The Andes mountains are home to many beautiful plants, like the rarely-seen Fuchsia dependens.  All throughout the year, it lights up with hanging clusters of 3 inch long trumpet flowers of the most intense shade of pinkish scarlet.  My camera simply can't capture the luminous color of these blooms.  They have a nice glossy/waxy texture that makes them look a bit like birthday candles!  This hard-to-find species is a must for any Fuchsia fan or rare plant collector.

Fuchsia dependens is an evergreen bush that grows about 6 feet tall and wide here in San Francisco.  In its homeland of Ecuador, it is said to climb 30 feet tall!  It tends to have a wide, candelabra shape, although you may prune the side branches to encourage taller growth.  This is a prolific bloomer and can have flowers on it most months of the year, adding a wonderful dash of color to shadier parts of the garden.  After flowering, it makes edible, purple fruits that have a lightly sweet flavor.  This is a species Fuchsia, so the seeds grow "true" to the parents, unlike hybrid fuchsias.

Fuchsia dependens comes from cool cloud forests, where temperatures are mild all year and nights are cool.  It might not do well in areas that regularly get above 85 degrees F (30 degrees C), especially if nights are warm.  If other Fuchsia are grown in your area, you should be able to grow this one.  It can probably handle a few degrees of light frost, but i recommend protecting it from freezing temperatures.  It does best in part sunlight, with protection from strong afternoon sun.  Like most Fuchsias, it prefers fertile, well-draining soil and regular watering.  Over about 40% humidity is best.  This species is resistant to Fuchsia Mites.

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Germination tips for this plant