Fuchsia are a gardener’s favourite in the UK. They are so loved in fact that you are probably counting down the days until they bloom. But when do Fuchsias flower in the UK? Let’s have a look and find out exactly when you can expect to see those first gorgeous blooms.
When do Fuchsias Flower in the UK?
In the UK Fuchsias tend to start flowering in May and continue well into Autumn. This changes depending on whereabouts in the UK you are. The further north you are the later they will begin to flower and the earlier they will stop flowering.
If you are growing them indoors or in a greenhouse then they can even flower all year round if the conditions are perfect and they get enough heat and light.
Different varieties tend to flower at different times. Hardy Fuchsia, the ones you can leave in the ground over winter, tend to flower later than half-hardy or tender fuchsia. You can expect a hardy fuchsia to flower from the summer through to autumn.
Of course, all of this can be blown off course by the weather we have on any particular year. If the spring is particularly warm and sunny then expect your fuchsia to bloom earlier. On the other hand, if it is cold and grey then they will be a little later than usual.
My Fuchsia isn’t flowering?!
So the flowering time has come and maybe even been around for a few weeks but still, your fuchsia refuses to flower, what could the problem be?
Fuchsia Gall Mite
This is a fairly new problem for UK gardeners so I will forgive you if you haven’t heard of it even if you are an experienced grower. This pest first started being noticed in the UK in 2007 and only in the southern regions of our country.
Since then though it has started to spread further north and into Wales so more and more gardeners are coming into contact with it for the first time.
This is a sap-sucking mite that only affects Fuchsias, while not usually causing enough damage to kill a Fuchsia it can deform growth and make them quite ugly.
One of the key problems it causes is that flowers either don’t develop properly or just don’t develop at all.
The mite is so small that you won’t be able to see it on your plants without a microscope so you need to look out for damage. The new growth on the plant will be very twisted and deformed and it will be pretty clear that there is something wrong. Have a look at the image below for a good example.
Image courtesy of Wikipedia
More on Fuchsia
Fuchsias are a staple of British gardens, these perennial shrubby plants are found everywhere. Grown for their bright flowers, which with a little attention can flower all summer, and hardiness for those cold British winters.
The first written description of a Fuchsia comes from 1690 by the French monk Minim after he discovered them on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. There are over 100 different types of Fuchsia, most of them originating from South America. With a little care and attention, they can look good year after year in UK gardens.