My Fuchsia boliviana Alba is blooming nicely. It makes a fruit from each flower, which is full of viable seeds. I've counted roughly 200 in the past, although I think it varies.
The first fruits are about to plump up and ripen. I expect this will be within a week, roughly. I'll clean the seeds of 1-2 fruits and send to 2 people in a regular envelope with minimal padding. I think the seeds are small enough to avoid the USPS rollers. They germinate in about 2 weeks after surface sowing and kept moist/humid. I've germinated seeds, but never raised them to large plants.
The plants can get big (10-15 feet) in a frost-free climate. They prefer a cool summer climate, and I'm not sure how much heat they can tolerate. I've heard mixed opinions. I'm pretty sure a friend grew/bloomed them in the D.C. area, outside in summer, and I'll check.
You can see the fruits towards the center of the flowers--they look like little sausages. The taste is mild, somewhat kiwi-like in my opinion. Squirrels find them tasty as well, but these are safe.
Here are some bigger plants at the SF Botanical Garden. I'm not sure what size they bloom as seedlings, but pretty much any size as rooted cuttings. It's not uncommon for the inflorescence to be longer than a rooted cutting is tall.
Usual rules, seeds to two people, completely free, decided when the fruits get ripe.
The first fruits are about to plump up and ripen. I expect this will be within a week, roughly. I'll clean the seeds of 1-2 fruits and send to 2 people in a regular envelope with minimal padding. I think the seeds are small enough to avoid the USPS rollers. They germinate in about 2 weeks after surface sowing and kept moist/humid. I've germinated seeds, but never raised them to large plants.
The plants can get big (10-15 feet) in a frost-free climate. They prefer a cool summer climate, and I'm not sure how much heat they can tolerate. I've heard mixed opinions. I'm pretty sure a friend grew/bloomed them in the D.C. area, outside in summer, and I'll check.
You can see the fruits towards the center of the flowers--they look like little sausages. The taste is mild, somewhat kiwi-like in my opinion. Squirrels find them tasty as well, but these are safe.
Here are some bigger plants at the SF Botanical Garden. I'm not sure what size they bloom as seedlings, but pretty much any size as rooted cuttings. It's not uncommon for the inflorescence to be longer than a rooted cutting is tall.
Usual rules, seeds to two people, completely free, decided when the fruits get ripe.
makes me wish i had a yard!