Growing Abutilon (Flowering Maple)
Latin Name Pronunciation: ah-byu' ti-lon
Abutilon is a large genus of flowering plants in the Mallow family from tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates around the world. Varieties known as Flowering Maples have been popular patio and houseplants since Victorian times; most are hardy in Zones 8-10.
Light: Full sun to part shade. We recommend providing afternoon shade in warm climates.
Watering: Water regularly to keep soil evenly moist; do not let soil dry out completely. Flowering maples suffer in hot, dry locations and should be protected from drying winds.
Fertilizer: Abutilons are heavy feeders and heavy bloomers that will flower throughout the summer (perhaps taking a rest in the very hottest weather) into fall. To encourage plentiful flowers, apply a bloom-boosting water-soluble fertilizer such as 15-30-15 monthly, or every two weeks diluted at half strength, during the active growing season. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers.
Soil: When grown in a garden bed, Flowering Maples are undemanding, although they do best in rich soils. Well-drained soil is a must whether grown in a container or a garden.
Pests/Diseases: Outdoors, Flowering Maples are relatively pest-free. Indoors, watch for the usual houseplant pests: whiteflies, scale, aphids, mealybugs.
Seasonal Care: Abutilons bloom on new wood, so snip off spent blooms throughout the season to encourage reblooming and a bushy habit. They can be pruned heavily to keep plants in desirable form. In cold-winter climates, bring plants indoors before frost and place them in a bright, sunny spot in a cool room (temperatures in the 60s are ideal). Decrease water in winter, but do not let plants completely dry out, and do not fertilize. Set back outdoors after the danger of frost has passed in spring.
Growing Abutilon Standards:
A standard is a type of topiary that is a woody plant trained to a long, single stem. The stem can be crowned with bushy foliage and flowers at a determined height or, with fine-textured plants, a neatly clipped or loose globe. This arrangement is beautiful but requires a little extra effort on the part of the gardener to maintain.
Staking a Standard: To keep your standard standing, shelter it from strong winds and support it with a stake that has a diameter at least as large as the stem's. The stake should be long enough that, when plunged into the pot or the ground, it reaches just inside the foliage. Fasten the standard’s stem to the stake at several points with garden twine looped in a figure-eight around stem and stake. Check the ties periodically during the growing season and loosen them if they constrict the stem’s growth.
Pruning and repotting: Maintain the shape of the head with selective pruning and keep deadheading to promote new growth and flowering. Do not shear the plant as though it were a hedge. If you find that a standard in a container dries out quickly after watering, the plant probably needs a larger pot. Lift it from its current pot, make four deep vertical cuts in the root ball, and place it in a new pot that is 2-4" wider and taller than the old one, filling in around the root ball with fresh potting mix. Water thoroughly after repotting and give it time to recover in a protected spot.