Tag: Fuchsia

Fuchsia plants aren’t especially prone to diseases but when pathogens come knocking, the leaves are the place to look for clues. Every common disease that attacks these plants will manifest in some way on the foliage.

Once you know what to look for, it’s that much easier to figure out a solution.

Of course, avoiding disease issues in the first place is much better than trying to address them after the fact, and our guide to growing fuchsia can help with that.

Coming up, here are the common fuchsia diseases we’re going to cover:

Be aware that some fuchsia leaf symptoms might be related to pest infestations rather than diseases.

Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentallis) cause distorted, crinkled leaves and silvery coloration. Fuchsia gall mites (Aculops fuchsiae) cause distorted leaves and stems.

Just because something strange is happening on the foliage, keep in mind that it doesn’t necessarily point to disease so you’ll need to look for further clues.

Here are three common issues you need to be aware of:

1. Botrytis Blight

Botrytis blight is caused by the same fungal pathogen (Botrytis cinerea) that causes gray mold in crops like strawberries and raspberries.

When the fungus infects your plant, it will cause soft, brown patches on the flower petals. You will also see brown patches and gray fuzz on the leaves, as well.

It will also prevent flowers from forming.

If you’ve ever tackled this disease on other species, like strawberries, then you know the routine. In the case of fuchsia plants here’s what you need to know.

The pathogen requires moisture to survive, so high humidity and water are its friends. Rain, watering on the foliage rather than the soil level, and crowded plants will all increase the incidence of this disease.

For that reason, minimizing moisture by watering at the soil level, and pruning and spacing plants appropriately is crucial.

If you see symptoms of the disease, don’t just grab the closest fungicide and spray your plant. This pathogen has a bad reputation for becoming resistant to fungicides.

Because this resistance varies depending on the region, the best tactic is to call your local extension office when you first notice symptoms.

They should be able to tell you what fungicide will be effective against the gray mold strains in your area.

To learn about other reasons why your fuchsia may fail to bloom, read our guide.

2. Damping Off

Damping off is a common disease that can infect hundreds of species of plants, causing a variety of different symptoms. In fuchsias, it often causes the seeds to fail to germinate.

If the seeds do germinate, the resulting seedlings might be stunted, or may wilt. They might also form water-soaked lesions at the base of the stems that causes them to collapse and die.

Caused by fungi in the Rhizoctonia and Fusarium genera and water molds in the Pythium genus, these pathogens travel in water or on infected tools, shoes, gloves, or pretty much anything else it comes in contact with. They can also be carried by aphids and whiteflies.

To avoid it, always clean your pots and tools before and only use fresh potting soil. Don’t overcrowd your seedlings and be sure to water from the bottom of your trays or pots.

If your plants become symptomatic, dispose of them, as they can’t be saved. To learn more, read our guide to damping off.

If your plant is wilting and you’re not sure damping off is the cause, our guide to fuchsia wilt can help you narrow the problem down.

3. Rust

I don’t want to talk about fuchsia rust. I’d like to just live in my fantasy world where it doesn’t exist. But talk about it we must.

Rust is a fungal disease caused by the pathogen Pucciniastrum epilobii. This pathogen thrives in the same kind of environment that fuchsia plants do, meaning it enjoys cool, moist conditions.

So, if you’re growing in the Pacific Northwest or England, rust is going to be an extremely common problem. No use sticking your head in the sand, because it will probably find your fuchsia plants and you need to be ready to do battle.

Even if you’re growing in a less than ideal climate for the fungus, it still might come knocking on your door.

It seems to be a serious problem in greenhouses, because, without fail, every fuchsia I have bought in the past few years from a commercial grower has been infected.

The plant looks fine when I bring it home, but within a week or two, those tell-tale symptoms start to appear.

So, let’s discuss symptoms. The first sign is pale yellow spots on the foliage. These gradually become brown or tan and turn necrotic.

Depending on the fuchsia species, these spots might develop a purple or red border, but don’t take a lack of border as a sign that your plant doesn’t have rust.

If you really get up close and flip those leaves over, you might be able to see red fruiting bodies.

Honestly, unless I pull out the ol’ reading glasses and find good light, I usually can’t spot them, but they’re usually there. As the disease advances, the spores appear on the top sides of the leaves and along the veins.

As things progress, the leaves will drop from the plant. It starts out with just a few, but pretty soon, your whole plant is starting to look scraggly and sad, and it may even curl up and die.

Right, so let’s chat prevention.

The pathogen can survive on fir trees and fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium), as well as fuchsias, and requires either a fir or a fireweed plant as well as a fuchsia to complete its life cycle.

So removing fireweed helps, and if your firs have yellowish spores on the needles, they might be carrying the disease. You should probably treat them as well.

Prune your fuchsia plants and space them appropriately to improve air circulation, and always, always, always water at the soil level and not on the foliage.

If symptoms appear, pluck off all the symptomatic leaves and clean up any that have fallen. Treat the plant with copper fungicide, though you might want to test it on a small section of the plant before spraying the whole thing, since some fuchsias can be sensitive to fungicides.

If they’re invisible, how do you even know your fuchsia has an infestation? And what can you do about it if you confirm their presence? That’s what this guide aims to explain.

We’ll help you understand the nature of this pest, how to identify the symptoms they cause, and what to do about it. Here’s what you can expect:

Alas, identifying these pests isn’t going to be totally straightforward. To give you a leg up, let’s learn a bit about these tiny troublemakers.

About Gall Mites

Fuchsia gall mites (Aculops fuchsiae) are microscopic eriophyid mites that draw the sap out of plants using their sucking mouthparts.

The good news is they only attack species in the Fuchsia genus. The bad news is they attack all species in the genus.

You can’t see them with the naked eye because the adults are just 0.20 to 0.25 millimeters long. You’d need a 40x strength microscope to be able to make them out.

These mites have four life stages: egg, larvae, nymph, and adult.

Once temperatures reach about 64°F and remain there for several days, the eggs hatch about a week after being laid, and the entire life cycle is completed in about 21 days.

That means there is lots of time for populations to build up during the warm months. Then, all stages can overwinter in the plant, waiting for their chance to burst forth again the following spring.

The pests aren’t typically found in greenhouses, as they generally prefer cool temperatures.

But conversely, they don’t survive in low temperatures, either. In other words, fuchsia gall mites do best in the same sort of environment that fuchsias prefer.

The mites can travel on wind or hitch a ride on hummingbirds and bees as they visit the flowers. Gardeners spread them on contaminated tools or clothing.

When they find a host, the adults move into the plant’s hairs and the folds of existing galls to live, feed, and reproduce.

Range

These pests were first identified in 1971 in Brazil where lots of Fuchsia species grow indigenously.

They reached North America and were discovered in San Francisco county in 1983, completely decimating the fuchsia industry in the state, spreading quickly along the cool coast and more slowly into the warmer inland areas.

They then made their way to Oregon, Washington, Florida, and Hawaii, primarily infesting plants growing in cool, coastal areas.

The mites bounced across the globe to Europe after likely hitching a ride on plants and were first identified in France in 2002.

In 2007, growers were devastated to learn that the pests had arrived in mainland UK.

These days, wherever fuchsias thrive in South or North America, or Europe, gall mites are sure to be found.

Symptoms

As the pests feed on the plant’s cells, they secrete a poison, which causes new growth to be distorted and misshapen.

Look for disfigured growth tips, flowers, and leaves, as well as galls. Hairy growth is also common.

An infestation of aphids can also cause disfigured growth, so don’t immediately assume the presence of twisted leaves, gnarled stems, or stunted tips is a sure sign of mites.

Other symptoms include red or silvery-white discoloration on the stems and foliage. Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentallis) can also cause distorted, crinkled leaves and silvery coloration that can be confused with the symptoms of gall mites.

The presence of swollen galls on the stems is a more reliable indicator of the presence of these pests

But if you see any of these symptoms, I’d recommend you take a cutting of symptomatic plant tissue, place it in a sealed bag, and show it to your local extension office or fuchsia society.

Experts there can confirm the presence of mites.

Prevention

Before you bring any cutting or new plant into your garden or home, examine it thoroughly for any signs of pests and quarantine it for at least a month to watch for developing symptoms. Only buy from reputable sources, if you can.

Since the mites can travel on hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, pests, or gardening tools, even these steps don’t guarantee your plants will be safe.

The pests might find their way to your fuchsias.

Always, always clean your tools between uses to be extra safe.

You can wipe your tools in isopropyl alcohol, a 10 percent bleach mixture, or clean them in hot, soapy water to remove any hitchhikers.

Speaking of tools, use your pruners in the early spring or fall to trim woody fuchsia species back to bare wood and tender species back to the ground. Spray the remaining plant material with dormant oil to smother any exposed mites.

Brazilian Fuchsia species have developed some immunity, so consider growing these if you have had trouble with gall mites in the past. F. magellanica, M. coccinea, F. bracelinae, F. regia, F. campos-portoi, F. glazioviana, and F. alpestris are all good options.

Keep in mind that F. magellanica cultivars have been bred outside of Brazil for decades, so only those that come from Brazil in the past few decades will have built up immunity in their native region.

F. splendens, F. paniculata, and F. brevilobis are immune.

The Northwest Fuchsia Society lists ‘Carnival,’ ‘First Success,’ Lechlade Gorgon,’ ‘President Walter Mario,’ ‘Space Shuttle,’ and ‘Tangerine’ as immune.

‘Baby Two Step,’ ‘Bell Buoy,’ ‘Chickadee,’ ‘Golden Anne,’ ‘Jamboree,’ ‘Lena,’ ‘Miracle,’ ‘Mood Indigo,’ ‘Pink Jade,’ ‘Purple Rain,’ ‘Southgate,’ and ‘White King’ are resistant.

Just because a species or cultivar is resistant and immune doesn’t mean that the mites won’t feed on your plants, it’s just that the plants won’t become symptomatic.

Your plants can still be infested and you’ll still need to diligently watch for symptoms on other fuchsias nearby.

Control

As of yet, there isn’t a chemical control that works reliably to eliminate these pests.

The best method of control is to prune off any symptomatic branches and dispose of those in the garbage.

Prune back herbaceous fuchsias to the ground and heavily prune woody plants to bare wood in the fall.

Keep up on this pruning routine as long as the plant shows symptoms.

If you have a plant that is heavily symptomatic, it might be best to toss it in the garbage. Don’t compost infested plant material. If you want to try and save the plant, isolate it from other fuchsias while you work.

To control the infection, trim off all symptomatic parts and wait until the winter when the plant is dormant.

Spray it with a product that contains carbaryl, a dormant oil, or an oil that targets mites such as Bonide’s Mite-X.

If your neighbor has untreated plants, it’s highly likely that the fuchsia gall mites will find those and eventually end up back on your plant at some point. In all honesty, if you have mites in your area, the chances are extremely high that your plants will be infested at some point.

Now, if you want to ensure your plants survive, pruning and spraying is the way to go, but I like to play with fire. Or, rather, ice – cold weather kills these pests.

If tender fuchsias are exposed to extremely cold temperatures, they will die. If the mites are exposed to temperatures around 21°F for a few days, they die.

This temperature is generally considered far too low for tender types, though most hardy fuchsia varieties are just fine.

I have left my infested tender fuchsias out in these temperatures figuring I have nothing to lose since they’re already infested. I lost one plant, but the other three survived and haven’t shown symptoms since.

There’s precedence for this method of control. After a few warm winters in the Pacific Northwest, fuchsia plants were being widely infected as of 2005.

But in 2006, there was an extremely cold winter, and those previously infested plants no longer had any damage during the next growing season.

If you can, leave your hardy fuchsias outdoors and let the cold weather kill off the pests.

You can also gamble like I do with your tender fuchsias, but just be aware that the chances are high that you’ll lose them, depending on the species or specific cultivar or hybrid.

But you might lose them to mites, anyway, if they don’t respond to treatment. It’s worth a try if you’re planning to throwing the plant out anyway.

At the very least, we now know that a series of cold winters will greatly reduce gall mite populations, while a few years of warm winters will cause populations to rebound.

While they haven’t yet been proven useful in the field, predaceous mites like Amblyseius californicus show promise in helping to control these pests.

I grow my newly-propagated fuchsias in empty spots in my yard, give them away to neighbors, and make new ones to replace those that aren’t performing as well as they used to.

You can propagate fuchsia by starting seeds, from cuttings, and via division. Taking cuttings is my favorite method because it’s so reliable and the result is a clone of the parent plant.

Fuchsias can be propagated from both hardwood and softwood material, and either in soil or water, so you’ve got options.

Ready to become a gold medalist, best ever propagator? Keep reading! Here’s what we’re going to discuss:

For best results, tender types should be propagated via softwood cuttings.

Hardy fuchsia can be propagated via softwood or hardwood cuttings. If you need a rundown on how to care for fuchsias, visit our growing guide first and then come back here.

Before we get started, let’s go over the tools you need.

You don’t need much to propagate fuchsia cuttings. A sharp pair of scissors or clippers is important. They should be clean, so either scrub them in soapy water, wipe them with isopropyl alcohol, or soak or wipe them with a 10 percent bleach solution before use.

You’ll also need containers, whether that’s a glass or two for rooting in water or pots for soil propagation. These, too, should be clean.

Cuttings taken in spring tend to be more successful because the fuchsia grows more quickly at that point.

You will typically see new growth within just a few weeks, while fall-started ones can take months, leaving plenty of time for the plant material to start rotting before it has a chance to root.

Use your clean scissors or clippers to take a six- to eight-inch length from a healthy branch and remove all but the top two leaves, and any flowers or buds that are present.

Place the stems in a glass of water while you prepare your choice of growing container.

If you’re planning to root them in water, simply fill a glass or jar with rainwater or filtered water. Tap water will work fine, too.

Then stick the fuchsia stems in the water so that about a third of their length is submerged. Set them in an area with bright, indirect light and change the water every few days.

For growing in a container, fill a four- to six-inch pot for each stem cutting you want to start with a soilless growing medium like the one mentioned above. Poke a hole in the middle of the medium.

Stick the cutting into the medium about halfway and firm up the medium around it. Water so the medium is moist but not wet and keep it consistently moist while the stem roots.

You can tent plastic over those grown in soil. Prop it up over the pot using something like a chopstick to keep the plastic from touching the plant.

Place the cuttings in an area with bright, indirect light that is consistently warm, between 45 and 70°F.

You can easily tell when the cutting has roots if you’re growing in water, as you’ll be able to see them. Once you see the roots forming and they are about an inch long, plant the starts in individual four- to six-inch containers filled with seed-starting medium.

For those in a growing medium, it’s a bit harder to figure out if the cutting has rooted, but you can tell when the plant sends out new growth.

If a month or two has passed and there’s no aboveground growth, you can gently lift the stem out of the medium to look for roots or just let it keep doing its thing. So long as it isn’t starting to rot you can continue to wait.

Once the cuttings have developed new growth and appear healthy and robust, harden them off and move them to their permanent location.

You can do this anytime of year so long as the temperatures are right for the particular species you are growing. Hardy types can be planted outside in spring, summer, or fall.

Hardening off is the process of gradually introducing a plant to the harsher conditions of the outdoors. Your plant hasn’t had to deal with wind, wildly fluctuating temperatures, or bright light in its safe little spot in your house.

So, bring it outside and set it in the spot where you intend to plant it. Leave it there for an hour. Then, bring it inside again. The next day, do the same thing, but add an hour. Keep adding an hour each day for a week.

From Hardwood Cuttings

Hardwood cuttings are best taken in the fall. Start by identifying a healthy plant – you don’t want to take material from a sick or pest-infested plant.

Then, identify a healthy looking branch with brown wood. You can take a cutting from green growth, but that would be a softwood cutting. Select a stem that is about the same diameter as a pencil.

Take a six- to eight-inch stem making your cut at a 45-degree angle and set it in a cup of water to keep it moist until you’re ready to plant. If you cut multiple lengths of stem from the same branch, cut the tops flat so you know which end is up.

Once you’re ready, fill a four-inch container for each stem cutting with seed-starting mix and poke a hole in the middle.

Remove all of the leaves, if present, except the top two from the stem and dip the cut end in rooting hormone. Insert the stem into the pot so it’s sitting about halfway deep in the soil.

Moisten the soil so it feels like a well wrung out sponge and keep it that moist throughout the rooting process.

Keep the cuttings in a spot with bright, indirect light that is warm, between 45 and 70°F. Near a north-facing window would be ideal, but only if your windows aren’t drafty.

You probably won’t see much or any growth during the winter since this is the fuchsia plant’s dormancy period. But eventually, as spring approaches, you should see new shoots emerging.

Let the new plants continue to grow until they have several new branches and look nice and robust. Size doesn’t matter, you just want to see that it’s growing well.

In the late spring or early summer, you can harden the plants off as described above and transplant them into the ground.

Of course, you can skip the transplanting process if you intend to keep your fuchsia indoors as a houseplant.

Fuchsias drop their leaves readily when pests, disease, or environmental problems stress the plants.

So not only will the dropping leaves mar the appearance of your fuchsia, but it’s a warning that something is wrong.

Your job is to figure out what the issue is and fix it so your plant can get back to doing what it does best: blooming!

That’s where this guide comes in. We’ll help you narrow down the cause of why your fuchsia is dropping leaves and set it right.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

Keeping your fuchsia healthy and happy and staying on top of pest and disease issues will go a long way to preventing problems like leaf drop.

If you need to refresh your knowledge about how to grow fuchsias, check out our guide.

Sometimes leaf drop is preceded by wilting foliage. If you recognize the problem and act right away, you can sometimes solve the issue before the leaves start dropping.

If your fuchsia is wilting, visit our guide to learn about the common causes and how to resolve them.

1. Heat

There are over 100 species of fuchsia growing natively across South and Central America, and the Caribbean.

They grow in a range of climates, from those that experience regular freezes to those that stay hot and humid.

But most of the species and hybrids commonly grown as ornamentals can’t tolerate extreme heat.

Once the temperature climbs above about 85°F, most of these plants start to suffer.

A brief period of heat isn’t so bad, and the plants usually bounce right back. In the case of prolonged hot periods, you might need to provide some support.

Assuming you’re growing your fuchsia in containers, you can usually move them to a shadier area of the garden or indoors during a heatwave. But if you can’t move them, providing extra moisture and misting the plants can help.

If you have a long hot spell, it’s entirely possible that your fuchsia will start dropping foliage. The leaves usually won’t turn brown or yellow before falling, though they can.

There are some hybrids that are a bit more tolerant to heat.

‘Angel’s Earrings,’ ‘Checkerboard,’ ‘Dollar Princess,’ ‘First Love,’ ‘Jingle Bells,’ ‘Mary,’ ‘Pink Fairy,’ ‘Tom Thumb,’ and ‘White Wonder’ are all good options if you experience frequent heatwaves.

2. Overwatering

It’s hard to nail the perfect watering routine. Fuchsias are particular about moisture needs, and it doesn’t take much to over- or underwater them.

The soil needs to be consistently moist but not wet and soggy – you can’t allow it to dry out, but conversely, waterlogged conditions can cause leaf drop.

There are two simple ways to determine if the soil moisture is adequate.

The first is to use a soil moisture meter and aim to have the moisture reading right in the middle. The other method is to stick your finger in the soil and feel it. If it feels like a well-wrung-out sponge, it’s just right.

Don’t freak out if you accidentally overwater once or twice. Fuchsias can bounce back quickly if you make sure you aren’t overwatering constantly.

But over time, overwatering results in root rot because you’re essentially drowning the roots, which causes the leaves to turn yellow or brown and drop off the plant.

Learn more about how to water fuchsia in our guide.

3. Phytophthora Root Rot

Phytophthora root rot is caused by water molds (oomycetes) in the Phytophthora genus. In addition to premature leaf drop, it causes stunted, slowed growth and random branch death.

All this occurs as the result of the roots underground turning mushy, soft, and black thanks to the infection.

The causal pathogen needs lots of moisture to reproduce so it will come as no surprise that it commonly affects plants that are overwatered and thrives in extremely humid areas.

Root-knot nematodes are microscopic soilborne worms in the Meloidogyne genus, and they attack hundreds of species, including fuchsia.

There are actually numerous types of beneficial nematodes out there, but we’re talking about the bad kind that parasitizes our plants and causes all kinds of damage.

These little jerks enter the plant through the roots where they lay eggs, reproduce, feed on plant tissue, and generally wreak havoc. Even worse, you probably won’t know they’re around until your fuchsia starts looking downright pathetic.

Symptoms include leaf yellowing followed by drop, chlorosis, wilting, stunted growth, distorted growth, and some other pretty vague symptoms.

The only way to figure out what’s going on is to dig up the fuchsia and look at the roots. If the roots are suffering from root-knot nematodes, they’ll have knots, lumps, and bumps.

We have a guide to walk you through the process of identifying and dealing with root-knot nematodes if you suspect this is the problem.

5. Rust

Rust is a common and extremely destructive disease, caused by the fungus Pucciniastrum epilobii.

When the fungus infects the plant, you’ll see yellow, tan, or brown spots with tiny red or yellow fruiting bodies on the undersides of the leaves. Sometimes they start out as discolored yellowish-tan blotches without defined margins.

Once the foliage develops symptoms, the leaves will drop from the stems. At this point, the plant exhibits stunted growth and may even die.

This is the disease I battle most often in my garden. It seems like every single time I bring home a new fuchsia plant, it has rust. Even my established fuchsias come down with it now and then. So, I’ve gotten pretty darn good at dealing with it.

The most important part, in my experience, is to get ahead of the problem as quickly as possible.

Since I know it’s a regular problem in my area, where it’s cool and humid, I treat my fuchsia preventatively. Otherwise, watch for symptoms and be sure to take action the second you see any signs.

First, pull off any symptomatic leaves and clean up any that have fallen from the plant. Even if you have to prune off half of the stems, it’s worth it in the long run and the plant will bounce back.

Then, treat, treat, treat! I’m not always a fan of dousing my plants with products, but in this case, they work well, and you don’t have to resort to toxic chemicals.

Products that contain the beneficial bacteria Bacillus subtilis or B. amyloliquefaciens strain D747, or neem oil, sulfur, or copper fungicide are all appropriate for treating rust.

I alternate between two products, and I start my applications as soon as the leaves start budding out in the spring.

For my fuchsia plants, I start by applying copper fungicide in spring and then use B. subtilis a few weeks later – repeating this rotation over the course of two months.

Then, I apply copper fungicide once a month for the rest of the season.

If you don’t battle this disease as regularly as I do, apply your chosen product as soon as you see symptoms and continue every two weeks until new, symptom-free growth emerges.

6. Spider Mites

Spider mites are pretty easy to identify. They’re extremely small, eight-legged critters related to ticks, and while you might not spot the pests themselves, you will see fine webbing all over the fuchsia plant.

If you look closely, you might see the mites themselves or their exoskeletons littering the webbing.

Meanwhile, the fuchsia will display yellow stippling on the foliage and the leaves will look dry and sad before falling from the plant.

Learn more about spider mites and how to control them in our guide.

If you catch the problem early on, it’s often as easy as spraying the plant with a strong stream of water from the hose to knock them loose.

7. Underwatering

Fuchsia plants love moisture. They don’t do well at all when the soil is allowed to dry out.

When the roots become dry, the leaves will first droop and wilt, and then turn crisp brown or yellow and will fall like those off an oak tree in autumn. Except, unlike an oak tree, they won’t be coming back unless you fix the problem.

Be especially vigilant if you are growing tender fuchsias in containers, as they tend to dry out much more easily than those planted in the ground.

Specimens in hanging baskets might need to be irrigated twice a day during warm or dry periods.

Often, gardeners place their plants in an area with more shade than fuchsia prefers because they find the plant is repeatedly wilting.

However, the problem is usually caused by the soil drying out as opposed to too much sun. Fuchsia can tolerate a lot more sun than many gardeners realize.

Keep the soil moist at all times. It shouldn’t be dry, and it should be soggy. Make sure it feels like a well-wrung-out sponge.

You’re probably here because you aren’t sure exactly what these pretty plants need.

This guide will make it all clear. Here are the subjects we’ll cover to help you determine where to place your fuchsia.

If you’re looking for some help beyond how to find the right exposure, check out our guide to growing fuchsia flowers.

First, let’s figure out exactly what kind of world these plants evolved to thrive in.

Natural Fuchsia Climates

It helps to have an understanding of the climate in which fuchsias grow naturally so we can figure out how to recreate it in our own space.

Fuchsia species are native to Central and South America and New Zealand, and they are often found growing in countries along the equator, so they are often classified as tropical plants.

But they don’t grow in the typical hot, humid regions that you might picture as “tropical.” They grow in more temperate climates, with frequent cloud cover and cool temperatures.

There are many species that grow at high, frosty, cool elevations, while those that are found closer to sea level are in windy, sometimes cold areas.

They often grow in the understory of forests, so they don’t always receive full sun, but some do grow in full exposure. Most of them probably thrive in more light than you might expect.

So, how does this translate to the garden? Let’s talk about that next.

Finding the Right Exposure

These plants can grow practically anywhere from full sun or nearly full shade. They’re extremely accommodating.

But we shouldn’t take advantage of their kindness. We should try to give them the light that helps them thrive. The right light exposure for your specimen depends on where you live.

For climates that get hot, you need to provide more shade, particularly in the afternoon.

This is especially true if you live somewhere humid. A few hours of morning sunlight or dappled light all day should be about right.

In cooler regions similar to their native environment, like England and the Pacific Northwest, they can be exposed to full sun all day long.

The key is that these plants need to stay cool and the soil should be kept moist.

That’s why we often grow them in deeper shade than is ideal, as it’s easier to keep them moist and cool that way.

But if the temperature doesn’t often climb above 85°F, they do best in full or partial sun. You’ll be thrilled with how many flowers they produce when these plants have oodles of the bright stuff.

In dry climates like parts of California, the southwest, or Australia, afternoon shade will help keep the plant moist and cool. Plants in these areas need partial sun to partial shade.

I live in the Pacific Northwest, where it generally stays cool, but we have had a few summers where temperatures rose over 100°F.

On those days, I mist my plants regularly, and even though they’re in full sun, they survive. Sometimes, I have to trim off some leaves that get a bit of sunburn, but they recover fast.

To sum it up: the ideal exposure is full sun to partial sun, with six or more hours of sun per day.

But if you have a hot or extremely humid climate, you can compromise by keeping yours in a bit more shade.

All-day dappled shade is usually fine, though in too much shade, the flowering will be reduced.

Microclimates

Don’t forget the importance of picking the right spot in your garden. Every garden has microclimates, where the temperatures may be higher or lower than is typical for your region.

You might live in a less-than-ideal climate for these plants, but if you can find a good spot in your yard, you can fudge things a bit.

Locating your plant near a brick or cement wall or above a cement or brick patio will dramatically increase the temperature in the general area. Avoid that if you already live in a hot climate.

A breezy slope near a group of trees or near a pond or stream is generally cooler.

You might be able to place your specimen in full or partial sun in an area like this, even if your climate isn’t otherwise ideal.