Small leaf fuchsia

Description

Fuchsia microphylla, also known as small leaf fuchsia and small-leaved fuchsia, is a flowering shrub in the family Onagraceae. The specific epithet (microphylla) was named for the plant's small (micro) leaves (phylla). It is a deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub which grows to 1.8 meters (6 feet) in height at a medium rate and has a spread width of 3 feet (0.9 meters). It is herbaceous, perennial, hermaphrodite and is pollinated by insects. It flowers from September to October and attracts wildlife. It is hardy to UK zone 9 and US zones 8–11, and is not frost tolerant. It is cold hardy to 10–15 F (−12.2 to −9.4 C) with wall shelter. It grows well in light, medium, and heavy soils and prefers moist, well-drained soils. It is suitable for acid, neutral, and basic soils. It grows best in light and semi-shade conditions and can be found growing in oak and pine woods in Mexico or low thickets and exposed rocky places in Guatemala between 1200 meters (3937 feet) and 3800 meters (12467 feet) in elevation. The fruit is edible and is dark in color, round in shape, and measures up to 1.5 centimeters in diameter, although it normally measures 5 millimeters in diameter. The flavor is sweet but mild.The plant is variable but usually grows erect, although in more shady woodland can develop climbing habits with stems 500 centimeters (16.4 feet) long. It normally forms clumps or bushes. It is both dioecious and self-fertile.The flowers are not fragrant and are tubular, pendent, and pink in color, and are very small. The leaves measure up to 4 centimeters in length, although are normally much smaller. They are generally oblanceolate to obovate in shape, although can be ovate or lanceolate and are usually toothed, though some varieties are not. New growth is red and the plant can be grown in a pot. Plants in the section Encliandra are defined by the protrusion of only four stamens from the flower tube, rather than eight. The other four stamens are enclosed within the tube. Fuchsia microphylla is native to southern Mexico south to Panama. The plant is grown as an ornamental and the berries are collected locally and eaten. Fuchsia microphylla is vulnerable to whiteflies, capsid bugs, red spider mites, rust, aphids, black vine weevil, smut, gray mold, fuchsia gall mite, and fuchsia flea beetle. It is resistant to honey fungus and rabbits.