Fuchsia Snowcap

Fuchsia 'Snow Cap' is a hardy variety of Magellan Fuchsia that can withstand temperatures as low as -15°C. It forms an upright bush with dark green foliage and is covered in flowers from July to October. These bicoloured and contrasting, semi-double flowers are a combination of scarlet red and white. It prefers a shaded exposure or filtered light, but can tolerate (non-scorching) sunlight in moist soil. This variety has received an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.

Fuchsia magellanica, named after the Strait of Magellan, its place of origin, is a small shrub that thrives in its preferred climates. It can reach a height of 150 cm or more in humid and temperate conditions with fertile, well-drained soil. In mild climates, the stems should be pruned by half. However, in harsher climates with intense frost (-15°C), the stems will not survive, but this will not endanger your Fuchsia. Simply cut them back and protect the crown by mulching or mounding soil around it. The stems will regrow vigorously in spring.

Fuchsia magellanica 'Snow Cap' is a cross between F. magellanica var. molinae and F. magellanica var. conica. It forms an upright, bushy, and slightly trailing shrub with an estimated mature size of 90 cm in height and 50 cm in width. Its oval and elliptical leaves are glossy and dark green, providing a beautiful backdrop for the flowers. The flowers are numerous and generously bloom throughout the summer. Shaped like bells, they hang from the stems, swaying in the wind. They consist of a fleshy calyx with four pointed sepals in scarlet red, within which a frilly, white corolla is nestled, with red veins. Long red stamens emerge from the corolla.

Fuchsia magellanica 'Snow Cap' thrives in shaded corners, bringing vibrancy and light. It creates a charming display alongside Japanese Anemones and shade-loving perennial Geraniums like Geranium nodosum. Placed at the back of a border in small gardens, it provides a lush and elegant backdrop. Its lightness complements the foliage of ferns, rodgersias, and heucheras, as well as the plump flowers of hydrangeas in shady and cool areas.