Abutilon

The plant abutilon (Abutilon) is a genus of grasses and shrubs belonging to the Malvov family. The natural habitats of abutilones are tropics and subtropical zones. The genus unites about two hundred different species found on almost all continents.

This plant is also known as the cable car. The name is due to the fact that in Asia, ropes are made from its fibers and used for the production of burlap. Another popular name for the bush is indoor maple. Although these plants are not related, the leaf blades of abutilone resemble maple ones. They are located on numerous branches of the bush and have several blades. Each sheet reaches at least 10 cm in size.

Flowering is quite impressive: inflorescences or single bell-shaped flowers are formed on Abutilon. In the center of each of them is a cup-core. The coloration usually includes tones of yellow, red, white and orange, as well as lilac. Flowering lasts long enough, but the period of bud formation depends on the specific species. Garden hybrids of this plant can have red or yellow flowers, they can also differ in the number of stamens and have a variegated color or a modified form of leaf plates. These hybrids also have a longer flowering period.

When planted in the ground, an abutilon bush can grow up to 1.5-2 m in height with a meter in diameter. Thus, it is planted in warm countries. Houseplants are usually up to 1.2 m in size. Due to its rapid growth rate, the shrub will need periodic formative pruning. Usually abutilone is grown in greenhouses, spacious rooms or conservatories. It is easier to maintain a temperature that is comfortable for the plant. By combining different types of this shrub, you can achieve continuous flowering throughout the year. In addition, indoor maple tolerates grafting well and allows you to get a bush with both green and variegated leaves.

Brief rules for growing abutilone

The table shows brief rules for caring for abutilon at home.

Home care for abutilon

Indoor maple is a rather whimsical plant. The beauty and duration of flowering, as well as its decorative qualities, depend on the care of abutilon. Therefore, novice growers should make the most of their efforts when growing this flower.

Lighting

Abutilon is not very picky about the level of illumination. It is able to withstand both several hours in bright sun and relative shading. On the south side, the pot is kept near the windows, on the east and west side, the flower can stand on the windowsill.

In the summer, you can take the pot with the plant out into the fresh air, choosing for it a corner where the bush will be sheltered from precipitation and strong winds. But the illumination of this area should change smoothly. Abrupt changes can lead to both foliage and flower buds flying around. In winter, abutilon prefers lighter areas. If necessary, the bushes can be illuminated with fluorescent lamps.

Temperature

In summer, abutilon will suit an average room temperature of about 23-25 ​​degrees. The plant does not tolerate heat very well, during such periods it is necessary to ventilate the room more often or take out the container with abutilon outside or onto the balcony. At the same time, indoor maple is afraid of cold drafts, so you should not leave the flower in the path of air currents.

In winter, it is preferable to keep the bush in a cooler room, where it keeps about 15 degrees. But a place that is too cold (less than 12 degrees) can lead to the fall of its leaves.

Watering mode

From the beginning of spring to October, the abutilon bushes moisturize quite abundantly, but not excessively. You need ordinary settled water, you should not use boiled water - it lacks the trace elements necessary for the plant. Along with watering, the foliage of the flower should be sprayed or wiped. Once every couple of months, you can wash the bush under a weak water jet. Periodically, it is necessary to remove dust from the foliage using a damp cloth, this will not only clean the plates, but also moisten them.

If in the summer the container with abutilone is moved to the air, sometimes the plant may not be watered at all or the soil can be moistened only occasionally, according to the weather. In such conditions, the plant can be left until autumn, until the temperature drops below normal.

In winter, when the plant is transferred to a cool room, the number of waterings should be reduced. The soil is moistened only after it is sufficiently dry. At the same time, they still continue to spray the foliage, but they do it less often. If abutilone remains to winter in a warm room, it should be kept away from the batteries or a protective screen should be created for the flower that does not allow dry and hot air to pass through to it. In such conditions, the flower is watered more often.

The soil

For planting abutilon, a neutral soil is used, but slightly acidic is also suitable. As a rule, it includes turf, humus and leafy soil, as well as sand.

Top dressing

Growing and flowering abutilone can be fed about twice a month. Both organic solutions and mineral compositions are suitable for it.During the dormant period, feeding is not carried out, the only exceptions are those species that continue to bloom even in winter.

Transfer

Indoor abutilones are regularly transplanted. The bush should be moved to a new container in the spring, before bud formation begins. Young plants require an annual transplant, the rest can be moved about once every 2 or 3 years. The new container should only be a couple of cm larger than the old one in diameter. In a too spacious pot with a large volume, abutilone will not bloom.

Abutilon can also be grown hydroponically.

Pruning

If abutilon grows in favorable conditions, over the summer its bush noticeably increases in size. To keep the crown of the flower compact and neat, at the end of winter, its branches are cut by about a third or even half. The buds are usually formed precisely at the tops of the stems, so correct formation will have a positive effect on further flowering.

During the growing season, you can remove too weak or interfering shoots from the bush. Thickening of the crown should also not be allowed. To prevent the bush from tilting, it is recommended to strengthen it with a support.

Bloom

Abutilon bloom begins in late April and ends in late autumn. During the flowering period, beautiful flowers are formed, consisting of 5 petals. The flower diameter usually does not exceed 6-7 cm.

Abutilon propagation methods

Abutilon is propagated using seeds, as well as incompletely stiff cuttings.

Growing from seeds

Abutilon seeds are sown at the very beginning of spring. A peat-sand mixture is used as a substrate. The seeds are buried no more than 0.5 cm, watered and covered with foil. Crops are regularly ventilated and monitored to maintain soil moisture. At a temperature of about 18 degrees, the seedlings should germinate within 3 weeks. The emerging seedlings start growing very quickly. A month later, they dive into their own pots. In the summer, you can make another final change. But such plants will not have parental characteristics, therefore variegated species cannot be propagated in this way, therefore, cuttings are usually used to obtain such abutilones.

Propagation by cuttings

Reproduction of the bush by cuttings is carried out in the spring. For this procedure, the tops of fresh shoots are selected. Twigs left over from pruning are also suitable for this. Each cutting should have about 3 leaves, and its length can be up to 12 cm. It is believed that cuttings from older lower shoots root more actively.

From the selected segment, all the buds are removed along with the peduncles, and then they are planted in moistened peat-sandy soil or perlite. You can also put the cuttings in water. In a warm room, the roots will appear on them in about a month. You can speed up the process by organizing an impromptu greenhouse for the cuttings using a bag or jar. Every day, such a greenhouse needs to be opened briefly for airing. After the cuttings have formed roots, they are planted in small pots about 7 cm in diameter.

Possible growing difficulties

Leaves and buds fall

This flower behavior can be caused by sharp temperature jumps. Another reason is the wrong watering schedule. At the same time, stress in the plant causes both high dryness of the substrate and its waterlogging. In this case, you can cut off the extended branches of the bush and feed it, and in the future, monitor compliance with the watering regime.

Leaves turn pale

The lightening of the leaf plates, as well as the stretching of the shoots, is caused by a lack of light. For the bush, you will have to find a more illuminated place, but you cannot drastically change the conditions for keeping the plant. In order for abutilon to get used to the new lighting regime, first it is transferred to a new place for at least a couple of hours, and then this time is gradually increased. If the plant is kept in a shady room, you can use additional lighting lamps.

The tips of the leaves dry

Dry or curled foliage is a sign of insufficient air humidity.From spring to autumn, especially in the heat, the foliage of abutilone should be regularly moistened, trying to prevent moisture from getting on the flowers. In winter, so that the bush does not suffer from dry air near the batteries, you can place an open vessel with water next to it.

The lower leaves fall

The most common cause of the oldest abutilone leaves falling off is a lack of nutrients. This is also indicated by yellowing or the appearance of spots. The problem can be solved by feeding the flower.

Pests

Aphids, whiteflies and thrips can settle on Abutilon, as well as mealybugs, spider mites and scale insects. They should be destroyed using specialized means. At the same time, the warm season spent in the air strengthens the plant's immunity, and it is less likely to suffer from the invasion of harmful insects.

Types and varieties of abutilon with photos and names

Abutilon grape-leaved (Abutilon vitifolium)

A shrub that grows up to 2.5 m in natural conditions. The stems are covered with soft pubescence. The foliage has a velvety surface and is colored green. The length of each plate reaches 15 cm. As a rule, the leaf has 3 or 5 lobes and a serrated edge. The flowers that appear in May form cluster inflorescences of 3 or 4 flowers each. They are placed on long (up to 15 cm) pedicels. The corolla is bell-shaped or almost rounded. The color of the flowers is bluish or lilac, sometimes veins of a more saturated color appear on the petals.

Abutilon hybrid (Abutilon hybridum)

A hybrid created on the basis of variegated abutilone, obtained by American botanists. It has many different varieties. Its bush reaches 1.5 m in height. The branches are covered with brownish bark. The foliage has a lobed structure and is covered with soft fluff. The length of each plate reaches 12 cm. The bell flowers also have a slight pubescence. Their color can vary depending on the particular cultivar and include golden, white, reddish or burgundy colors. The size of each flower reaches 5 cm.

Abutilon Darwin (Abutilon darwinii = hildenbrandii)

It is rarely used in horticulture. It has long shoots up to 1 meter in size. At the tops of the stems are impressive leaves with three lobes and pubescence. Each is about 9 cm wide and up to 20 cm long. In the lower part of the stems, leaves with 5-7 lobes and a curved central lobe are placed. In the axils there are up to 3 bright orange bell-shaped flowers, complemented by red veins. Each is about 5 cm in size. Flowering lasts from mid-spring to September.

Abutilon megapotmicum (Abutilon megapotmicum)

Or Amazonian abutilone. The British call the inflorescences of this species "weeping Chinese lanterns." The red flowers also resemble a little physalis lanterns. Below, a yellow calyx with a reddish area at the base peeps out of the corolla. The size of the bush reaches 1.5 meters. Drooping shoots are covered with bright green foliage with a jagged edge. The length of each plate reaches 8 cm.

With proper care, such abutilone can bloom all year round. The species prefers shady places, protected from the bright sun, otherwise it will have a bad effect on the decorative effect of the plant.

Abutilon pictum

Either Abutilon striatum or striped abutilone. Shrub with slightly woody and flexible branches. It has green foliage in the shape of a heart, divided into several lobes. The edges of the leaf blades are serrate. There is no pubescence, and there are small white specks on the edges of the leaves. At the end of summer, bell flowers with a golden-yellow corolla, supplemented by veins of bright red color, form from the leaf axils. In this case, the calyx is located inside.

One of its subspecies, thompsonii Vetch, forms two-meter bushes. Its leaves are up to 10 cm long. Each has 5 blades and a serrated edge. They are dark green in color and covered with yellowish specks. The size of the flowers reaches 7 cm. They are colored yellow or red and can have a simple or double structure.Flowering begins in June.

Abutilon sellovianum

It resembles the hybrid form of abutilone, but differs in weaker branching. It grows up to 2 meters in height. Stems are straight, slightly pubescent. The leaves have three lobes with a taper on each lobe. The flowers are pale lilac, with pinkish veins. The flowering of the species is quite long and lasts from July to the beginning of winter.

Abutilon marble (Abutilon marmoratum)

The species is distinguished by spectacular lobed foliage of golden-green color. It has rather thin and long shoots that make it possible to use such bushes as ampelous ones. Sometimes such abutilone is grown in greenhouses as a ground cover.

Abutilon variegata (Abutilon variegata)

This species is often grown as ampelous. To do this, the plant is placed in a hanging basket; in this position, its shoots look especially impressive. But when normally placed on a support, the plant will look like a bush.