Fuchsia ‘Delicata’

Horticultural & Botanical History

It seems that more than one ‘Delicata’ was for sale at the time, Turville’s ‘Delicata’ being a highly recommended light-coloured fuchsia by The Gardeners Chronicle of 1848 and 1849 and this is a possibility for Macarthur’s plant.  Another possibility is Fairbairn's ‘Delicata’, mentioned in the Courier notice discussed below.

Flore des Serres [FS p.144 vol.10/1855] describes Smith’s ‘Delicata’, produced in 1854, with rose-coloured sepals, the tips of the segments yellowish-green, and carmine corolla, but this is not Macarthur’s plant.

A fuchsia named ‘Delicata’ is still available today.  Its description fits Newberry’s plant but I know nothing of its history.

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1850 and 1857 catalogues [T.472/1850].  The following notice appeared in the Courier, Hobart, on Saturday 6th April 1850.  ‘The Autumn Exhibition of the Gardeners and Amateurs' Floral and Horticultural Society was held on Wednesday last, at the Music Hall, Collins-street.  The best collections of fuchsias were exhibited by Mr. Rheuben and Mr. A. Douglass.  Those of Mr. Rheuben's were all seedlings, and Mr. Douglases' comprised specimens of the Corallina, Napoleon, Acanthe, Fairbairn's Delicata, Miss Prettyman, Cassandra, Smith's Prince Albert, and Fulgent.’  The source of William Macarthur’s ‘Delicata’ is not known and it could have been obtained from one of his Hobart contacts.  It is also possible that the Hobart plants were obtained from Camden although I have found no record of this.  Interestingly Macarthur had received ‘Venus Victrix’ from J. Abbott of Hobart but reported on 16th June 1846 that it, and another unnamed variety had died since arrival.

Notes