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Fuchsias

Fuchsias

Course Code
VHT112
Payment Options
Upfront & Payment Plans
Delivery
Online & Correspondence
Duration
100 Hours

Fuchsias VHT112

 

Distance Education Course -Growing Fuchsias

  • Learn to Grow Fuchsias
  • Start a Fuchsia business, work in a nursery, or indulge a passion

Open your eyes to the world of fuschias. Fuchsias are a colourful group of plants with many varieties to collect and enjoy. The way you treat a fuchsia plant should be different from place to place, time to time, and according to what you are trying to get from the plant. 

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Lesson Structure

There are 8 lessons in this course:

  1. Introduction
    • Review of the system of plant identification
    • General characteristics of fuchsias
    • Information contacts (ie: nurseries, seed, clubs)
  2. Culture
    • Planting
    • Staking
    • Mulching
    • Watering
    • Pest & disease
    • Feeding
    • Pruning
    • Protection from wind etc.
  3. Propagation
    • Propagating and potting media
    • Methods of propagating this group of plants.
    • Stock plants
    • Softwood cuttings, Semi hardwood cuttings
    • Hormones
    • Creating the best cutting environment
  4. The Most Commonly Grown Varieties
    • Magellanica hybrids
    • Triphylla hybrids
    • Upright (bush or shrub) fuchsias
    • Tall growers (suited to standards)
    • Dwarf Fuschsias
    • Trailing Fuchsias
  5. Other Important Groups
    • Quelusia Fuchsias
    • Eufuchsia Fuchsias
    • Ellobium, Kierschlegeria,Skinnera and other groups
    • How to train a Standard Fuchsia
    • Creating an Espalier fuchsia
  6. The Lesser Grown Varieties
    • Various species fuchsias
  7. Making the Best Use of Fuchsias
  8. Special Assignment - On one selected plant or group.

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

  • Identify different Fuchsias
  • Describe the culture of Fuchsias
  • Propagate Fuchsias
  • Describe the identification and culture of commonly grown Fuchsias
  • Compare a range of commonly grown Fuschias.
  • Discuss different lesser cultivated varieties of Fuchsias
  • Determine and explain a variety of ways Fuchsias may be used.
  • Discuss one aspect of Fuchsia cultivation in depth.

How Many Different Fuchsias are there?

There are over 8,000 fuchsia cultivars in existence and more and more are becoming available every year; this can make identification difficult.

Often, where a plant is cultivated can have an effect on its character, making it difficult to place. But if you study the individual characteristics, you will soon find the qualities that link each hybrid to its original parent.

Most modern hybrids or cultivars are derived from two groups:
1. The magellanica hybrids a cross between F. magellanica and F. fulgens. These hybrids most often have bi-coloured flowers; red, cerise, pink, "orange", purple or white is most common. The flowers grow from leaf axils - each with 3 buds ie. 1 vegetative and one vegetative bud with 2 flower buds on either side. Flowers come as singles (with 4 petals in the corolla) or double (with 8 ‘petals’ in the corolla) or semi-double 4 – 8 ‘petals’ in the corolla. Double flowers may be sterile as they are bred so that the stamens flatten out to resemble petals (they are not true petals). These plants grow in moist cool places and do not tolerate full sun or heat.

2. The triphylla hybrids – originating from F. triphylla and its allies including F. boliviana. These hybrids have the typical long tunnel (cigar shaped) flowers which form terminal spikes. The leaves are in whorls of three (hence triphylla). They can usually withstand heat and full sun. 

TYPES OF FUCHSIAS

The following are specific hybrids that can be used for their individual situations. Many may be available in your country.

Hardy Fuchsias

Cultivar

Height

Type

Flower

Year

‘Abbe Farges’

60cm

Semi-double

Tube and sepals light cerise, corolla rosy lilac.

1901

‘Alice Hoffman’

60cm

Semi-double

Tube and sepals rose, corolla white veined with rose

1911

‘Baby Thumb’

30 - 45cm

A sport of ‘Lady Thumb’

Variegated green and cream foliage - tube and sepals light carmine with corolla white.

1992

‘Beverly’

60 - 75cm

Single

Tube and sepals rose, corolla flushed pink.

1976

‘Blue Bush’

100 -120cm

Single

Tube and sepals rosy red, corolla blue fading to purple.

1973

‘Charles Welch’

60 - 75cm

Single

Tube and sepals ruby, corolla aubergine fading to ruby.

2004

‘Dollar Princess’

45 – 60cm

Double

Tube and sepals cerise, corolla rich purple.

1912

’Duchess of Cornwall’

60cm

Double

Lax growth; large double flowers. Tube and sepals bright red, corolla pure white.

1986

‘Edith’

90 - 120cm

Sport of ‘Margaret’

Tube and sepals red, corolla soft lavender.

1980

‘Frau Hilde Rademacher’

To 60cm

Double

Lax growth; rich red tube and sepals, corolla lilac blue.

1925

‘Genii’

75 – 90cm



 

Pale yellowish/green foliage; tube and sepals cerise, corolla rich violet.

1951

‘Hawkshead’

120 – 150cm

Single

White; green tips to sepals.

1962

‘Katie Rogers’

75cm

Single

Pinkish tube and sepals with mauve-lilac corolla. Flowers held horizontally.

2002

‘Lady Thumb’

30 – 45cm

Semi-double

Tube and sepals light carmine, corolla white veined carmine.

1966

‘Little Blue Boy’

 

Double

Small abundant flowers; Red tube and sepals with blue-purple corolla.

2002

‘Margaret’
 

120-130cm

Semi-double

Tube and sepals carmine, corolla violet with red veins; Early.

1939

‘Mrs Popple’

75 – 90cm

Single

Tube and sepals scarlet, corolla violet-purple.

1899

‘Ricartonii’

150cm

Single

Tube and sepals bright red, corolla dark violet. (Species rather then cultivar).

1830

‘Schneewitcher’

75cm

Single

Tube and sepals rich waxy ared, corolla rich violet blue.

1884

‘Tennessee Waltz’

60 – 75cm

Semi-double

Tube and sepals rose madder, corolla lilac lavender.

1950

‘Tom Thumb’

30 - 45cm

Single

Tube and sepals carmine, corolla mauve.

1850

‘White Pixie’

To 60cm

 

Tube and sepals red carmine, corolla white veined pink.

1968

 

  

 

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