Fuchsia excorticata
“New Zealand Tree Fuchsia”

photo: (left) JG in SF

A must for the Fuchsia collector, this giant of the genus grows to 18’ tall in the wild, but in the garden it’s grown as a shrub or a small, spreading tree to 10’. Evergreen in frost-free climates, the attractive and glossy pointed-oval leaves are dark green above and silvery beneath. Beautiful cinnamon colored peeling bark and flowers that also sprout directly from the trunk or branches, makes this one very cool specimen plant. The 1” pendulous flowers start out green, turn violet, then dark purple and display bright blue pollen that was used by the Maori as face ornament. Bloom time is late Spring and lasts for several months, followed by dark berries loved by birds. Slow growing “Tree, Fuchsia” loves rich, average-moist soil.

Annie