In 1985 I visit in the Dutch nurseries centre Boskoop a 'rare plants
nursery', that for the professional horticulture also has inserted about 30 winter hardy
fuchsias in the delivery program. I want to hear from the nurseryman wath he could tell me
about the real hardiness of these hardy fuchsias. On the nursery there stood also a
number of rows plants to which triphylla-like flowers were hanging. And that I couldn't
place in the for me well known fuchsia assortment. Becides varieties with red and orange
flowers there stood sure enough also a variety with yellow flowers. They looked so strong
on real fuchsias, something like that must been planted also in my garden and therefore I
bought some of it.
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There was standing by
these plants plates with the latin denomination Phygelius aequalis (orangered), Phygelius
aequalis 'Yellow Trumpet' (yellow) en Phygelius capensis (red, see photo
beside). According to the nurseryman these plants have in The Netherlands the common name Kaapse Fuchsia, in England named Cape Fuchsia. They are used in our country as patio
plant and are unsufficient winter hardy. |
Special of the
yellow variety many cuttings go to the visitors of my garden and allready soon you saw
them generally in the collection of other fuchsia-lovers, in the catalogue of fuchsia
nurseries and in fuchsia shows. The Phygelius is a native plant out of
South-Africa. There the tubelar flowers become pollinated by hummingbirds. Grows as well
in half-shadow as in fully sun. They grow out till a height of 1,50 m and a wide of 0,60 -
1,00 m. Also I succeeded in bringing up a nice standard of it.
Like a real triphylla the flowers
on this shrub are growing in clusters. The flowering is rich and for a long time (Mai till
Oktober). Making cuttings, bringing up and the care goes in the same way like that of
'real' fuchsias. Meanwhile various sites on internet show that the assortment has enlarged
with a number of new cultivars and here under you find photos of this varieties. |
November
2008