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Family: Malvaceae

Common Names: Flowering or Parlor Maple

The Abutilon plant is a woody perennial, but hardy only where the ground does not freeze. This is a variegated, hanging-basket form of the old-fashioned flowering maple – definitely a dangler, and a long one at that.

I trim off the stems of my plants when they outreach three feet.

The stems are slender and wiry; crisp leaves of bright green are brilliantly splashed with gold; and the pendant flowers are curiously shaped – like brick-colored lanterns on a bright-yellow base, with protruding brown or purple centers.

An outstanding hanging-basket plant for the sunny or semi-sunny window, with delightfully airy tracery and shadow effects. Outdoors in summer it will cascade from the top of a wall or from the edge of a window box or other container.

In Northern areas the plant requires full sun in winter, full or part sun in summer.

In mild or warmer sections, shade against hot sun. It likes a rich, humusy soil mixture kept constantly moist; high humidity; and coolish temperatures.

Pinch young plants frequently to promote branching. In early fall, cut back to one-half the branch length, and rest the plant briefly until new growth begins from the base.

Or, prune to thin and shape in early spring, to prepare for the summer season. Propagation is by seeds, or by stem cuttings of young wood in spring or fall.