Fuchsia magellanica

Native to central and southern Chile and southern Argentina, this plant is a shrub that can reach about ten feet tall. Its hanging flowers have scarlet sepals around purple petals and are produced freely through summer. It can retain some leaves in mild winters and is grown in flower borders and as a hedge. The berries are edible, although flavor varies and the plant is usually grown for its flowers. The species received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. It has been introduced to Colombia and has naturalized in Northern Ireland, where it grows in hedgerows. Photographed in the Cocora Valley, Colombia.