Why does Wemding celebrate a plant from the forests of South and Central America in Bavarian Swabia at the end of May with the large "fuchsias and herbal market"? Quite simply: Leonhart Fuchs, one of the founding fathers of botany, comes from Wemding. The doctor and scholar was one of the leading researchers in the area of herbs and plants in the 16th century. But he never got to know the plant, which bears the name "Fuchsie" in honor of it, it was only popular in Europe 300 years after him.
On May 24th and 25th from 9 a. m. to 6 p.m., the pretty medieval city of Wemding recognizes its famous son and has thus developed into a "fuchsia city". At the fuchsia market, the plant can be bought in all possible variants for your own garden, but also various rare herbal varieties. Even herbal recipes and liqueurs according to the recipes of Leonhart Fuchs, many herbal dishes and of course many delicacies from regional cuisine can be tried. Fuchsian tours through the city and a pyramid that is unique in the world show the beauty of this exotic garden plant. Five meters high and almost as wide at the base, this colorful plant tower protrudes right in front of the parish church. Up to 700 fuchsia plants are planted in 180 flower boxes. The four sides of the pyramid are mixed with the Beacon red-blue, insulinding, Celia Smedley, Genii and Gartenmeister Bonsted. Upright and hanging varieties, as well as various flower and deciduous colors alternate.
Text: Katrin Hilger
Pictures: J. Strohhofer