Triphylla hybrids (the name is Greek for 'three leaves') are noteworthy for the longer than normal tube and the fact that, as the name suggests, there are three leaf sets at each node, instead of the usual two.
What else is special about them? They are sun lovers. Since they originated in tropical climes they are tolerant of high temperatures and more than happy to be outside in the sun during the summer. On the other hand they cannot abide frost. These hybrids need a minimum temperature of 10°C if they are to be grown on in your greenhouse overwinter; most of them will survive in a dormant state that a temperature as low as 5°C but this will make them slower to get going again in spring.
They are ideal as pot plants on the patio in summer; you will need fairly large pots since they can grow to quite a good size. Yes you can use them as bedding plants as well but if so they must, repeat must be lifted during the autumn and kept in a heated greenhouse during the winter since frost will kill them off completely.
Some of the more popular are:
Adinda: this is an excellent pot plant, a slightly smaller variety with salmon pink flowers. The foliage is a very attractive contrasting sage green colour. Good as a bedding plant during the summer only.
Billy Green: this is a very popular variant with a fatter flower with vigourous upright growth and olive/sage green foliage. It is very popular as a specimen plant and is happy in full sun.
Chantry Park: these are good for growing in a hanging basket or for overflowing in a part. The tube is scarlet and foliage is olive green.
Coralle: this is a German hybrid and often known by it's German name 'Koralle'. It grow strongly and produces medium-sized orange to red flowers with velvety, deep sage green foliage. Fairly tolerant of the sun but can wilt if it gets too hot; on the other hand it is less prone to frost damage provided that this is not too cold or long-lasting.
Firecracker: orange – scarlet flowers with very attractive, variegated leaves. Be careful when watering this since it is very prone to botrytis. A drawback to it is that it has breeders rights protection which means that you would need to get good legal advice before propagating it!
Insulinde: tomato red on the top side of the tube, and vermilion – pink underneath. Tolerant of full summer sun.
Jackqueline: another one happy in full sun with velvety, dark green leaves, scarlet tube. It is happy in full sun and can make a very attractive specimen plant.
Mary: another German cultivar which many consider to be the best triphylla on the market. Vivid crimson flowers, sun tolerant and can be a first-class specimen plant.
Our Ted: this is a white cultivar but is not terribly easy to grow and needs an experienced gardener to get the best from it.
Sparky; blood red flowers are smaller than usual and throw upwards and outwards. It is very bushy but tender and best grown in a conservatory.
Thalia: probably the best-known of these hybrids, easy to grow with good growth which continues right on into autumn. Extremely popular and easy to get hold of from most garden centres and even some supermarkets.
If you see fuchsias in a public park they are highly likelyto be Thalias.
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