Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

Fuchsia ‘Splendidissima’

In 1852, in the pages of The Gardeners Chronicle, Edward George Henderson & Son, of St Johns Wood, advertised the Fuchsia ‘Splendidissima’ for sale: ‘Unrivalled first class show flower, for exhibition purposes; the flowers of large size and great substance; sepals well reflexed, with fine, smooth, crimson tube, and large violet-purple corolla; the plant of good habit and free flowerer; altogether this is a very superior variety.’  [Gard. Chron. 1852].

Horticultural & Botanical History

A specimen seen at Henderson’s Nursery was described in the Floricultural Cabinet: ‘The new Fuchsia splendidissima.  Tube of medium size, that and the well-reflexed sepals are crimson, the corolla is exposed to full view, and inch and a half long, of a rich violet-purple. The large flowers on long slender foot-stalks, seen at a distance, appear like very large beautiful flies on the wing.’  [FC p.220/1852].

A plant of this name was bred and introduced by Schüle in 1852, probably in Germany.  Schüle’s and Henderson’s plants may be different.  [FS p.152 vol.10/1855].  

History at Camden Park

Listed only in the 1857 catalogue [T.496/1857].  The plant described by Henderson is most likely the one grown by Macarthur.  Whether this is the plant bred by Schüle is unclear.

Notes

Published Aug 23, 2009 - 02:41 PM | Last updated Sep 01, 2011 - 03:31 PM

Family Onagraceae
Category
Region of origin

Garden origin, probably England or Germany

Synonyms
Common Name

Fuchsia

Name in the Camden Park Record

Fuchsia Splendidissima 

Confidence level medium