| The
'false' fuchsia Californian
Fuchsia is more a
little known brought up winter hardy plant in The Netherlands. According to Lucas van
Herwaarden - webmaster of the Dutch website 'Neerlands Tuin'- he has somewhere
bought in our country this in California native plant by a nurseryman and this one he
tried out in his own garden. In our country you search this plant in the nursery catalogue
under the denomination 'Zauschneria californica' , while the synonym latin
denomination is 'Epilobium canum'. As species you find on internet mostly the
sub-varieties'Epilobium canum ssp canum', 'Epilobium canum ssp augustifolium'
and 'Epilobium canum ssp latifolium'. There excist of that also cultivars and the variety that Van
Herwaarden tried out is 'Western Hills'. On an American website this one is named
as one of the best cultivars. The denomination Californian Fuchsia this plant thanks to the form of the flower that likes on the
flowerform of the fuchsia species F.triphylla. The American common name
'Hummingbird trumpet' indicates allready that the plant attracts hummingbirds.
Leaves, stems and evenso the
flowers are soft hairy. The leaf shows no any likeness with that of the fuchsia. The form
of the leaf is lanceolate and it shows a remarcable grey colour. The branches are brittle
and break down easely. The bright red flowers have in the begin a green colour and are 80
mm long. Stamens are yellow and they are less longer than the orangered pistil. The main
flowering falls in the period July up to and including September. The Californian Fuchsia is hardy and like a hardy fuchsia this
plant grows out from the rootball. They grow up till a height of 0,40 till 0,60 m.
The Californian Fuchsia had to be planted in well-drained
soil. Superfluous down-beat namely must become transported quickly. On an American website
therefore became adviced to plant them in sandy soil. They can stand well on a sunny
standing-place. |
November
2008