Hi Dana,
Where are you keeping your fuchsia? Indoors or outdoors? Don't overwater, keep soil just moist. Kath - :)

Hi Dana, I had them and they are quite "easy" for me. Your plant could have suffered a sudden disease. "Phytophtrhora to Fuchsia" is like "measles to the Native Americans". The following post is from this site:

Quote - Fuchsias are Gondwanic. They occur in Mexico but birds probably brought them up from South America long before the two continents collided near the Ithsmus of Panama.

They have fine, wide-spreading (and rather greedy) roots which are not as susceptible to disease as those of many of their compatriots, but bear in mind that their resistence to Phytophthora is poor. Phytophtrhora didn't occur in the southern hemisphere until people inadvertantly brought it in. Many southern hemisphere natives have zero resistence to it.

This is why they can grow in Sacramento, California, in shade with lots of irrigation, despite temperatures in the 100s in the summer, but are almost hopeless in the southeastern USA. The Phyto kills them sometimes within hours.

I have heard from a few folks who claim that they can grow things from the southern hemisphere, because their coarse sandy soil is not particularly condusive to Phyto.

There is at least one heat-loving Fuchsia. Maybe a few of them, but most are native to cloud forest or rain-forest in cool, temperate climates. Fuchsia triphylla comes from the Caribbean and loves hot, humid weather. Most unusual for its kind. I have no idea if it is any more resistent to Phyto but I would guess that it probably is. It has been tried occassionally in the southeast.

It has minimal resistence to frost. It can be and sometimes is grown as an annual.

I have a Triphylla type hybrid that does have some frost-hardiness--NOT MUCH--and we just had a fairly severe winter. No signs of shoots yet. I am hoping that I didn't lose it. It was quite a beauty--the variety "Billy Green".

-end quote

First off, if you've got the plant indoors, move it outside. If this isn't the trouble, you should look into light levels and perhaps temperature.

Do you have them in full shade? It's been my experience that they actually require lots of light, though I live in a different climate. You might try moving the plant to a sunnier spot, or if you've got it in full sun, give it some shade.

As for temperature, most fuchsia are fairly tolerant: as long as they don't freeze, they'll be fine in cooler temperatures. However, if you've got the plant in a position that has a substantially higher or lower temperature than did the retailer, it might be in a bit of shock.

Finally, if you're really humid in NE, then you should be careful not to overwater the plant. I've found that if they've got lots of humidity, they need substantially less water in the soil.

Any of these situations would/could result in the dropping of leaves and/or blooms. All you can do now is correct the problem and wait for new growth to bloom.

Hope this helps. If not, post more specific information about the environment in which you've got the fuchsia; it will make it easier to deduce the problem.

-Crazy

Thank you all so much! I know better than to post without giving more specific info!

I have it outside under the eave of my porch on the east side of the house. I watered it when it came home because it was very dry. I have been bringing it in when the temps dip below 40 but I put it out the next morning as the temps are not dropping below 60 during the day! I do have it situated so that it gets morning sun but is shaded in the afternoon. Is there a way for me to tell if it has Phytophthora? I have checked for bugs (did that before I brought it in to the rest of my plant population.), but there was nothing that I saw. And now to top it all off~my hubby tells me this afternoon that my son actually bought this and the rose bush with his own money from his weekend job! My hubby wouldn't tell me how long he saved for it! Nothing like a little guilt to get me motivated to save this lovely plant! If I can figure out how to post a picture here, I will!

Thanks again for all the help!
Dana

I want to see the pictures of your lovely fuchsia (actually a property of your son). Here is how to post a picture. Assuming you have a picture at http://www.yourSite.com/yourPic.jpg

Then simply type in

The picture will show up.

OK...Here goes! I hope this works!

This used to have blooms all over it...
{{gwi:789369}}

This is one side where the leaves are falling off...

Here is the other side. One vine that just looks pitiful...
{{gwi:789373}}

And here is the rose bush he bought me...
{{gwi:789375}}

I hope this works! I'm crossing my fingers!
Dana

Dana, thanks for trying. I think the path (http://www.shutterfly.com/Fuchsia.jpg) is not correct. Look carefully at what is the correct URL of your images.

We look forward to see your Fuchsia!

OK let me try this again!

Hopefully this will work. If it does, I'll post the rest!
Dana

too small.

Well, GRRRRR! Thanks any way. I'll practice and then post again! Thanks again!

Dana

strange ....