California Fuchsia
Epilobium canum
Care
full sun
very low
well-drained; rocky or sandy; very drought tolerant
0–2ft tall , 1–3ft wide
Aug-Nov · scarlet red
Semi-Deciduous
Resistant
Friendly
Prized
Throughout California in dry rocky habitats
Brilliant scarlet tubular flowers beloved by hummingbirds
Late summer/fall color when little else blooms; many cultivars; spreading
Care Guide
Planting
Plant California Fuchsia in full sun for the most flowers. It tolerates clay, sand, and even serpentine soil as long as drainage is decent - it's not fussy about soil type. Plant in fall or winter when the plant is dormant, and space plants 1-2 feet apart depending on whether you want them to fill in as a groundcover. If you're in the Bay Area's wetter coastal areas, your new plant will need almost no supplemental water once established, but if you're inland or in a drier microclimate, plan to water it about once a month through summer.
After Planting
Water your new plant regularly during its first growing season to establish roots, then taper off to once-monthly summer watering (or none at all if you're near the coast). Expect the plant to die back and go dormant in winter - this is normal. The most important thing you can do is cut the plant back to the ground as soon as flowering stops in late fall, before it gets straggly; this ensures it returns thick and healthy in spring. If you skip this step, the plant will look weak next year and may not survive. Once established, California Fuchsia will self-seed freely, so you may find baby plants popping up around your garden.
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Wildlife Supported
Birds
Critical late-season nectar source Aug-Nov for pre-migration fuel; supports southbound migration
Late-season nectar resource during breeding season extension Aug-Nov
Late-season nectar during migration staging in mountain/foothill regions
Desert and coastal populations utilize fall blooms for energy reserves
Host plant for lepidopteran parasites; southwestern Arizona/California range
Seeds consumed late-season; supports winter population persistence
Insects
Late-season adult nectar source during fall generation
Specialist gall midge; larvae develop within plant tissues
Specialist larval host plant; leaf miner on Epilobium species
Crepuscular/nocturnal nectar feeder; supports energy for migration