Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Bolivian Fuchsia (Fuchsia boliviana)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Bolivian Fuchsia, Angel's Earrings, Bolivia Fuchsia.

More about bolivian fuchsia

About Bolivian Fuchsia

Fuchsia boliviana · also called Bolivian Fuchsia, Angel's Earrings · tropical

Fuchsia boliviana is a spectacular evergreen shrub native to the Andean cloud forests of Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina, where it grows at elevations of 1,200-3,500 m in cool, moist conditions. It produces long, pendulous clusters of slender, waxy bright-red and white tubular flowers followed by edible dark-red berries, and can reach 2.5-4 m in frost-free conditions. The most important care fact is that it must be kept frost-free, requiring heated greenhouse or conservatory protection in the UK, while still needing the cool temperatures of its montane origin to thrive — it dislikes heat above 27°C (81°F). Fuchsia is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA.

Cold limit: USDA 9-11 · RHS H1c (10-24°C)

Watch for — Flower and bud drop: Sudden changes in temperature, draughts, or allowing the root ball to dry out completely trigger bud and flower drop. Site the plant away from heating vents and doors, and water consistently to maintain even soil moisture.

What bolivian fuchsia's hardiness rating actually means

Bolivian Fuchsia is not cold hardy. It is a tropical houseplant that dies if it is left out through frost — there is no zone where it overwinters outdoors in a UK or cold-US climate. Its RHS rating of H1c means: Warm-temperate — can summer outdoors but must come in well before the first frost. On the US scale that maps to USDA 9-11 — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about 5 °C (and never frost). Bolivian Fuchsia has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

Concretely, for bolivian fuchsia as it gets too cold:

Below about about 5 °C, growth stalls and the leaves start to show cold stress — dark, water-soaked, or yellowing patches.
A single light frost blackens the foliage; a hard freeze kills the whole plant, roots included, and it does not recover.
Even a cold, draughty windowsill or an unheated porch in winter can be enough to damage it permanently.

Can bolivian fuchsia go outside or overwinter — and where?

It can holiday outdoors in summer once nights are reliably above 5 °C, in shade or dappled light, hardened off gradually.
Bring it back indoors well before the first autumn frost — do not wait for a frost warning, move it when nights drop toward 10-12 °C.
It will never overwinter outside in a temperate climate; the indoors is its winter home, full stop.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when bolivian fuchsia can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H1c figure above.

Bolivian Fuchsia hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is bolivian fuchsia cold hardy?

Bolivian Fuchsia is not cold hardy. It is a tropical houseplant that dies if it is left out through frost — there is no zone where it overwinters outdoors in a UK or cold-US climate. Indoor-only in almost every home. Bolivian Fuchsia can only live outside year-round in genuinely frost-free climates (roughly USDA 9-11); everywhere else it is a houseplant that summers out at most.

What is the minimum temperature bolivian fuchsia can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about 5 °C (and never frost). Bolivian Fuchsia has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

What hardiness zone is bolivian fuchsia?

Bolivian Fuchsia is rated USDA 9-11 and RHS H1c — Warm-temperate — can summer outdoors but must come in well before the first frost.

Can bolivian fuchsia survive winter outside?

It can holiday outdoors in summer once nights are reliably above 5 °C, in shade or dappled light, hardened off gradually. Bring it back indoors well before the first autumn frost — do not wait for a frost warning, move it when nights drop toward 10-12 °C. It will never overwinter outside in a temperate climate; the indoors is its winter home, full stop.

What happens to bolivian fuchsia below its minimum temperature?

Below about about 5 °C, growth stalls and the leaves start to show cold stress — dark, water-soaked, or yellowing patches. A single light frost blackens the foliage; a hard freeze kills the whole plant, roots included, and it does not recover. Even a cold, draughty windowsill or an unheated porch in winter can be enough to damage it permanently.