phygelius

( fye - jeel - EE - us )

At-A-Glance Information

Phygelius, commonly called Cape Figwort or Cape Fuchsia, is a flowering perennial that needs full sun to light shade and regular water. This plant is native to South Africa, and the flowers will attract hummingbirds to the garden. Summer flowers droop off of stem tips in small clusters, and are tubular.; they bloom in a variety of colors. Individual plants are usually 3-4 feet tall and just as wide, spreading via underground stems and branches that take root where they touch the ground to form colonies. Above-ground plant parts will die to the ground in frosty conditions, but will regrow from roots in springtime. 

Phygelius Species and Varietals

Phygelius is a member of the plant family Scrophulariaceae and includes just two species. Although they are commonly called Cape Figwort or Cape Fuchsia, they are not related to either Figworts (Scrophularia spp.) or Fuchsias. This genus typically grows best in zones 4-9, 14-24, H1 and H2. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
Phygelius aequalis (Cape Figwort, Cape Fuchsia)
These plants are native to South Africa, and form semi-evergreen shrubs that reach about three feet tall and just as wide. This species has pyramidal-shaped 10-inch long clusters of dusty rose to crimson flowers with yellow throats, though varietals have differently-colored blooms. Popular selections are outlined below.
'Sani Pass'
With purple-pink flowers with cream-yellow interiors.
'Trewidden Pink'
Dusty pink blossoms with yellow throats.
'Yellow Trumpet'
Pale yellow flowers.

Phygelius capensis (Cape Figwort, Cape Fuchsia)
Native to South Africa and Lesotho, these plants have an open, sprawling habit with loose clusters of orange-reddish flowers. These semi-evergreen shrubs reach about 47 inches tall and 59 inches wide, producing orange-pink tubular flowers on spikes. Flowers often point back towards the stems of plants. Blooming season is long; up to 6 months in mild climates (from May through November in its native range).
Phygelius x rectus (Hybrid Cape Fuchsia)
This group of hybrid Cape Fuchsias includes many different colored flowers, and is the result of hybridizing the previous two species, Phygelius aequalis and Phygelius capensis. Most are created and bred in the UK. Varieties are listed below.
'African Queen'
Orange flowers have a yellow throat.
'Devil's Tears'
Scarlet blooms with yellow throats.
'Moonraker'
Pale yellow flowers.
'Salmon Leap'
Salmon-colored flowers with a yellow throat.
'Winchester Fanfare'
Yellow-throated, salmon-colored blooms.
'Pink Elf'
A more compact plant, growing to 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide, with pink flowers.

Caring for Phygelius

Plant Phygelius, or Cape Fuchsia, in a space in the garden that gets full sun. Ideally, these plants appreciate between 6 and 8 hours of direct sun each day, and have a tendency to get leggy if grown in too much shade. In warm climates, give Cape Fuchsia some afternoon shade during the warmest hours of the day (typically between 2 and 3 PM in most areas). Ensure that soil is well-draining and moderately fertile with a pH of between 6.0 and 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Water newly planted Cape Fuchsia regularly to help it develop a strong root system. At maturity, they like to be irrigated regularly; as a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top inch or two of soil feels dry to the touch. Mulch around the base of plants to increase soil moisture retention, suppress weed growth, and maintain consistent soil temperatures.
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Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. These plants are not heavy feeders, and this should be sufficient to provide the necessary nutrients for the active growing and flowering seasons. Prune off faded flower spikes to neaten up appearance, and remove any dead, damaged or diseased foliage. In cool-winter areas, these plants may not survive winter temperatures, and are better grown in pots that are moved indoors during the colder months of the year. They can also be treated as annuals, pulled at the end of the growing season and replaced in the next. In mild-weather areas, Cape Fuchsia can still die back a good amount in the winter, but will regrow the following spring.

Propagation

Phygelius plants can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Cape Fuchsia, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Phygelius by Cutting
  1. Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
  2. In fall before the first frost of your area, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Avoid taking cuttings from stems that are woody. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
  3. Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots. 
  4. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new plant.

Propagating Phygelius by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows. 
  2. Harvest your seeds. The seed pods are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
  3. About 10 to 12 weeks before the last frost of your area, water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes about two weeks from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  4. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Problems and Pests

​Cape Fuchsia plants can be susceptible to developing issues with the following pests and diseases in the landscape:
  • Aphids
  • Whitefliles
  • Powdery Mildew
For more information on these pests and diseases, including how to treat and prevent them, consult the following pages:
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Gallery

Cape Fuchsia plants produce bright flowers that are favorites of hummingbirds and butterflies.
This container arrangement features grassy Bulrush, Calibrachoa, Geranium, and Cape Fuchsia.
Many gardeners choose to add Cape Fuchsia to mixed pollinator beds.
Orange-flowered Cape Fuchsia contrasts with purple-flowering Lavender.
Cape Fuchsia plants produce delicate flowering stems that are held like wands above foliage.
This mixed bed features Cape Fuchsia, Heuchera, Geranium, and Fuchsia.

Videos

Check out how this gardener uses Phygelia in their garden.
How to propagate Cape Fuchsia using softwood cuttings.

Resources

Cape Fuchsias - Perennials with a Punch
Phygelius (Cape Fuchsia)
Phygelius - Growing Guide
Cape Fuchsia Propagation: Tips on Growing Cape Fuchsia Plants
Wikipedia: Phygelius
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 502 - 503, Phygelius