticed a change in the color of the peonies' foliage, and within a week or ten days, the garden was lushly green. I am being rewarded with larger and more abundant blooms as well as fewer pests, a bonus which can be attributed to the better health of the plants overall. Three bucks! That's all it cost to bring my flowers into vibrant bloom. I should have done this years ago.