HOW TO GROW FUCHSIA MAGELLANICA 'Riccartonii'

Fuchsia magellanica 'Riccartonii'

Fuchsia magellanica 'Riccartonii' is a popular hardy evergreen subshrub (although considered deciduous in even the milder regions of the United Kingdom), noted for its ornamental foliage and narrow red and purple flowers. The type species is native to the temperate climates southern of Argentina and Chile, down to the Straits of Magellan, hence the species name.

Fuchsia magellanica 'Riccartonii'

It has an upright habit and produces small, ovate, dark-green leaves with a faint bronze sheen. Under favourable conditions it can grow to 10 feet (3.0 m) in height and width. In cooler European, frost-free climates, you are more likely to expect a height and width of between 4–5 feet (1.2–1.5 m).

The pendulous blooms appear profusely throughout the summer and autumn. They are comparatively small, with crimson tube and sepals, and violet-purple petals.


Grow Fuchsia magellanica 'Riccartonii' in a fertile, moist but well-drained soil. It will perform best when exposed to full morning sun, but keep partially-shaded during the hottest part of the day. In late winter, prune plants back to 12 to 18 inches in order to encourage produce fresh foliage in the spring. In exposed conditions or regions which experience prolonged freezing conditions, planted deeply and provide a dry mulch ( such as gravel or bark chips) over the winter.

Fuchsia magellanica 'Riccartonii' received the Award of Garden Merit (AGM) from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1993.

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