Abutilon

Abutilon

Abutilon megapotamicum

Plant Info

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Malvales
Family:	Malvaceae
Genus:	Abutilon Miller

Species

About 150 species; see text.

Abutilon is a large genus of about 150 species of broadleaf evergreens in the mallow family (Malvaceae). The genus includes annuals, perennials, shrubs, and small trees from 1-10 m tall, and is found in the tropical and subtropical regions of all continents. The leaves are alternate, unlobed or palmately lobed with 3-7 lobes. The flowers are conspicuous, with five petals, mostly red, pink, orange, yellow or white.

Common names include Abutilon, Chinese Bell Flower, Chinese Lantern, Mallow, Indian Mallow, and Flowering Maple (for the maple-like leaves of some species, although the genus is not related to the true maples).

Abutilon species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Yellow-banded Skipper (which feeds exclusively on A. avicennae) and Chionodes mariona.

Selected species

Abutilon albescens. Endemic in Indonesia.
Abutilon auritum (Asian Indian Mallow).
Abutilon bedfordianum (Bedford's Mallow). Brazil.
Abutilon berlandieri (Berlandier's Indian Mallow).
Abutilon darwinii (Darwin's Mallow). Brazil.
Abutilon eremitopetalum (Hiddenpetal Indian Mallow).
Abutilon fruticosum (Texas Indian Mallow).
Abutilon grandifolium (Hairy Indian Mallow).
Abutilon hirtum (Hairy Indian Mallow). Old World tropics; naturalised in New World tropics.
Abutilon hulseanum.
Abutilon hyoleucum (Whiteleaf Indian Mallow).
Abutilon incanum (Hoary Abutilon, Pelotazo).
Abutilon indicum (Indian Mallow). Old World tropics.
Abutilon insigne. Colombia, Venezuela.
Abutilon leonardi (Woolly Abutilon).
Abutilon malacum (Yellow Indian Mallow).
Abutilon megapotamicum (Trailing Abutilon). Brazil.
Abutilon menziesii (Ko'oloa'ula). Hawaii.
Abutilon mollicomum (Sonoran Indian Mallow).
Abutilon mollissimum. South America.
Abutilon niveum. (White-flowered Abutilon). Argentina, Bolivia.
Abutilon ochsenii. Chile.
Abutilon palmeri (Palmer's Indian Mallow).
Abutilon parishii (Parish's Indian Mallow).
Abutilon parvulum (Dwarf Indian Mallow).
Abutilon permolle (Coastal Indian Mallow).
Abutilon pictum (Redvein Abutilon, Red Vein Indian Mallow; syn. A. striatum). Brazil.
Abutilon purpurascens. Brazil.
Abutilon reventum (Yellowflower Indian Mallow).
Abutilon sachetianum
Abutilon sandwicense (Greenflower Indian Mallow).
Abutilon theophrasti (Velvetleaf, Indian Mallow, Butterweed). Tropical Asia.
Abutilon thurberi (Thurber's Indian Mallow).
Abutilon thyrsodendron Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil.
Abutilon trisulcatum (Anglestem Indian Mallow).
Abutilon venosum. Brazil.
Abutilon virginianum (Virgin Islands Abutilon). Virgin Islands.
Abutilon vitifolium. Chile.
Abutilon wrightii (Wright's Indian Mallow).

Hybrids

Abutilon x hybridum ("Chinese Lantern"; unknown parentage).
Abutilon x milleri (A. megapotamicum x A. pictum).
Abutilon x suntense (A. ochsenii x A. vitifolium).

Cultivation and uses

Abutilons are popular garden plants in subtropical areas; the hardiest species, A. ochsenii and A. vitifolium from Chile, are hardy in warm temperate areas with moderate frost down to about -10°C.

Abutilon x hyb ridum is a popular group of hybrids that are semi-tropical, frost-tender shrubs typically growing 2-3 m tall. The lantern-like buds open to solitary, pendulous, bell- to cup-shaped flowers to 8 cm diameter with five overlapping petals and significant staminal columns typical of the mallow family. Flowers come in red, pink, yellow, white and pastel shades. Lobed, maple-like, light green leaves are often variegated with white and yellow.

Sow seed indoors in late winter and set out seedling plants after last frost date.

Beds, borders, pots, window boxes or containers.