Electric Lights Fuchsia

Electric Lights Fuchsia (Fuchsia x hybrida 'Electric Lights') is a bushy fuchsia of 60 to 100cm tall and wide, with classic bell flowers in bright red and royal purple. It was bred to take temperatures from 40C down to -3C, which is unusual for a fuchsia. That makes it a flowering shrub for hedges, beds and big pots in more gardens than most of its kind.

Why you'll love it

• Heat and cold tolerance. Bred to cope with 40C days and nights down to -3C, it is tougher than most fuchsias. In a colder winter it still needs protecting.
• Classic colour. Bright red outer petals frame a royal purple bell. It is the fuchsia look most people picture.
• A proper shrub. At 60 to 100cm it grows into a rounded flowering shrub rather than a basket plant, so it can hold a bed or a low hedge.
• Masses of warm season colour. Bells cover the plant through the warm months.
• Sized for most gardens. Under a metre around is small enough for a courtyard, a front border or a large pot.

Where it works best

Low flowering hedges. Plant 70cm apart in a single row in dappled shade. At that spacing the shrubs knit together into a flowering hedge of 60 to 100cm without crowding.

Feature shrubs in shade. Use one plant or a group of three at a corner of a bed or beside a path, where dappled shade protects the flowers from harsh sun.

Large patio pots. A single plant fills a big pot and can be moved under cover when a hard frost is forecast.

Growing Electric Lights Fuchsia in Australia

Position and climate. Plant in part sun or shade, with some relief from the hottest afternoon sun even though it tolerates heat. Electric Lights is rated to about -3C, so in most Australian winters in sheltered positions it can stay outside. In colder winters, shelter it, bring it indoors or treat it as seasonal colour.

Soil. Use good garden soil enriched with compost, or a free draining potting mix for containers. Mulch to keep the roots cool.

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

Pruning. In winter, cut the plant back, reduce watering and shelter it in a cool, shady, frost free spot. Light trimming keeps a hedge dense.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Electric Lights Fuchsia as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly, in 140mm pots in packs of 10, and in 200mm pots in packs of 6. Tubes and 140mm plants suit a long hedge run, while the 200mm pots carry more growth from the start. Whichever you choose, expect a young plant that fills out over a season or two.

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

• Plants for partial shade
• More flowering plants
• Hedging and screening plants
• Shade gardening in Australia

Common questions

Is Electric Lights frost hardy?

It is bred to handle temperatures down to -3C, so light frosts do not trouble it in most Australian winters. In a colder winter, shelter the plant or bring it indoors.

Can it be used as a hedge?

Yes, as a low flowering hedge. Plant 70cm apart in a single row in dappled shade and trim lightly to keep it dense.

How hot is too hot?

It is bred to stand 40C. Plants in pots dry out quickly in heat, so water deeply and shade the pot from the afternoon sun.