Bolivian fuchsia
Fuchsia boliviana · Onagraceae
📷 Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.5
The gardener's calendar
Bolivian fuchsia is in full bloom: enjoy it, watch watering in hot weather and let spent flowers feed pollinators before pruning.
ID card
- Foliage
- Deciduous to semi-evergreen depending on climate
- Flowering
- June to October, tubular red and purple flowers
- Adult size
- Up to 2 m in height
- Growth
- Fast under favorable conditions
- Hardiness
- Frost-tender, grow in a pot or greenhouse in cold regions
- Origin
- Bolivian Andes (South America)
- Soil type
- Rich, well-draining and slightly acidic
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability low.
Expert tips
The key tip
Water generously and regularly during growth (soil should not dry out completely), but reduce watering significantly in winter if you bring it indoors.
The common mistake
Overwintering that's too dry or too warm weakens flowering and regrowth.
The pro's trick
Pinch back stems in June when they reach 15 cm: you'll increase the number of flowers and avoid a leggy, thin-looking plant.
Care
Watering
Bolivian fuchsia needs regular and abundant watering during growth and flowering, without letting the soil dry out. In winter, reduce watering but maintain slight moisture. Prefer soft or rainwater, and avoid hard water which can damage the foliage.
Exposure and light
Place it in partial shade or protected from intense direct sun, especially in summer when rays scorch the leaves. Bright, indirect light promotes beautiful flowering. In very shady areas, fruiting may decrease.
Pruning and fruiting
Prune lightly in late winter to maintain a compact, bushy shape. Remove dead or poorly oriented branches. Gentle pruning before growth resumes stimulates branching and increases flower production.
Fertilization
Apply balanced fertilizer every 15 days during active growth and flowering phases (April to September). Reduce or stop in winter to encourage dormancy.
Soil preparation and repotting
Use a light, rich and well-draining substrate (leaf mold, peat or fine bark). Repot in spring if roots emerge from the pot. Adding organic matter annually improves structure.
Diseases and pests
Watch for spider mites in overly dry conditions and whiteflies in warm conditions. Stagnant excess moisture promotes root rot. Ensure good air circulation and remove diseased leaves promptly.
Did you know?
Bolivian fuchsia is a must-have in alpine botanical gardens: its suspended tubular flowers resemble small red and purple lanterns, giving it spectacular charm. Native to the high Andes, it fascinated European botanists as early as the 19th century and remains a star of temperate greenhouse collections in winter.
Where to buy it
Best planted in autumn so the roots settle in before summer, or in early spring once the frost has passed. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, October, November.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Pink evening primroseOenothera speciosa
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- Hardy fuchsiaFuchsia magellanica
- Evening primroseOenothera fruticosa
- ClockweedOenothera lindheimeri
- Fuchsia regiaFuchsia regia
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.