Fuchsia Excorticata 3.5L (Tree Fuchsia)

New Zealand Tree Fuchsa or kōtukutuku

The world’s largest fuchsia species and is endemic to New Zealand. Found naturally throughout the North and South Islands and on Stewart Island.

The papery, exfoliating bark that peels away to reveal warm orange-brown tones beneath.

Develops a naturally gnarled, multi-stemmed form.

From early spring through to summer the tree produces an abundance of small, pendulous flowers with a distinctive colour progression — opening green before maturing to rich purple-red. One of its more unusual features is the vivid blue pollen, which is striking and relatively uncommon among flowering trees. The flowers are followed by small, dark berries known as konini, which are eagerly consumed by native birds.

Fuchsia excorticata performs best in moist, free-draining soils and benefits from reliable soil moisture. It grows well in full sun to partial shade.

Once established it has solid frost tolerance and adapts well across New Zealand’s diverse climatic zones.

Height 6m