Fuchsia 'Thumbelina'

RHS Plant Profile

fuchsia 'Thumbelina'

Shrubs Conservatory Greenhouse

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A small and compact deciduous, bushy shrub with pale green foliage, and abundant pendent double flowers which have a lilac-blue corolla and rose-red sepals from summer through to autumn. Very suitable for containers and hanging baskets

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.5-1 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed or 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): H3

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 a unheated greenhouse in containers of peat-free multi-purpose compost in bright indirect light and keep just moist. Can be grown outside in the summer months in sun or part shade, water freely and use a general liquid fertiliser monthly from spring to summer. May be hardy in mild areas or inner city locations. See tender fuchsia cultivation for further information

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in any season

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Hanging Basket
Patio and container plants
Conservatory and greenhouse
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning Group 6

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, capsid bug, fuchsia gall mite, fuchsia flea beetle, glasshouse red spider mite and vine weevil

Diseases

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