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Abutilon

>From: Bjarcia@aol.com
>Subject: Abutilon
>Sender: owner-medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
>Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 23:44:03 -0400 (EDT)
>
> Can Anyone tell me just how fast Abutilon ( Or Flowering maple, Chinese
> Bellflower) grows in one season? Any pests it might get and anything to keep
> it from getting too rangy and scraggly looking?

BJ -

Funny you should ask this question just now - I'm in the middle of
an 'Abutilon evaluation' for a client, choosing the right cultivar
for a particular planting we're installing.

Abutilons used to come in two basic 'types' - the A. hybridums were
generally large and shrubby, up to 10ft tall or more, with largish
flowers that were more or less pendant and shaped sort of like small
lampshades (hence the common name of 'Chinese Lanterns').  A.
megapotamicum was distinct from the above in its more scandent or
semi-vining habit and delicate, more strongly pendant, smaller
flowers which were yellow with a red or russet calyx.

These days, it seems everyone is breeding Abutilons and there are
quite a number of cultivars to choose from (almost too many!!).  The
come in a range of sizes from dwarf shrubs to tall tree-like plants,
and also in varying degrees of scandent tendancies.  The flowers can
also range in size and form between the two parents, but in a much
large array of color choices including yellows, peaches, orange,
apricot, cream, white, scarlet to crimson reds, and even deep plum
or burgandy.  Leaves vary from the A. hybridum form (large and lobed
like a maple) to that of A. megapotamicum (narrow with few shallow
lobes and a long tapering point).  There are also some variegated
forms which can be quite interesting.

Why do I bore you with all this - mostly to alert your choosing to
the wide variety of forms available today.  Read any information
provided about each cultivar, insist that nurseries provide you with
such information and not general 'like all Abultions' type of
statements.  Understand the form of the plant you choose and how to
work with it.

Typically, Abutilons (as do all Malvaceae) have a tendency towards
problems with scale and possibly whitefly (use systemics if a
problem), but good culture (decent, amended soils, good mulching,
adequate water, partial shade to light sun) will mitigate these
problems.  There is evidence to suggest that they enjoy some of the
sandy soils in our area.  The also tend to be 'straggly' unless you
'pinch' routinely or head back 1 or 2 times a year.  The soft,
scandent, layered grown form of some types (inherited from the A.
megapotamicum parentage) is natural and makes for an easy esplaier,
or a handsome semi-weeping shrub for a wall-top.  Taller and
stronger growing forms of this habit have even become tree-vines
with time, making hansome curtains of flowering branches from on
high.

After being established, these plant can grow several feet a year if
condition are good and depending upon their individual form (some
have been selected or bred for smaller stature).  If the form of a
given plant is poor, cutting back to 1/2 or even to near the ground
can rejuvinate and create a new opportunity for training within the
same year.

I hope the above was useful and interested - sorry to have ended up
being so long winded.

 Sean A. O'Hara                     sean.ohara@ucop.edu
 710 Jean Street                    http://www.dla.ucop.edu/sao
 Oakland, California  94610-1459    h o r t u l u s   a p t u s
 (510) 987-0577                     'a garden suited to its purpose'
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