Carol: Yes, it's "safe" to grow fuchsias again, thankfully. If you want a local source for a decent selection of uprights and basket types go to Certified Plant Growers...it's on Firestone Blvd. just west of the 605 freeway by about 1/2 a mile. (Don't know if that's the city of Downey or Norwalk...) They usually have their fuchsias out for sale around March 1st. Everything is in gallon cans and they're VERY cheap. It's a wholesale/landscapers nursery that sells to the public. They also have great annulas, perennials etc. It's a little hard to see from the street but it's right behind TARGET and the flood control channel. It's basically a self service nursery...not a lot of employees to walk around with the customers and answer questions...hence the wholesale pricing. Under the power lines for SCE. The place is huge. They grow their own material, no buying from a middle man.
Zuzu: I agree about that place spelling fuchsia incorrectly !!!
"Voodoo" upright fuchsia is very sun tolerant in case anyone wants to know...and it can get pretty big, but easy to keep manageable. It's an older cultivar but has stood the test of time.
Some of my favorites are "back" and available again: Golden Anniversary, Bicentennial, Royal Mosaic...all double uprights (if I remember correctly) with huge blooms and gorgeous streaks and veining. I managed to save one Swingtime from years ago and it's very disease/mite resistant.
When I was a hardcore "fuchsiafile" and grew mainly the basket types, I would plant 3 to a redwood basket and starting in the spring, pinch them every time they got TWO sets of leaves, not allowing them to grow ANY vertical sprouts. When the basket got to the size I wanted it to be I'd switch from a high Nitrogen food to something like Superbloom with a low N content and high P content. They would be laden with blooms for months. Finding redwood baskets anymore is almost impossible :(.
Sorry this was so long...didn't intend to ramble !
