VIU Milner Gardens and Woodland

Plant Pick: Fuchsia 'Hawkshead'

Latin name:  Fuchsia magellanica

by Vancouver Island Master Gardeners Association

Long blooming from late May to fall, it prefers moist, well-drained soil in dappled shade or in sun with ample water.  

It will reach a height and width of 2 metres. Pruning to three feet in the fall will provide a sturdy framework for the new growth that comes quickly in the spring.  The blooms abound on the new wood. It is not particularly common and can be a challenge to find, perhaps because it is slightly less hardy than other hardy fuchsias.

There is one other variety F. magellanica 'alba' which fades to pink as it ages, and is even harder to find. This hardy fuchsia has very few pest or disease problems. 

At Milner Gardens & Woodland, the Fuchsia 'Hawkshead 'is found along the garden bed adjacent to the Gardeners Cottage.            

Photos courtesy of:  Kay Howard.

Attribute

Description

Form:

Upright vasal.

Foliage type:

Small elliptic leaves.

Height/Width:

Height and spread of roughly 2 metres.

Hardiness Zone:

Zone 7.

Exposure:

Dappled sun or shade.

Flower colour:

White.

Leaf colour:

Dark green.

Flower time:

May to September.

Preferred soil and watering:

Moist, well-drained soil.

Other:

Mulch around drip line in colder winters, avoiding trunk or main stems by 10 cm.  Propagation by semi-ripe nodal cuttings.