Fuchsia R.A.F

Fuchsia 'R.A.F.' is a perennial fuchsia with beautiful fully double flowers and highly undulated corollas, resembling a frilly skirt. The flowers range in colour from pale-pink to pink-red, and are adorned with long pink stamens. They are rather large, with red calyxes carried on trailing stems, making it an ideal plant for a hanging pot. This semi-hardy variety is perfect for patios, flowering pots, and hanging baskets.

There are countless hybrid fuchsias, most of which are derived from Fuchsia magellanica and F. fulgens, with occasional contributions from F. triphylla, which adds length to the flowers, characterised by thin tubes and violet-hued undersides of the leaves. All these herbaceous to woody plants, varying in hardiness and growth habit, belong to the Onagraceae family.

Fuchsia 'R.A.F.' was obtained in 1942 by G. Gordon in Australia. It forms a small upright bush, supported by flexible stems, reaching a height of 40cm (16in) when in bloom and a width of 30 to 40cm (12 to 16in). Its flowering period extends from June-July to September-October. It stands out with its long pendulous corollas reaching 7cm (3in) in length. They consist of a tube extended by 4 reflexed red sepals, and a crown of wider and shorter petals that are highly undulated. They range in colour from pale-pink to pink-red, with just a hint of veining in pink, nestled within the outer corolla. Long pink stamens complete the colour harmony. The stems become woody over the course of the season. They bear deciduous, elegant, and light whorled leaves, occurring in sets of 3 or 5, measuring 3 to 5cm (1 to 2in) in length. The lanceolate leaves are a fairly dark green colour.

Usually grown as an annual, this fuchsia is a perennial that can be grown indoors, as well as in the ground where there is minimal frost. It can also be grown in a large pot that can be brought indoors over winter. Its hardiness does not exceed -5°C (23°F), even when sheltered in winter. Fuchsias pair well with hydrangeas and the foliage of ferns, rodgersias, orange-colored heucheras, or hostas. In a decorative pot, they can be planted with ivy, Dichondra 'Silver Falls', lobelias, or bacopas with delicate flowers.

Discovered in Santo Domingo in the 17th century and acclimatised in Europe, it was named Fuchsia (not Fuschia) in honour of a German botanist named Fuchs. Native to South America, botanical fuchsias have gradually multiplied. There are now believed to be tens of thousands of hybrids!