Fuchsia flower facts you may not know
When you think of fuchsia, you most likely imagine the colour. These flowers are also known as lady’s eardrop and it is classified as part of the same family as evening primrose. The fuchsia flower originates from Mexico, Chile and Argentina. There are more than 100 species and even more varieties available today. They were discovered in the 17th century and they were named after the German botanist, Leonhart Fuchs. Today, they are one of the most cultivated of all ornamental plants.
Fun fuchsia flower facts:
- This plant grows in the form of a shrub that can reach up to 13 feet in height.
- Some varieties only grow up to 8 inches in height.
- The fuchsia flower has a tubular or bell shape and the blooms droop downwards. The flowers only last for a few days.
- Most fuchsia flower varieties consist of red sepals and purple petals. There are some varieties that produce white, orange, yellow, dark red and purple-blue flowers too.
- These plants also produce berries that are reddish green, purple or red in colour.
- Native Americans used the root of this plant to create a black pigment used for colouring wool.
- The Maori (indigenous people of New Zealand) used the blue pollen from the flowers for make-up.
- In Japan, this flower is the symbol of good taste.
- In Western culture, it is the symbol of amiability and confiding love.
- Common threats to this plant include mites, aphids and caterpillars.
- The oldest fuchsia plant in the world was planted in 1899.
These are just a few interesting fuchsia flower facts that you can share with your friends the next time they admire your fuchsia plant! These plants are a real conversation starter so make sure that you place yours in an area where it will be clearly visible whenever you are entertaining guests.