| Fuchsia | ||||||||||||
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| F. magellanica macrostema | ||||||||||||
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Fuchsia is a genus of flowering plants, mostly shrubs, which were identified by Charles Plumier in the late 17th century, and named after German botanist Leonhart Fuchs (1501-1566). The great majority of the species are native to South America, but with a few occurring north through Central America to Mexico, and also several on New Zealand and Tahiti.
In South America, one species, Fuchsia magellanica, extends as far as the southern tip of the continent on Tierra del Fuego in the cool temperate zone, but the majority are tropical or subtropical.
There are about 100-110 species of Fuchsia. Most are shrubs from 0.2-4 m tall, but one New Zealand species, Kotukutuku (Fuchsia excorticata) is unusual in the genus in being a tree, growing up to 12-15 m tall.
Fuchsias are popular garden shrubs, though only the hardiest species like F. magellanica can be grown outdoors in countries like Britain, with many of the popular cultivars being greenhouse plants there. They have very decorative pendulous 'eardrop' flowers, borne in profusion. In wild species the flowers typically have bright red sepals and purple petals, but many different variants have been bred in cultivation, from white to dark red and purple-blue, and a few with yellowish tones. The fruit is an small (10-15 mm) dark red edible berry.
The most commonly cultivated species are:
- Bolivian Fuchsia (F. boliviana)
- Hybrid Fuchsia (F. hybrida)
- Hardy Fuchsia (F. magellanica)
- Shrubby Fuchsia (F. paniculata)
Pronunciation of "Fuchsia" is difficult for many English language speakers, as the correct pronunciation from the German origin of the name is "fuksya", readily confusable with the well-known, but taboo, swearword "fuck". As a result, most English speakers tend to say "fyew'sha".
The color fuchsia was named from the color of these flowers, and is synonymous with magenta. The Fuchsia begonia (Begonia foliosa), while unrelated to the fuchsia genus, is so named because its flowers are this color.