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Onagraceae
California Fuchsia
Epilobium canum
late-season abundance.
- Family
- Onagraceae
- Genus
- Epilobium
- Native to
- Western USA, Baja California
- Bloom season
- Summer, Autumn
- Type
- perennial herb
- Height
- 1-3 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- dry, well-drained, rocky or sandy
- Water
- low
- Hardiness
- 7-10
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- California fuchsia blooms August through October when few other native wildflowers are flowering, making it the single most important nectar plant for migratory hummingbirds passing through the western United States.
- Formerly known as Zauschneria californica, it was reclassified into Epilobium (the fireweed genus) following molecular phylogenetic studies in the 1990s.
- It survives California's brutal summer drought by going semi-dormant, storing water in its roots and pushing out fresh stems when temperatures drop slightly in late summer.
- The tubular scarlet flowers are specifically proportioned for hummingbird bills — other pollinators can rarely reach the nectar at the base of the long tube.
- Dozens of cultivars exist ranging from compact ground covers to 4-foot cascading shrubs, and they are increasingly popular in water-wise landscaping.
Color meanings
0
abundant generosity
1
fire and energy
2
life in the dry season