8 Top Varieties of Fuchsia Flowers

By
Jamie McIntosh
Jamie McIntosh
Jamie McIntosh
Jamie McIntosh has written about gardening and special occasion flowers for the Spruce since 2011. She has more than 20 years of experience caring for flowers and plants. She was a feature writer for Organic Gardening at Suite101, where she won awards for her writing.
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Updated on 08/24/21
Bolivian fuchsia plant with red flowers and buds hanging from red-stemmed branches closeup

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Fuchsias are shrubby, evergreen perennials that produce colorful, drooping tubular flowers from spring until frost. They can serve as hardy garden plants in milder climates, but northern gardeners most often use them as annuals in hanging baskets or patio containers. Fuchsias are a staple in British gardens, as they love the mild summers and gentle rains that mimic their native habitat of the mountainous regions of Central America and South America.

The Fuchsia genus comprises more than 100 species of woody shrubs and small trees. The varieties sold as garden plants are often hybrid crosses of selected species, bred for their unusual colorful flowers and amenable growth habits. In cooler zones, hybrid fuchsias are usually grown as annuals, discarded at the end of the season, though it's possible to overwinter them indoors.

Although they're not a "plant-it-and-forget-it" type of flower, anyone can grow fuchsias with the help of some high-quality potting soil and a partly sunny site sheltered from the wind.

Here are eight stunning fuchsia varieties to add an exotic touch to your garden. 

Gardening Tip

Potted fuschias can be overwintered indoors, but it can be hard to maintain the humid environment they need to continue flowering. One option is to bring them in and allow them to go dormant for the winter. Cut them back to a few inches, and keep them in a dark, dry area. Water very sparingly, only enough to keep the soil from becoming totally dry.


  • 01 of 08

    'Swingtime' (Fuschia 'Swingtime')

    'Swingtime' fuchsia with white and red blooms
    gardendata / Getty Images

    The exotic flowers of hybrid 'Swingtime' fuchsias will grace your hanging baskets with blossoms from June until October in mild summer areas. Bright red sepals pop against the deeply ruffled white petals, and showy red stamens complete the red-white color pattern. Although the heaviest flower production occurs at the end of the stems, 'Swingtime' produces flowers up and down the length of the plant for a densely floral look. 

    • Native Area: Nursery hybrid; parent species are native to Central America and South America
    • USDA Growing Zones: 8–11
    • Height: 2–3 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • 02 of 08

    'Lady in Black' (Fuchsia 'Lady in Black')

    'Lady in Black' fuchsia with red blooms

    Merec0 / Flickr / CC by 2.0

    Gardeners depend on the trailing habit of fuchsias to spill over containers and thrill in hanging baskets, but the climbing habit of 'Lady in Black' fills a new niche in the fuchsia world. The half-hardy plants climb up to 6 feet in one season, producing hundreds of flowers at any one time throughout the long blooming season. 'Lady in Black' climbs by twining tendrils, so give it a trellis or fence with thin wires or mesh to enable the vines to cling. 

    • Native Area: Nursery hybrid; parent species are native to Central America and South America
    • USDA Growing Zones: 8–11
    • Height: 6 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • 03 of 08

    'Dollar Princess' (Fuchsia 'Dollar Princess')

    'Dollar Princess' fuchsia with magenta flowers
    sagarmanis / Getty Images

    Blooming equally well in the sun or shade, the red and purple blooms of 'Dollar Princess' blend well with warm and cool color schemes. In spite of its exotic appearance, this hardy fuchsia can survive winter temperatures down to 5 degrees. The shrub produces woody branches that are part of its permanent structure, and new tender growth will emerge from these branches in the spring. To increase the chances of winter survival in cold areas, remove all dead foliage, and pile mulch and leaves around the base of the plant. Wet winter soils cause root rot and death, so fuchsias in raised beds have a better chance of survival in these situations. 

    • Native Area: Nursery hybrid; parent species are native to Central America and South America
    • USDA Growing Zones: 6–11
    • Height: 1–2 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • 04 of 08

    'Seventh Heaven' (Fuchsia 'Seventh Heaven')

    'Seventh Heaven' fuchsia with pink bloom

    Zed66 / Flickr / CC by 2.0

    Giant hybrid fuchsias like 'Seventh Heaven' have attracted a new following of gardeners who want blooms with a greater impact than the classic dainty fuchsia flowers. Unlike some plants that produce big flowers, like sunflowers and dahlias, these fuchsias aren't stingy with the number of blooms they yield over the growing season. Four-inch blooms are prolific on plants that trail up to 18 inches in window boxes and large containers. For even greater impact, plant 'Seventh Heaven' with other giant flowering fuchsias, such as 'Quasar and 'Voodoo.'

    • Native Area: Nursery hybrid; parent species are native to South America
    • USDA Growing Zones: 8–11
    • Height: 2–3 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
    Continue to 5 of 8 below.
  • 05 of 08

    Bolivian Fuchsia (Fuchsia boliviana)

    Bolivian fuchsia plant with fuschia and purple flowers hanging from red-stemmed branches and leaves

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    While garden centers tout the new and improved hybrids each year, sometimes the simplicity of a species plant is most satisfying. When you grow the the Bolivian fuchsia, you get the same results each time: a fast-growing plant that blooms its heart out from June to September, sporting clusters of red flowers that sound the dinner bell for hummingbirds. This plant even produces an edible fruit, although the scant flesh proves to be more of a novelty than a side dish. This evergreen shrub is one of the larger garden fuchsias, best suited to grow as a garden plant or in a large container. This is a subtropical plant that won't do well in cold temperatures, though it will survive brief exposures at 25 degrees.

    • Native Area: Southern Peru, Bolivia, northern Argentina
    • USDA Growing Zones: 9–11
    • Height: 8–13 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • 06 of 08

    'Alba' (Fuchsia boliviana 'Alba')

    'Alba' fuchsia with white blossoms

    Cora Niele / Getty Images

    'Alba' is a selected cultivar of Bolivian fuchsia bred for white flowers, making an elegant addition to any white flower garden. The blooms aren't a stark white but a creamy pink that nevertheless look luminous under a full moon. Biweekly deadheading will encourage repeat blooming through fall. This is also a large, shrubby fuchsia variety that quickly succumbs to cold temperatures.

    • Native Area: Southern Peru, Bolivia, northern Argentina
    • USDA Growing Zones: 9–11
    • Height: 8–13 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • 07 of 08

    Paniculate Fuchsia (Fuchsia paniculata)

    Paniculate fuchsia with pink flowers

    Photos Lamontagne​ / Getty Images 

    Another pure species that makes a good garden plant is paniculate fuchsia. The sheer exuberance of this plant in bloom is captivating, as its vibrant pink flowers and ornamental berries are produced on erect shrubs that can live for 20 years in the right conditions. It demands mild, frost-free temperatures and acidic soil high in organic matter. With its slow-to-medium growth habit, this fuchsia variety is a good candidate for training as a tree. 

    • Native Area: Central America
    • USDA Growing Zones: 9–11
    • Height: 6–25 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • 08 of 08

    'Aurea' (Fuchsia magellanica ‘Aurea’)

    'Aurea' fuchsia with red flowers

    Richard Leonard / Flickr / CC by 2.0

    Keeping fuchsias in constant bloom is a tricky matter, but the golden foliage of 'Aurea' will compensate for lack of flowers. When the fiery red flowers are taking a break, keep the spotlight on the bright leaves by pairing it with other flowers on the opposite end of the color wheel, like red snapdragons or purple pansies. F. magellanica is a shrubby species, much different than the hybrids that are usually grown in containers, but it, too, can be overwintered indoors in regions with cooler winters. Several other good cultivars are also available, such as 'Logan's Wood,' a larger 5-foot plant with pink and purple flowers.

    • Native Area: Southern South America
    • USDA Growing Zones: 7–9
    • Height: 2–4 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
How to Grow and Care for Fuchsias Indoors