The Fuchsia Cultivars
They're out there, Thousands and thousands and thousands of them.
They're out there, Thousands and thousands and thousands of them.
Fuchsia species have been crossed almost from the beginning of their introduction into horticulture. Estimates vary, but there may currently be anywhere from fifteen to well over twenty thousand different cultivars in existence. Or maybe more. No one really knows for sure.
However, many early crosses are now certainly lost and their names just ghosts of fuchsias past for whatever reasons. Breeders also kept precious few records in the past. Record keeping has certainly gotten better in recent years but it's still not universally better. There are also many accidental crosses from seeds of unknown parentage that have popped up in gardens and greenhouse.
While there is no single, comprehensive database of every cultivar ever bred, there is a fairly extensive list put together by the Nederlandse Kring van Fuchsiavrieden and posted on their website ➤ Cultivar Inventory.
Another superb list on the internet is ➤ Fuchsia Finder. You will find many names listed there as well.
Both of these lists are best if you can start with a cultivar name or are interested in cultivars attributed to single breeders. Unfortunately, it remains harder to start the other way around and put a name to an unknown flower.
The ➤ American Fuchsia Society has served as the ➤ International Registration Authority for Fuchsia Cultivars for the ➤ International Society of Horticultural Science since 1967.
However, many early crosses are now certainly lost and their names just ghosts of fuchsias past for whatever reasons. Breeders also kept precious few records in the past. Record keeping has certainly gotten better in recent years but it's still not universally better. There are also many accidental crosses from seeds of unknown parentage that have popped up in gardens and greenhouse.
While there is no single, comprehensive database of every cultivar ever bred, there is a fairly extensive list put together by the Nederlandse Kring van Fuchsiavrieden and posted on their website ➤ Cultivar Inventory.
Another superb list on the internet is ➤ Fuchsia Finder. You will find many names listed there as well.
Both of these lists are best if you can start with a cultivar name or are interested in cultivars attributed to single breeders. Unfortunately, it remains harder to start the other way around and put a name to an unknown flower.
The ➤ American Fuchsia Society has served as the ➤ International Registration Authority for Fuchsia Cultivars for the ➤ International Society of Horticultural Science since 1967.
