Abutilon is a beautiful houseplant from the family Malvaceae. Its lush bushes combine maple leaves with large bell-shaped flowers. In everyday life, you can find the name "cable car", "indoor maple" or "rope maple". There is also the name flower of happiness, because one look at it will certainly increase the mood. The homeland of the plant is tropical and subtropical zones of all continents. Abutilon also feels great at home. It is easy to care for, but knowing some secrets will allow you to maintain the decorative appearance of the bushes longer.
Plant description
Abutilon is an evergreen shrub or small tree. The height of even a houseplant can reach two meters. Dense stems branch strongly from the base. Lignified shoots are covered with a brown-purple bark.
Nearly the entire height of the stems are the next petiolate leaves of a monochromatic bright green color. Variegated varieties of abutilon are also found. Even in dwarf plants, leaf plates can reach a length of 10-20 cm. Each of them consists of 3-5 blades with a carved side edge.
During flowering, bushes are densely covered with large bright flowers. It is blooming abutilon that is often depicted in the photo as a magnificent decoration of the interior. Its single or collected in loose inflorescences buds consist of five separate petals, painted in white, red, orange or yellow. In the center of large bells is an elongated core in the form of a column covered with anthers. Abutilon blooms in different varieties at different times of the year and lasts a very long time.
Types of Abutilon
In total, nature maple abutilon has more than a hundred species. For indoor cultivation, the following are commonly used.
Abutilon is grape-leaved. A sprawling shrub up to 1.5 m tall with erect, pubescent stems. Large leaflets up to 15 cm in length are also covered with a soft pile and painted in bright green. Flowers appear in May. Large corollas of single buds are blue or lavender in color with a darker network of veins.
Abutilon Megapotamian. Branched shoots form a sprawling bush and wilt in the upper part. Wide lanceolate leaves have a darker color and a serrated lateral edge. The length of the leaf plate is not more than 8 cm. Single flowers in shape resemble narrowed bells on a long peduncle. Closed sepals are painted in scarlet color. From them wide bright yellow petals are revealed. In the center is a long column with anthers and a column of ovary. Flowering can continue throughout the year.
Abutilon Bella. The plant forms a compact bush with a very dense crown. A cap of large flowers of yellow, pink or red color opens over relatively small dark green leaves.
Abutilon is hybrid. Medium-sized shrub covered with dark green leaves. On erect brownish shoots located long-leaved maple leaves. The leaf length is 10-12 cm. The bark and leaves are covered with soft nap. Drooping bells of flowers up to 5 cm in diameter are painted in yellow, orange and burgundy tones.
Breeding methods
Reproduction of abutilon can be carried out by seed and vegetative methods. With a uniform color of leaves, it is possible to grow abutilon from seeds. The same method allows you to cross plants with different color petals. The resulting offspring can inherit parental traits in the most extraordinary combination.
Growing abutilon from seeds at home begins with sowing seedlings. In March-April, small seeds are distributed in large boxes with a sand-peat mixture. They should not be deepened by more than 0.5 cm. To prevent the earth from drying out, the greenhouse is covered with a film and kept at a temperature of + 16 ... +20 ° C. After 3 weeks, friendly shoots appear, which are developing rapidly. After another month, they pick and plant the plants in separate pots. During the summer, it is recommended to transplant seedlings in large containers twice more.
To preserve varietal characters, especially for variegated plants, use the method of rooting cuttings. In the spring, choose strong apical cuttings 10-12 cm long, on which 3 mature leaves are present. Buds along with peduncles need to be cut. The abutilon plant can be rooted in moist sandy peat soil or in warm water. The air temperature during the rooting period should be + 20 ... +22 ° C. It is better to cover the handle with a cap, but regularly ventilate. Seedlings take root within a month, after which they can be planted in separate small pots.
Home Care
Abutilon flower is not very demanding in care, at home it needs to create a moist and bright environment. Good ambient lighting is needed throughout the year. Light gives the foliage a special saturation and promotes long flowering. Bushes should be placed in the southern rooms at some distance from the window, as well as on the eastern and western windowsills. In winter, you need to highlight the plant with a special lamp.
Even in summer, the air temperature near abutilone should not rise above +25 ° C. In the heat, you need to ventilate the room more often or expose the pots to fresh air. The plant needs protection against drafts and sudden changes in temperature. In winter, a slight cooling is allowed, but not lower than + 12 ... +15 ° C, otherwise the leaves will begin to fall off.
At home, the ground under abutilone is almost always moist, therefore, indoor specimens should be watered often and plentifully. For irrigation use settled, but not boiled water. It contains the most essential trace elements. From drought, abutilon discards not only leaves, but also flower buds. However, it is important to be careful, when water stagnates in the pot and pan, mold quickly develops and the roots rot. By winter, as the temperature drops, room maple should be watered less often so that the soil surface has time to dry.
Abutilon needs moist air. It should often be sprayed and pallets with wet pebbles placed nearby. If the house has an aquarium or a fountain, it is better to put the pots closer to them. Once every 1-2 months it is useful to bathe the plant under a gentle warm shower. Between baths, you often need to wash the dust off the leaves with a damp cloth.
Abutilon quickly builds up the crown and blooms profusely, therefore, requires regular feeding. Fertilizers are applied every 10-14 days from the beginning of April until the end of flowering. It is recommended to alternate organic and mineral complexes. They definitely take a break for the winter.
To keep the crown attractive, in the spring you need to trim. In early March, the stems are shortened by at least a third. Buds are usually formed at the ends of the lateral shoots, so do not be afraid of the lack of flowering after cutting.
Transplant Rules
An abutilone transplant is performed annually in early spring, gradually increasing the pot volume. Only old plants are transplanted every 2-3 years. The pot should be deep enough to allow space for the roots. The soil is selected with low acidity. It may consist of:
- sweep sand and perlite;
- lowland peat;
- sheet soil;
- soddy soil.
In order not to damage the rhizome, use the method of transshipment of an earthen coma. Drainage material (pebbles, expanded clay, clay shards) is necessarily poured to the bottom of the tank.
Possible difficulties
Abutilon is not affected by plant diseases, with the exception of root rot. Some difficulties arise due to improper care:
- pale leaves and stems bared from below indicate insufficiently bright lighting;
- shedding of leaves along with buds occurs with a sharp cooling or irregular watering;
- leaves dry from the edge in a too dry room or with insufficient moisture in the soil.
Sometimes on the crown you can find aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, scabies or mealybugs. Fast enough to cope with parasites, modern insecticides help.
