Phygelius or Cape Fuchsia
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cjmiller
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Jan-19-2005 at 1:10pm
Cape fuchsia or phygelius is new to me. I have several bushes that I started over the past 3 years. The growth of one of these plants astounded me this past year as it grew like it was on steroids. It has spread quite a bit further than I expected! The Sunset Western Garden book says to prune to shape, Okay, but does that mean cutting it down to the ground? now? It looked awful during the ice storm, but looks fine now. Should I chop back the root base? devide it in half? it grew twice as tall as the others I have, the flowering stems are about 5 1/2 feet tall, Between the phygelius and the ambitious Euphorbia, that little 8 x 8 foot corner is over planted! Advice please!--PS. I love them both, and so do the humming birds!
Carol
mdvaden
Location: Oregon, Western
Posted: Jan-19-2005 at 6:53pm
I have not pruned one of those myself. What I've read, indicates to prune back last year's growth by half. Apparently, in some warm / mild climates, this can be pruned even more.
It sounds like a plant that would be pruned the way Anthony Waterer spiraea can be done: Cut down to about half and thin some congestion by eradicating several stems entirely.
Sounds like post-January to post-February can be a good time.
It will be interesting to see other feedback on this plant. Nice looking flowers.
Wouldn't it be nice if every time a garden book said to 'prune and shape', that a basic explanation would be offered.
M.D. Vaden
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jan-19-2005 at 10:45pm
Originally posted by mdvaden
'Wouldn't it be nice if every time a garden book said to 'prune and shape', that a basic explanation would be offered.'
But that would make it too easy for us and then where's the challenge?
I have several 'Winchester Fanfare' that I intially pruned timidly, about half or even less. Now I hack away at them when I do my spring clean-up. I try to wait until the worst of the cold is over for insurance but I'm not sure I need to. The thing suckers from here to kingdom come (okay, it just seems that way) so even if the tops died, I'd bet the roots will come through just fine. I thin them out, removing a few of the oldest branches and then cut the remaining ones back. I vary the height, center taller 8'-10' with sides lower, as short as 4'-6'. They still grow 4' tall or more each year. A friend's 'Winchester Fanfare' grows even taller, up to 6' (amazing!).
I figured the pruning out mostly by trial and error. I'm curious to know what others do.
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jan-20-2005 at 9:01am
I normally chop my hardy fuschia down to about 12 inches in late winter. I also try to thin out the branches in the middle. It then grows to about 4- 5 feet though the summer.
But I wondered about my cape fuschia. It still has its leaves and seems to need a different treatment. Maybe just a little shaping. Thanks for the info!
I cut off one dead-looking branch and left one in place on my sarcocca and sure enough, the 'dead' branch sprouted leaves. Now I have a lopsided plant! LOL. I guess I needed to do more research!
Jeanne
Screaming Eagle
Location: Puget Sound corridor
Posted: Jan-20-2005 at 2:57pm
I haven't had my cape fuscias long enought to know how to prune them. The advice to cut them down by a half seems reasonable. So Lisa, what do you do when they sucker? Just whack them off where they wander too far?
But I sure do love them. It's only since I planted one that I started noticing hummers in my yard-that and the Monarda didyma (Bee Balm)just bring them in!
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jan-20-2005 at 3:35pm
Theresa, the suckers/runners stay fairly close to the surface in my garden, even though they can travel up to several feet from the mother plant. I yank up the escapee and pull it until it's as close to the mother plant as I can pull, which is usually quite close. Root pruning might also be effective, but mine are too close to other plants and their roots for me to do that without damaging the other plants. The roots all intertwine but so far, none of them object to sharing.
I love these plants, too, so I'll put up with their wandering nature.
bakingbarb
Location: Washington, Western
Posted: Jan-22-2005 at 11:02pm
Holy ouch if the bugger I bought gets that big I have got to move it. It is planted next to a winter daphne that I rescued. This poor daphne was one little stem but heavy rooted and at work we were supposed to get rid of the singles. I could not do it so I kept moving it around and hiding it. I lost it for a month and when I finaly found it again I bought it. For being sort of neglected I have to say it was healthy and looks great in the ground. Hopefully sun is not all rain so I can go outside and check for buds. Oh back to cape fushia do they all get so big. I really planted things way to close togethor. The space was so empty and I figured I would move things anyhow.
~BakingBarb
Carolyn
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Jan-31-2005 at 9:53pm
I just thin mine mostly like Lisa does. Last year mine looked ratty from the freezing weather. I trimmed them back in early spring to about 2' tall and they are once again about 5-1/2 to 6 feet and the hummers truly love them with a passion. I wouldn't live without them and now I have many.
I also pull up the suckers until they get closer to the mother plant. I have even given them as cuttings as the suckers have roots and are easy transplants. I've never pruned them down to the 8-10' and 4-6' but maybe I'll try that, Lisa. Thanks.
Carolyn
cjmiller
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Feb-01-2005 at 3:46pm
I cut mine back by half as advised, and it only took a short time to understand that pulling at the wandering roots was probably not going to hurt it at all as there seems to be an abundance of very hardy runners. It did bother me that there were still blooms available for the hummers, but then I saw them at the heather and the feeder--they seem to be thriving. The female is showing up more often at the feeder--I hope that means she is working on making healthy eggs!
Carol
Phlox
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: Feb-06-2005 at 4:13pm
I just bought my first cape fuchsia's last fall and am looking forward to seeing how they do in the locations I picked for them.
My info on prunning them say they may be pruned fairly severely in spring, again, I guess its whatever your opinion of severe is. Sounds to me like you can't kill them (will that be a good thing or a bad thing??)
Thanks for bringing up the subject cj, I think md has the right idea.
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton