Fuchsia excorticata L.F.

Gynodioecious, deciduous tree or shrub to ± 12 m high; trunk to 60 cm diam. Main branches stout, spreading; bark conspicuously light pinkish or brownish orange, very thin, peeling in strips; branchlets ± puberulous. Petioles slender, 1-4 cm long. Lamina (1.5)-2-14 × (0.7)-1-6.5 cm, usually lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate or ovate-oblong, usually sinuate, obscurely toothed, glabrous except on veins and margins, thin, dark green above, pale glaucous to silvery below, sometimes suffused with red or purple; base rounded or cuneately narrowed; apex acute to acuminate. Fls usually solitary, pendulous, often cauliflorous; pedicels filiform, to c. 15 mm long. Floral tube 7-20 mm long, green to ± purple at first. Sepals 5-16 mm long, ovate-lanceolate, green at first, the whole calyx turning red later, often eventually reflexing. Petals 2-5 mm long, dark purple, elliptic. Stamens of ☿ fls well exserted; filaments 7-12 mm long, purplish. Style 20-35 mm long, much > stamens; stigma capitate. Berry c. 10 mm long, ellipsoid-oblong, dark purple to almost black.

It is a temperate plant. It grows on the edges of forests in New Zealand. It needs shade. In New Zealand it grows from sea level to 1060 m altitude. It can survive brief frosts. It can tolerate strong winds but not salty winds. It suits hardiness zones 8-10. Arboretum Tasmania.

The fruit are eaten raw. They can also be used in pies, tarts, cakes, desserts and dessert sauces. Adding potato flour or corn starch can temper the astrigent taste. The tree can be tapped for its sweet sap.

Plants can be grown by seed or cuttings. They can also be grown from suckers.