Ned-H3 winter hardy fuchsias

1.The properties of 'winter hard' for fuchsias

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In this category belong fuchsias planted in the garden border and totally freeze during periods of frost. They can only winter in a frost free area, such as a heated glasshouse, or such like. Most fuchsias belong in this group. B. In part winter hard (with two subcategories 'those losing their leaves' and 'those that die off above ground level').

Winter hardy fuchsias belong to the latter subgroup. The soft leaves and herb like branches, which have not 'wooded' yet, die as a result of freezing. In spring it regenerates from within the roots. Such a plant has a mechanism to keep alive, during periods of frosts, its plant cells below ground level as long as possible. This property stops ice forming in the living plant cells.

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Winter hardy fuchsias have adapted their plant cells in such a manner as to be able to hold higher levels of sugars and salts. That is why no ice crystals are formed in the cell. This adjustment consists out of a membrane around each cell, that allows only pure water to pass from the cell moisture. The pure water nestles itself between the cells and freezes there. In the living cells remain only concentrated levels of the anti freeze mixture of the sugars etc. over, and that does not freeze there (refer  'Plant cells of sensitive to cold and winter hardy plants').

In non winter hardy fuchsias the cell moisture freezes, as a result of the low percentage of the anti-freeze. As with a wooden rain vat is pushed to pieces during thaw, this also happens to plant cells. Usually the plant is irreparably damaged. The pure water between the cells of winter hardy plants causes some expansion of the plant, which is still noticeable following defrost. In this process only deformation of the plant cells occur, but this has no consequence to the plant.

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The list of hardy fuchsias that were tested in France, is divided in four groups, according to the levels of freezing expressed in °C and method [see the Dutch society paper 'Fuchsiana' febr. ' 97 pag.20 - 24]:

The Dutch UTC-team 'Trials to test fuchsias on their hardiness in winter' got the impression that fuchsias are not capable of being classified according to level of remaining anti-freeze in the plant and the survival changes according to the level of frost.

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The original sources of botanical fuchsias that were used since the first crossings started in approximately 1820, are mostly not known. It cannot be surprising that they are the very first derivatives who have the properties of winter hardy. And have the colours red - purple. The answer is simple. During those first hybrid growing's they used species that nature had already adopted to the colder climates, for they came from high in the mountains. In one of the first French books on fuchsias it is noted that many growers used for instance F.coccinea and F.gracilis (magellanica). Also used at that time were the winter hardy types F.globosa and F.procumbens. With the exception of F.procumbens all have red purple flowers.