Fuchsia - Army Nurse

'Army Nurse' is an American fuchsia introduction dating back to just after the second world war. It is a red and violet small-flowered cultivar which grows well planted permanently in the garden.

The flowers have short tubes and slightly recursive sepals. The corolla can be either single or semi-double. Growth is strong, the bush firmly upright, and flowers are produced in large numbers.

As to hardiness, I've seen Army Nurse described as a very hardy fuchsia variety and also as 'fairly hardy'. As with all varieties much depends on the region in which it is being grown. In extremely cold climate zones no fuchsia will prove reliably hardy. Watch out also for extremely wet situations. I did once, in a very rainy season, lose a nice Arm Nurse bush in a large pot when I had failed to give sufficient attention to drainage. My post mortem conclusion was 'death by drowning'. As with other varieties it does not not like its roots saturated for too long.