Found in Central and South America and even high in the Andes, Fuchsia is a spectacular plant found growing wild all over the world where they are pollinated by humming birds.
The first plants were discovered in 1693 in what is now the Dominican Republic by a priest, Father Carole Plumier. He named them fuchsias after the German botanist, Leohart Fuchs. Cross fertilization has produced an amazing range of sizes and color combinations. Fuchsias are very easy to propagate from cuttings, taken when the plant is growing vigorously.
Only select vigorous specimens. Do this when the plant is growing well, in mid to late summer and select a shoot which is neither too sappy and young, nor too woody and old.
The minute you sever the cutting from the master plant, slip it into a polythene bag into which you have introduced some clean water (either by spraying or simply putting a spoonful of water in the bottom). Close the neck of the bag tightly and put it well out of the way of the sun's rays.
It's very important to be very hygienic about taking cuttings, because fungal diseases can quickly get a grip in the moist atmosphere you will need to maintain around the plant, whilst rooting. Always use clean pots and fresh compost and make the final cut on the plant a clean one with a very sharp tool, such as a craft knife or scalpel.
The original cut, when you sever the cutting from the plant can be made with secateurs and can be between leaf junctions. But the final, sharp cut should be just below a leaf joint, leaving a cutting about 2 1/2" (6 cm) long. Strip off the bottom leaves, making sure there are no odd bits left, which could rot and cause disease later.
Dip the cut end in hormone rooting power and insert into a hole in pre-watered compost, consisting of half compost and half vermiculite, perlite ( a type of porous white rock) or agricultural fine sand. I find dribbling a little fine sand in the hole helps rooting.
Then comes the important bit: keeping the cutting moist until it can fend for itself. First spray the leaves with clean water. There's no need to water the compost as that should have already been done before you inserted the cutting. Doing it now will only wash off the hormone rooting powder.
Then carefully enclose the pot and cutting in a polythene bag with the top closed. Place the pot somewhere warm, but not too hot -- in bright conditions, but not in direct sunlight.
Once you see fresh growth and vigor in the cutting, that's a sure sign you have roots. Once that is apparent, gradually open the mouth of the bag a little more, every couple of days. After a week or so you can take the bag off the plant, as it will now be self supporting and be able to draw up its own moisture through its new roots.
