Fuchsia boliviana

Plant of the month: January

Fuschia boliviana
Fuschia boliviana Fuchsia boliviana
Location

Fuchsia boliviana – Lawn Aviary

Fuchsia boliviana is a gorgeous, rare species from the Andes that creates an exotic “rainforest look”! All throughout the year, it sends down long, hanging clusters of waxy flowers of a vibrant fluorescent red. The lush, oversized leaves and tree-like shape add to the tropical look. After flowering, it produces tasty, edible, red fruits! The ancient Incas cultivated this exotic plant centuries ago and the fruits are still sold in South American markets today. They taste a bit like Kiwi fruit, but are not as sweet. However, it’s safe to say that this plant is mainly grown for its flowers!

The Bolivian Fuchsia is an evergreen shrub that can grow to around 5 m tall. It comes from cool cloud forests, where it doesn’t freeze, but it also doesn’t get very hot. It can only handle a few degrees of frost, so protection from freezing temperatures is recommended. It grows well indoors and may be pruned to any height that is convenient. In the right conditions, it is a vigorous plant, blooming almost every month of the year!