Other Names:  Fuchsia Flower Gooseberry

Description:

A medium sized California native shrub that produces dainty, fuchsia-like red flowers that appear along the branches in late winter to spring, followed by prickly red-orange berries; an ornamental plant that is vigorous and drought tolerant

Ornamental Features

Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry features dainty nodding scarlet bell-shaped flowers hanging below the branches from late winter to mid spring. It features an abundance of magnificent red berries with orange hints from late spring to mid summer. It has dark green deciduous foliage. The small glossy lobed leaves do not develop any appreciable fall color.

Landscape Attributes

Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spiny

Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. As this plant tends to go dormant in summer, it is best interplanted with late-season bloomers to hide the dying foliage. This is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn't require a second plant nearby to set fruit.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. This species is native to parts of North America.