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Abutilon species

Abutilon species: Flowers
Photo by Ken Fern. High resolution version

Abutilon species: Flowers
Photo by Ken Fern. High resolution version

Abutilon species: Flowers
Photo by Ken Fern. High resolution version

Abutilon species: Flowers
Photo by Ken Fern. High resolution version

Abutilon species: Flowers
Photo by Ken Fern. High resolution version

Abutilon species: Flowers
Photo by Ken Fern. High resolution version

Common name:		Family:	Malvaceae
Author:	.	Botanical references:	200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Hybrids of garden origin involving several species, especially A. megapotanicum and A. pictum.
Habitat:	Not known in the wild
Edibility Rating (1-5):	3	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Malvales. Mallow family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen shrub growing to 3m by 2m . It is hardy to zone 8. It is in leaf all year, in flower from April to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 3/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Edible Uses

Flowers.

Flowers - raw or cooked. A delicious sweet flavour, they are excellent on their own or as part of a mixed salad[K]. The flowers produce nectar all the time they are open so, assuming the plant is grown indoors and is not visited by pollinating insects, the sweetness increases the longer the flower is open[K].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Requires a sunny position or part day shade in a fertile well-drained soil[200]. Dislikes drought[200].
All members of this genus have edible flowers - the leaves will also be edible but in our experience although they have a mild flavour the texture is not that pleasant. There has been much hybridisation within the genus by growers wishing to produce ornamental flowering plants and it is now rather difficult to assign species names for many of these cultivars. Consequently, this entry has been used to cover a range of hybrid forms of complex parentage involving several species but especially A. megapotanicum and A. pictum.
Several cultivars are hardy in the mildest areas of Britain, tolerating temperatures down to about -5°c when given the protection of a south or south-west facing wall[11, 200]. Plants are often deciduous in cold winters[219]. A deep mulch in winter and tying in growth to the wall will maximise protection in winter[200]. If the plant is cut back by cold weather, it will normally resprout from the base in the spring and can flower on the current year's growth[202].
Dead-heading plants to prevent seeding can enhance longevity[200].
Tip-prune young plants to promote a bushy habit, older plants can be cut back hard annually as new growth commences in late winter or early spring if required[200].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse[200]. Germination should take place within a few weeks. Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots. Grow them on for at least the first winter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. This species is a hybrid, so the seedlings will not be true to type.
Cuttings of young shoots, June in a frame[200]. Grow on in the greenhouse for their first winter and plant out in spring after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[200]. Grow on in the greenhouse for their first winter and plant out in spring after the last expected frosts.

Cultivars

'Hinton Seedling': A free-flowering form with sweet flavoured flowers[K].
'Canary Bird': A very free-flowering form with larger, more open flowers than most cultivars. The flavour is pleasant but not as sweet as some forms[K].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

References for the family Malvaceae.

[CHINA] Draft Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[202] Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking. 1990 ISBN 0-670-82929-3
Contains information on 2,000 species and cultivars, giving details of cultivation requirements. The text is terse but informative.

[219] Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983 ISBN 0-00-219220-0
A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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