Bella Hilda Fuchsia

Bella Hilda Fuchsia (Fuchsia x hybrida 'Bella Hilda') is a low, semi-trailing fuchsia 30 to 45cm tall and wide, with soft pink-red outer petals around palest pink-white inner bells. It is bred for baskets and pots, flowers freely, and gives extra flowers around the edges thanks to its semi-trailing habit.

Why you'll love it

• Soft, romantic colouring. The palest pink-white bells sit inside soft pink-red outer petals, a gentler look than the usual fuchsia reds.
• Semi-trailing habit. Stems arch and trail slightly, which gives you more flowers around the edge of a basket or pot.
• Free-flowering and bushy. Flowers hang like small bells from the stem ends all through the growing season.
• Compact and tidy. It stays low and rounded, which suits patio containers and small beds.
• Pet friendly. Fuchsias are generally regarded as non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Where it works best

Hanging baskets. The trailing stems soften the rim of a basket. One plant fits a 25 to 30cm basket, hung in bright shade.

Patio pots. Combine it with ferns or foliage plants for a shady pot, and let it spill over the edge.

Shady borders. Plant 35cm apart along the front of a dappled-shade border, where the soft colour will brighten the dimmest corner.

Growing Bella Hilda Fuchsia in Australia

Position and climate. Part sun or shade, with protection from hot midday sun. It is a subtropical-garden shrub that suits subtropical and warm temperate gardens, and in cool temperate regions it is a summer plant. It is frost tender, so in cold climates bring it indoors for winter or treat it as a seasonal annual.

Soil. Choose a fertile, free-draining potting mix for containers, or add compost to garden soil. Keep the root zone mulched and cool.

Water and feed. Mulch and water regularly until the plant is established, usually around 12 weeks. Water regularly through the growing season, feeding with liquid fertiliser or a slow release fertiliser in spring and again in summer.

Pruning. Cut the plant back in winter, reduce watering and shelter it in a cool, shady, frost-free spot. Tip prune in spring if you want a fuller shape.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Bella Hilda Fuchsia as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. Plants are small on arrival and travel upright, and they flower more freely once the new growth has lengthened. Pot it into a basket or container as soon as it arrives.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Flowering plants for Australian gardens
• Plants that thrive in pots
• Plants for partial shade
• Frost tolerant plants for colder districts

Common questions

What does semi-trailing mean?

The stems arch outwards and trail a little instead of growing straight up. That gives extra flowers around the edge of a basket or pot.

Will it survive winter in a cold climate?

Not outdoors. It is frost tender, so bring it inside, cut it back and keep it in a cool, frost-free spot until spring.

How much water does it need?

Regular water through the growing season. Pots and baskets dry out fast, so check them often in warm weather, and never let the root ball dry out completely.