Flowering Maple – Abutilon megapotamicum
Known as lantern plants or flowering maples, Abutilon is a lovely genus of broadleaf evergreens that produces an abundance of gorgeous lantern flowers from June until frost that are absolutely adored by hummingbirds. We first fell in love with this plant whilst lounging in a clifftop hot tub in the redwood forests of Trinidad, California and as the hummingbirds visited each lantern that hung over our heads and we watched the sun set over the ocean. Gorgeous! Though fairly hardy in our area (USDA Zone 8) they benefit from a sheltered location out of wind and severe cold. If damaged by winter cold water them consistently the following spring and they’ll likely bounce right back. They grow to 6 feet tall and just about as wide and they are very tolerant of a wide variety of sunlight conditions. Just make sure the soil is very well draining.
Latin Name: Abutilon megapotamicum
Site and Soil: Sun to fairly full shade.
Hardiness: Likely hardy to at least 10F.
Size at Maturity: typically 6 ft. in height and 4-6 ft. wide
Bloom Time: June-October
Pests & Diseases: No diseases seen so far on this plant
USDA Zone: 8