Fuchsia 'Tom Thumb'

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fuchsia 'Tom Thumb'

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A very free-flowering, dwarf deciduous shrub to about 30cm tall, with dark green leaves, and small, single flowers with short red sepals and tube, and mauve-purple petals, flowering from early summer

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H4

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Onagraceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Potentially harmful
Although Fuchsia berries are edible, most are not particularly tasty and are sparsely produced on plants. Fuchsia plants are generally grown as an ornamental and not for fruit crops within the UK
Genus
Fuchsia can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs or trees, rarely perennials, with opposite or whorled leaves and usually pendent flowers with conspicuous tubular calyx, 4 spreading sepals and 4 erect petals
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist but well-drained, fertile soil in sun or part shade. Plant the base of the stem 5cm below the soil surface and provide a deep winter mulch and shelter from cold drying winds. See hardy fuchsia cultivation for further information

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in spring or semi-hardwood cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Patio and container plants
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Garden edging
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

Pruning group 6

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, fuchsia gall mite, capsid bug and vine weevil

Diseases

May be susceptible to fuchsia rust, grey moulds and honey fungus (rarely)