California Fuchsia, easy to grow, complicated in name

Zauschneria 'Solidarity Pink'

Zauschneria ‘Solidarity Pink’

Growing California Fuchsia is like hanging out a neon sign to a certain pollinator, namely hummingbirds! It also fills a need many native plant gardeners have of maintaining a colorful garden all year and Zauschneria fits that description. The red, red-orange, pink, or white blossoms — sized just for a hummingbird’s beak — open in late summer and fall, when most natives are dormant and very few are flowering.

The name

Now, many know that the name was changed some time ago to Epilobium for various reasons, but I’ll stick with Zauschneria, which I can say, barely. I have affection for plants named after people and Johann Baptista Josef Zauschner, a professor of medicine and botany in Prague in the second half of the eighteenth century, sounds like a fascinating fellow. All my efforts to find out why a Czech doctor would have a California plant named for him were frustrated. As far as I can tell, he was an amateur botanist who wrote a paper on a particular Star of Bethlehem and whose papers were lost during WWII. Had the History of Botany in Bohemia been translated to English, there might have been a chance to solve the mystery.

Zauschneria californica White, from the Eel River area

Zauschneria californica White, from the Eel River area, photo by Penny Nyunt

More spelling

“Fuchsia” is named after the sixteenth century botanist Leonhard Fuchs. Note the spelling of Fuchsia – the “s” falls after the “ch” and not before, a very common misspelling that has been called to my attention! California fuchsias are in the same plant family as the common hanging-basket fuchsias and are native to the tropical zones.

Varieties commonly available

Zauschneria ‘Bowman’s #1’ Bowman’s #1

San Marcos Growers say: There are two Bowman cultivars with #1 being an upright plant, particularly attractive to hummingbirds and Bowman #2 being a prostrate plant. They were both selected by legendary plantsman Ed Carman in the San Jose garden of Bob Bowman’s parents. Bob Bowman who actively hybridized other California Fuchsia at UC Davis speculated that these selections were hybrids between a Zauschneria septentrionalis from along the Trinity River and a Zauschneria canum from south of Big Sur. This plant was one of the highest rated California Fuchsia in Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden’s ‘Horticultural Trials for California Epilobium’.”

Zauschneria californica  California Fuschia

Zauschneria canum latifolium California Fuschia  is said to be the most hardy.

Zauschneria ‘Catalina’ Catalina California Fuschia

Las Pilitas Nursery says: “This California fuchsia is a fairly large upright flowering perennial. Very showy in late summer and fall when covered with 1-2 inch fuchsia flowers. But the primary reason to plant it is for the hummingbirds that park in mass in the garden when this California fuchsia is in flower.”

Zauschneria ‘Etterii’ Silver Threadleaf Hummingbird Trumpet

High Country Gardens raves about this one, “Oh my, what is that exquisite plant?” exclaimed a recent visitor to our gardens! That plant is the incredible ‘Etteri’ form of our native Zauschneria with its explosion of deep, scarlet-red trumpets held over a haze of narrow-leaved silver foliage. Best planted in an infertile, well-drained loam soil with lots of sun. Don’t cut back until spring. Occasional deep watering over the winter is needed if conditions are dry. Zones 5-9.”

Zauschneria ‘Everetts Choice’, low and compact

Zauschneria septentrionalis 'Mattole River'

Zauschneria septentrionalis ‘Mattole River’, photo by Penny Nyunt

Zauschneria septentrionale ‘Select Mattole’

Suncrest Nurseries say: “Plants of this species make silvery mounds or mats, otherwise similar to E. canum. ‘Select Mattole’ was collected in the wild by Ray Collett and Brett Hall. This is a more broadly matting form, just as silvery and producing an abundance of scarlet flowers.”

 

Zauschneria 'Sierra Salmon'

Zauschneria ‘Sierra Salmon’

Zauschneria ‘Sierra Salmon’ Salmon California Fuchsia

El Nativo Growers say: “The numerous Zauschneria selections and hybrids that are readily available provide a diverse palette of colors and textures from which to choose. Foliage colors come in greens and grays, and most are covered with soft hairs. Traditional flower colors are an orangey-red, but can also be found in pink and white.”

Zauschneria ‘Solidarity Pink’ Pink California Fuchsia

Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery says: “This choice selection bears an abundance of large, shell-pink flowers in loose racemes from summer through autumn, on a slowly spreading plant. Hardy to Zone 7”

Growing California Fuchsias

Drought tolerant but shade loving, late in the season flowering from August to September, California Fuchsia seems to be an ideal plant for a California garden, however there is a dreaded anecdote from Judith Lowry Larner that it could be appetizing to deer.  It, combined with Autumn sages, California aster and Copper Canyon daisy would be my idea of a colorful late summer.

California Fuchsias are perennials in the evening primrose family; some will spread by underground rhizomes, and some will occasionally re-seed in the area. They also are said to perform beautifully in pots and baskets. For a slope, this is a great choice when planted with other natives that prefer full sun, little water and excellent drainage.

 California fuschia Epilobium latifolium 'Everett’s Choice'

California fuchsia Epilobium latifolium ‘Everett’s Choice’

In my garden, Everett’s Choice, a low and compact form, has been languishing (eaten?) on my clay bank, when ‘Catalina’, a tall and rampant one should have been selected for that spot. However I still have a desire for California Fuchsia, so I will undoubtedly try for more.

I will follow Tree of Life Native Nursery’s advice: “Epilobium canum (formerly Zauschneria californicum) – Species occurs statewide, has gray-green foliage. 1’ tall and 4’ wide. Spreads through re-seeding. Suggestion: group it with buckwheat (Eriogonum), monkey flower (Mimulus), Penstemon, and coast sunflower (Encelia) on a bank to create a dream garden for pollinators and nearly year-round color.”

I have a spot in mind…

 Notes:

Paper-Generally accepted plant names based on material from the Czech Republic and published in 1753–1820

“Johann B. J. Zauschner (1737–1799)

Most of our knowledge of J. B. J. Zauschner comes from the work of Von V. Maiwald (1904) who studied the archives of Charles University, Prague (the archives were stolen by German troops at the very end of the World War II and totally disappeared; there are only fragments left in the current University archives). Zauschner was mainly a physician and also specialized in mineralogy. His main botanical paper was published in 1776 and contains Kirschner et al.: Plant names from the Czech Republic 325 a description of Ornithogalum bohemicum ( Gagea bohemica, a Star of Bethlehem). Maiwald (1904: 66) mentioned a herbarium collection of Zauschner: “Seine Pflanzensammlung erhielt das Stift Strahow”. (Its plant collection received the Strahow writings)  However, the collection has not been traced in the Strahov Monastery.”

15 comments

  1. Town Mouse -

    Oh, Zauschneria is one of my favorites (and thanks for the info about the history of the name). I think you can do well with it, and they root surprisingly well. I snipped of a few pieces and half of them seem to be rooting. I’m already looking forward to the hummingbird party in the garden in Summer and Fall.

  2. Donna -

    Sue I absolutely love fuchsias but they are neither native or hardy here…so beautiful and you are so lucky to have this wonderful native plant…

  3. Sue Langley -

    Hi Mouse, This was a very interesting plant to research. I want more and should try moving my one that’s not doing well in its spot. It’s good to know that you’ve had good luck rooting them!

    Hi Donna, well…the one I have needs help, but I’d definitely like o try some other varieties. Can’t you grow any in the family?

  4. Desiree -

    I can see our little sunbirds going wild for this plant! They are so different from the fuchsias we grow. I suspect they’d do well here, if indeed they are available in SA nurseries. I’ll need to find out 🙂

  5. Curbstone Valley Farm -

    Even though your ‘Everett’s Choice’ may be languishing, it still looks great in the photo. I picked up one last weekend, along with two local E. canum ‘Pogonip’ that are endemic to this region. I plant to plant them right alongside our endemic monkeyflowers, so I’ll hope they’ll be happy. The challenge on our bank is water, as the soil is so sandy it dries very fast. I guess we’ll find out just how drought tolerant it really is! 😉

  6. James (Lost in the Landscape) -

    I’m intrigued by the more subtly colored ones you’ve shown and will put them on my shopping list. I’ve only tried a couple of the Cal fuchsias, ‘Catalina’ and ‘Route 66.’ You’ve covered the former, and the second gets offered down my way pretty frequently. Route 66 is supposed to be one of the earliest and best bloomers, but so far for me it’s been more reserved. Still these are really satisfying plants, providing flowers at a time of year when the pickings can be slim.

  7. Arleen Webster -

    Great post! The most floriferous of the Cal Fuchsias in my garden have been Catalina, Ghostly Red, Route 66, and Z. canum latifolium. They’re quite resilient but sometimes take a season or two to establish themselves. And I’m with you on the nomenclature – from force of habit, I still call these guys Zauschneria rather than Epilobium. Just sayin’!

    • Sue Langley -

      Thanks, Arleen! I went to my nursery Saturday and bought three Zauschnerias, the Catalina, Solidarity Pink and Bowman’s #!. I think I’ll move that one I have on the hill.

  8. Vera Voelter -

    I just got a Zauschneria Californica Sierra Gold. The leaves are bright yellow, very pretty
    foleage, just right for “accent”. I’m tired of “just green”.

    The Internet doesn’t have much info on this particular kind of Zauschneria. Would you know
    anything about it?

    • Sue Langley -

      Hi Vera, I agree, i like all colors of green and gold in the garden. No I don’t know about this one….introduced by Suncrest Nurseries. You may be the first one to review it!

  9. Curt -

    I am interested to know if any zauschneria species will grow in zone 5 in northern Illinois.If so,which varieties would be recommended?

  10. Jan -

    Are these fuchias frost hardy? Would like to try them in the Adelaide Hills Australia.

    • Sue Langley -

      Yes, they are hardy to US Zone 6 or 7, to 10º F They may die down but will return in spring.

Comments are closed.