Magellan Fuchsia

Hardy fuchsia is the hummingbird magnet that keeps flowering from midsummer through the first hard frost, dangling hundreds of small, bicolored flowers, red and purple, like tiny lanterns, from arching stems that move in the slightest breeze. Native to southern Chile and Argentina, it is the toughest species in the fuchsia genus, capable of surviving winters that would kill its tender greenhouse relatives. In Western Washington, it grows as a semi-woody shrub that reaches three to six feet, dying back to the ground in cold winters and resprouting vigorously in spring.

Hardy fuchsia earns its place in the garden by blooming when hummingbirds need it most, late summer and fall, after many other nectar sources have finished. It takes sun to part shade and handles the range of soils common to residential sites, though it performs best with consistent moisture. No significant disease or pest concerns are tracked. In the mildest Puget Sound winters, the stems survive and the plant reaches its full size early in the season. In colder winters, expect dieback to the crown, followed by rapid regrowth. Either way, you get flowers by July. For a long-season, low-maintenance hummingbird plant that fills the gap between summer perennials and fall asters, hardy fuchsia is one of the best options in the regional palette.