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The Andes mountains are home to many beautiful plants, like the rarely-seen Fuchsia dependens. All throughout the year, it lights up with hanging clusters of 3 inch long trumpet flowers of the most intense shade of pinkish scarlet. My camera simply can't capture the luminous color of these blooms. They have a nice glossy/waxy texture that makes them look a bit like birthday candles! This hard-to-find species is a must for any rare plant collector or Fuchsia fan. Fuchsia dependens is an evergreen bush that grows about 6 feet tall and wide here in San Francisco. In its homeland of Ecuador, it is said to climb 30 feet tall! It tends to have a wide, candelabra shape, although you may prune the side branches to encourage taller growth. This is a prolific bloomer and can have flowers on it most months of the year, adding a wonderful dash of color to shadier parts of the garden. After flowering, it makes edible, purple fruits that have a lightly sweet flavor. This is a species Fuchsia, so the seeds grow "true" to the parents, unlike hybrid fuchsias. Fuchsia dependens comes from cool cloud forests, where temperatures are mild all year and nights are cool. I suspect it might not do well in areas that regularly get above 85 degrees F (30°C), especially if nights are warm (over 65°F / 18°C). If other Fuchsia are grown in your area, you should be able to grow this one. It can probably handle a few degrees of light frost, but i recommend protecting it from freezing temperatures. It does best in part sunlight, with protection from strong afternoon sun. Like most Fuchsias, it prefers fertile, well-draining soil that's kept evenly moist. Over about 40% humidity is best. This species is resistant to Fuchsia Mites.
Germination tips for this plant
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