 Photo ©
Carl Farmer |
A garden escape that can't survive severe frost. Quite frequent near the west coast, often isolated individuals or small groups in shady places such as stream gorges. Flower diameter c 18-28 mm. Leaves c 3-5 cm long. A deciduous shrub typically 1.5-2.5 m tall. ID: Unmistakable in flower, and very distinctive the rest of the time, similar to garden Fuchsias, with young twigs purplish-red, leaves opposite, wavy-toothed. Other features: The highly visible red parts are the sepals, the petals are purple and shorter. There are 4 of each, plus 8 red long-protruding stamens with purple anthers. |
