Fuchsia boliviana

Fuchsia boliviana

A largish evergreen shrub, with large hairy green leaves (leaf stalks and ribs red) has large drooping bunches of sealing wax red flowers (up to 20cm long) in late summer and autumn. A touch tender and best if protected in winter, It performs best if cut hard back in spring and re potted.
Needs to be kept frost free to retain leaves but in the ground it will reappear from the roots much like any other Fuchsia and has survived here winter lows of -9c deep planting and good drainage being the key .
Remarkably wind tolerant it forms large leafy shrubs which come into flower in late summer, it is however worth growing just for the leaves which look superb all season. It also makes a fine conservatory shrub when it will remain evergreen.