FUCHSIA, a genus of plants of the family Onagraceae, char acterized by entire, usually opposite leaves, pendant flowers, a funnel-shaped, brightly coloured, quadripartite, deciduous calyx, four petals, alternating with the calycine segments, eight, rarely ten, exserted stamens, a long filiform style, an inferior ovary, and fruit, a fleshy ovoid many-seeded berry. All the members of the genus, except a few New Zealand species, are natives of Central and South America—occurring in the interior of forests or in damp and shady mountainous situations. The various species differ not a little in size as well as in other characters; some, as F. verrucosa, being dwarf shrubs; others, as F. arborescens and F. apetala, at taining a height of 12 to 16f t., and having stems several inches in diameter.
F. coccinea was the first species cultivated in England, where it was long confined to the greenhouse. The numerous hybrid forms now existing are the result chiefly of the intercrossing of long flowered with globose-flowered plants. In some varieties the blos soms are variegated, and in others they are double. There appears to be little limit to the number of forms to be obtained by careful cultivation and selection.
Ripe seed is sown either in autumn or about February or March in light, rich, well-drained mould, and is thinly covered with sandy soil and watered. A temperature of 70° to 75° Fahr. has been found suitable for raising. The seedlings are pricked off into shallow pots or pans, and when Sin. in height are transferred to Sin. pots, and are then treated the same as plants from cuttings. Fuchsias may be grafted readily, preferably by the splice or whip method, the apex of a young shoot being employed as a scion; but the easiest and most usual method is by cuttings.
Among the more hardy or half-hardy plants for inside borders are varieties of the Chilean species, F. macrostemma (or F. magel lanica), a shrub 6 to i2ft. high with a scarlet calyx. For inside culture may be mentioned F. boliviana (Bolivia), 2 to 4ft. high, with rich crimson flowers with a trumpet-shaped tube ; F. corymbi flora (Peru), 4 to 6ft. high, with scarlet flowers nearly tin. long in long terminal clusters; F. fulgens (Mexico), 4 to 6ft., with drooping apical clusters of scar let flowers; F. microphylla (Cen tral America), with small leaves and small scarlet funnel-shaped flowers, the petals deep red ; F. procumbens (New Zealand), a pretty little creeper, the small flowers of which are succeeded by oval magenta-crimson berries which remain on for months, and F. splendens (Mexico), 6ft. high, with very showy scarlet and green flowers. These wild species, however, cannot corn pare in beauty or freedom of blossom with the numerous varie ties raised by gardeners. The nectar of fuchsia flowers contains nearly 78% of cane sugar, the remainder being grape sugar. The berries of some fuchsias are subacid or sweet and edi ble. From certain species a dye is obtainable. The so-called "native fuchsias" of southern and eastern Australia are plants of the genus Correa, family Rutaceae.