Fuchsia corymbiflora aka Bolivian Fuchsia

Fuchsia corymbiflora is a woody shrub from east-central Peru. It belongs to the evening primrose family, Onagraceae. Names include Peruvian berrybush and vine fuchsia. It grows in wet tropical habitats and high cloud forests. There, it grows among shrubs and beside streams. Its recorded elevation range is 4,920–9,350 feet [1,500–2,850 metres]. People grow it for ornament and gather its wild fruit.

This deciduous plant can stand upright, climb, or scramble. The listed garden height is about 12 feet [3.6 metres]. Broader accounts give 3–13 feet [1–4 metres]. Its woody framework supports growth that loses its leaves. Its climbing or scrambling form differs from a strictly upright shrub. Garden uses include woodland edges and sites with dappled shade. An east-facing wall is another suggested place to grow it.

Insects pollinate the flowers, and bees visit the plant. It is self-fertile, so pollination does not require a second plant. The fruit is a juicy berry that people eat raw. Reports compare its taste with that of ripe figs. They also note its lack of an unpleasant aftertaste. Each berry can reach about 0.04 feet [0.012 metres] long. Its width can reach about 0.03 feet [0.010 metres]. The fruit gives this ornamental shrub a food use as well.

Choose a sheltered spot with partial shade and moist soil. The soil should be fertile and drain well. A pH close to neutral suits the plant. Loam enriched with leaf mould and sand also supports growth. Its need for moisture fits its streamside and cloud-forest habitats. Plants For A Future lists USDA hardiness zones 9–11. It reports no weed potential. Useful Tropical Plants reports that rabbits seem to leave it alone.

Seed and cuttings offer ways to raise more plants. Sow fresh seed on the surface and press it down gently. Keep the seed tray in partial shade without letting it dry. Germination should take less than six weeks. Move seedlings into pots once they are large enough to handle. Greenwood and half-ripe cuttings root readily during the growing season. The sources report no known hazards or medicinal uses. That lack of reported hazards does not establish safety for every use.