Seasonal Wild Flowers

Fuchsia

Fuchsia magellanica

Onagraceae

June to October – often through to December.

The naturalised escape is thinly scattered throughout the

country and is most common in the Southwest.

It is also widely planted in gardens, parks and amenity

areas, and as a hedge plant, especially in the Southwest.

See the BSBI distribution map for Fuchsia

Fuchsia is a neophyte, which was introduced in the 1770s,

and has been a naturalised escape since the 1850s.

It grows in hedges, scrub and wasteland, and by water.

It is a spreading shrub growing up to 3m.

The flowers are pendulous and conspicuous.

There are 4 red petal-like sepals, which enclose 4 blue-

purple petals.

There are 8 red stamens and anthers and a red style

and stigma projecting beyond the stamens and petals.

Leaves are oval-lanceolate, softly toothed, and with

stipules.

Stems are green to brown to purple.

Reproduction is by suckering.

Fuchsia in a hedge

Flower group

Red stamens, anthers, style and stigma

Anthers with pollen

Leaves

Leaf, stipules and stem