Fireworks of pink!   It sure doesn't look like a Fuchsia, does it?  Fuchsia paniculata is a spectacular, rare species from the cool highlands of Central America.  This unusual tree-like Fuchsia is covered with large panicles of bright pink flowers almost all year.  The blooms are exciting even in the bud stage, starting out hot pink or magenta before bursting open to a softer pink.  The effect is like having lit sparklers all over your plant!  The plant is rare in cultivation, and fresh seeds are rarely seen for sale.

Fuchsia paniculata is an upright, woody species that forms a large bush.  Here in San Francisco it grows 12 feet tall!  You may prune the plant to any size that is convenient.  It may even be grown as a bonsai plant!  Even without flowers, it's a gorgeous plant, with large, glossy leaves and attractive red stems.  It flowers most months of the year, and is a very heavy bloomer.  Each flower cluster can get 5 to 10 inches across and have dozens of flowers.  After flowering, the plant makes grape-like berries that are edible!  The fruits are mildly sweet, tasting sort of like kiwi fruit, but less sweet.  This is a true species, not a hybrid, so the seeds grow true.

Fuchsia paniculata comes from mountain cloudforests, where temperatures are mild during the day and cool at night.  The plant might not thrive if temperatures regularly get above 85° F (29°C), especially if nights are warm.  It can handle a few degrees of frost (-3°C), but the foliage may die back from it.  I recommend protecting the plant from freezing temperatures.  It prefers filtered sun or morning sun — shade it from strong afternoon sun.  It will grow well in bright shade too.  Like most Fuchsias, it likes moist, well-draining soil, regular feeding, and some humidity.  This is a mite-resistant species.

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Germination tips for this plant