Abutilon Little Sunshine – Flowering plants

Abutilon Little Sunshine (Flowering Maple) is an evergreen Shrub. The leaves for this plant are a maple type dark green and the sunshine yellow flowers have a blush of morning-orange on the inner petals. You can expect to see a lot of blossoms from these between spring through to fall.

Scientific classification

Family: Malvaceae
Subfamily: Malvoideae
Tribe: Malveae
Genus: Abutilon

Scientific Name: Abutilon ‘Little Sunshine’
Common Name: Flowering Maple, Albution, Chinese Lantern, and Parlour maple.

How to care and grow Abutilon Little Sunshine (Flowering Maple)

Light

It thrives best in bright light with at least three to four hours of direct sunlight every day. Place the plant to receive the light from a south or west window.

Soil

It grows best in organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained, any good potting mix.

Water

Water thoroughly, keep the soil evenly moist in spring through summer. Allow the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings. Reduce watering in the winter, while the plant is dormant.

Temperature

It grows well in average room temperatures 18°C-24°C / 65°F-75°F year-round. Avoid lower than 50°F/10°C in the winter.

Humidity

It prefers moderate, around 40-50% relative humidity. Mist foliage with room-temperature water every few days when needed, especially in winter when indoor humidity is low.

Fertilizer

Fertilize every two weeks in spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted by half. In winter, feed monthly, as plants grow more slowly.

Pruning

Prune your Flowering Maple down to a manageable size just as spring approaches. Also prune back branches that are growing too big and any old branches or leaves when needed, which will encourage new growth and maintain a manageable size.

Propagation

Abutilon Little Sunshine can be easily propagated by seeds or by stem tip cuttings. Take stem tip cuttings 8-10cm (3-4 inch) long from the plant in spring or summer, dip the cut ends in hormone rooting powder and plant the cuttings in moist soil. Sowing seeds in spring that germinate in 21 days.

Pests and Diseases

It has no serious pest or disease problems. Sometimes susceptible to leaf-eating insects – flea beetles, aphids, and caterpillars.