Epilobium canum ssp. canum ‘Calistoga’, Calistoga California Fuchsia

The Calistoga selection of California Fuchsia is a multi-branched spreading perennial that mounds to 2 feet tall, and spreads to 3 feet or more. It is covered in red-orange tubular flowers from summer into fall. This selection has rounder leaves than the usual species. The orange-red trumpet shaped blooms appear on stalks reaching up to 18 inches high and are much loved by hummingbirds. Valuable in the habitat garden where it provides resources when most other plants have finished flowering.

It prefers full sun, poor soil, and is quite deer resistant. It tolerates average to no water but flowers best with occasional deep watering. Prune plants down to a few inches in late autumn to help rejuvenate them and make a more compact plant the following year. It spreads by rhizomes so either plant it in a location where you don’t mind it spreading elsewhere or pull up the shoots in fall.