Height: 3 feet
Spread: 4 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: (annual)
Description:
A lovely upright selection, ideal for patio pots, baskets, and window boxes; stunning flowers with violet-blue corollas and bright red sepals dangle from arching branches, blooming from spring to fall; adaptable as a houseplant; low maintenance
Ornamental Features
Voltaire Fuchsia features dainty nodding violet bell-shaped flowers with royal blue overtones and scarlet calyces at the ends of the branches from late spring to mid fall, which emerge from distinctive red flower buds. Its textured pointy leaves remain forest green in color throughout the season. The burgundy stems can be quite attractive.
Landscape Attributes
Voltaire Fuchsia is a multi-stemmed annual with a shapely form and gracefully arching foliage. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.
This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
- Insects
Voltaire Fuchsia is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- General Garden Use
- Container Planting
- Hanging Baskets
Planting & Growing
Voltaire Fuchsia will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.
This plant does best in a location that gets morning sunlight but is shaded from the hot afternoon sun, although it will also grow in partial shade. Keep it away from hot, dry locations that receive direct afternoon sun or which get reflected sunlight, such as against the south side of a white wall. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. This plant is a heavy feeder that requires frequent fertilizing throughout the growing season to perform at its best. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Voltaire Fuchsia is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
