{"id":6441,"date":"2026-03-05T16:44:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T00:44:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wrwofficial.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/05\/how-to-grow-and-care-for-flowering-maple-abutilon\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T16:44:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T00:44:07","slug":"how-to-grow-and-care-for-flowering-maple-abutilon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wrwofficial.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/05\/how-to-grow-and-care-for-flowering-maple-abutilon\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Grow and Care for Flowering Maple (Abutilon)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Flowering maples can tolerate too much water for a short time, but lack of moisture will stress or even kill them.<\/p>\n

Temperature<\/h3>\n

Even though abutilons make happy houseplants, they flower and perform best if allowed to experience a period of chilly temperatures in the winter.<\/p>\n

Not freezing, of course, but temperatures around 50 to 60\u00b0F for part of the day during the winter. During the growing season, don\u2019t worry about the heat.<\/p>\n

While temperatures around 60 to 70\u00b0F are ideal, flowering maples will tolerate outside of this range as well.<\/p>\n

You can grow them outdoors year-round in Zones 9 to 10 and some in Zone 8. I grow my hybrid, \u2018Red Tiger,\u2019 in Zone 8b.<\/p>\n

It has even been exposed to a hard freeze multiple times and on it carries.<\/p>\n

A few times, it has lost a few branches, but I trim these off and it always rebounds spectacularly in the spring.<\/p>\n

Fertilizer<\/h3>\n

Part of what makes abutilon so charming is its near-constant flowering. But that also makes it a hungry plant.<\/p>\n

You might need to feed as often as twice a month during the spring, summer, and fall.<\/p>\n

If you haven\u2019t tested your soil or you\u2019re using a potting mixture, just go for a product formulated for flowering plants. A houseplant food works, too.<\/p>\n

You want a fertilizer that has more phosphorus than nitrogen or potassium.<\/p>\n

Down to Earth\u2019s Rose & Flower fits the bill, with an NPK ratio of 4-8-4. It can be used indoors and out.<\/p>\n

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Down to Earth Rose and Flower<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

You can find it in one-, five-, and 15-pound boxes available at Arbico Organics<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Species and Cultivars<\/h2>\n

The various hybrids are classified as Abutilon Hybridum (A.<\/em> \u00d7 hybridum<\/em>) and often come from unknown parentage, though they likely include some redvein (A. pictum<\/em>), Darwin\u2019s (A. darwinii<\/em>), or trailing (C. magapotamica<\/em>) in their lineage. Most are frost tender.<\/p>\n

There are a few lesser-known species, like Chilean mallow (C. vitifolium<\/em>) that are hard to find, but worth seeking out.<\/p>\n

The flowers on this species look like hibiscus and the shrub itself grows to 25 feet or more.<\/p>\n

Here are some suggestions to get you started:<\/p>\n

Bella<\/h3>\n

Bell is a hybrid abutilon series in shades ranging from creamy yellow to deep red, with apricot, pink, and orange in between.<\/p>\n

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Bred to stay petite, they only grow to about 18 inches tall, which makes them ideal for growing as houseplants.<\/p>\n

Canary Bird<\/h3>\n

\u2018Canary Bird\u2019 has bright yellow blossoms that linger on the branches for a good long while.<\/p>\n

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The shrub itself grows to about 15 feet tall outdoors, though you can grow it indoors, where it will stay much smaller.<\/p>\n

The Royal Horticultural Society gave \u2018Canary Bird\u2019 the coveted Award of Garden Merit in 1993.<\/p>\n

Gold Dust<\/h3>\n

\u2018Gold Dust\u2019 is a charming hybrid that features large orange blossoms with dark red veins.<\/p>\n

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The leaves are speckled in yellow on a green base, giving it extra visual appeal even when it\u2019s not in bloom, which is rare.<\/p>\n

This abutilon stays under 10 feet tall and wide outdoors, making it an appealing option for growing indoors as a houseplant, as it will stay more compact that many others.<\/p>\n

The variegated foliage also means that it thrives in lower light than other varieties.<\/p>\n

Nabob<\/h3>\n

A cross between a redvein (A. pictum<\/em>) and a trailing (C. megapotamica<\/em>), \u2018Nabob\u2019 has glossy, dark green foliage and large, deep maroon flowers.<\/p>\n

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Outdoors, it will reach up to 10 feet tall, and about half that indoors. Of course, you can always prune it to whatever smaller size you like.<\/p>\n

\u2018Nabob\u2019 was given the Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society in 1993.<\/p>\n

Orange Hot Lava<\/h3>\n

This abutilon hybrid featuring C. megapotamica<\/em> parentage is a stunner.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n