Fuchsia Tree Care

Brightly-hued fuchsia flowers -- which come in shades of red, purple, pink and white -- attract bees and hummingbirds. When trained to be a tree, fuchsia makes an unusual accent plant that blooms all summer and fall.

Training

The fuchsia tree should be kept upright with a bamboo stake that is tied to the tree as it grows. Side branches that develop should be removed to keep your fuchsia trained to a single trunk; you can let side branches grow when your tree trunk reaches a desired height.

Pest Prevention

Dead leaves and flowers should be removed from the base of your fuchsia to ward off pests and disease. Check your tree's leaves for evidence of pest damage, like holes. The leaves can be blasted with water to shake off insects. The leaves can also be sprayed with a solution of 1 part isopropyl alcohol to 3 parts water -- with a couple drops of vegetable oil for stickiness -- to ward off insects.

Care

Tree fuchsia can be grown in 3- to 5-gallon containers, unless you live in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 10 or south. Light potting soil containing perlite or vermiculite should be used to boost drainage and ward off root rot. Move your fuchsia tree indoors when temperatures fall below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, since the tree can get cold damage. Water the tree regularly; fuchsia dislikes dry soil. Fertilize your tree with slow release 20-20-20 fertilizer in the spring.

References

• American Fuchsia Society: How to Train a Fuchsia Tree
• Northwest Fuchsia Society: Pests and Diseases
• American Fuchsia Society: Culture
• Washington State University: Fuchsias